We caught up with acclaimed comedian, actor and author ALOKs (they/them) following the release of their newest comedy special BIOLOGY!The special is a hybrid blend of standup comedy and poetry, and is free to stream exclusively on alokvmenon.com. ALOK taped the hour-long special in NYC after they toured the special over 150 shows in 36 countries.Tell us about your new comedy special, BIOLOGY! and what the title means to you.Well firstly it means that if people dont watch my special they are in fact erasing biology, and thats very hypocritical! Hehe. Jokes aside, what I started to notice was that often people use biology and biological to say that something is fixed and permanent. But truth is our biology is constantly changing every part of us is constantly shifting, being regenerated. So I wanted to call the show biology because its a show about transformation: from grief to joy and back again. The true biology thats being erased isnt gender, its what it means to be human. And what it means to be human is that we are in constant flux.How do you think comedy, laughter, and the community of a comedy show can impact peoples mental health?In a world in which large crowds of people gather from fear, aggression, and distrust it feels powerful to bring people together in shared delight. Theres something that happens, and its really magical to witness, when peoples individual laughter melts into a collective. Or when someone like guffaws or snorts, and it gives permission to someone else to do the same. In our dissociated world laughter is one of the first points of entry back into our bodies. Laughter is a pathway to connect to one another, to feel like something greater than themselves. I often hear from audience members after the show that they didnt realize how much they needed to laugh and what a cathartic release it feels like. And how healing and meaningful it is to be with a group of LGBTQ+ folks laughing despite everything were going through.Your comedy tour spanned 150 shows in 36 countries! With such a demanding tour schedule, how did you support your mental health? What did your self-care look like?It was definitely grueling, but Ive been doing this for a while so Ive developed some practices that help me. I have rituals on the road that ground me in who I am and why I do this like breathing exercises and maintaining a journal. I try to bring friends with me so I have a support system, someone to debrief and process all the chaos around me. I work with promoters to collaborate with LGBTQ community across the world: as photographers, makeup artists, designers. That way I have instant community in a place where I might feel isolated.Can you please share an inspiring message for LGBTQ+ young people? I know that things might feel impossible right now but I want to remind you that you are part of a community that defies whats possible every day. We come from a longstanding, sacred legacy of people who despite everything found ways to find each other and persist. You are never alone because you are part of something greater than yourself.The post ALOK on Their New Comedy Special and the Impact of Laughter appeared first on The Trevor Project.

The Trevor Project sat down with transgender activist, actress, and influencer Dylan Mulvaney and Harper Steele, writer and star of Netflixs documentary film Will & Harper. In this exclusive blog, the two trailblazers interviewed each other about their experiences as transgender women and the rewards and challenges of living openly as their authentic selves. With the rights of transgender people being debated across the country, this conversation is more timely than ever.HARPER: You are so unafraid of being out front and online. Does it ever scare you?DYLAN: I constantly go between the desire to be seen and wanting to hide under my covers and never come out. I think my craving for visibility first developed as a young queer kid attempting to overcompensate for my femininity, and now in my adulthood it manifests as pride for this second chance Ive been given in life. I was so eager to share my new confidence with the world after transitioning, and now Im a bit more reserved at times due to all the hate. Ive been feeling super happy lately, and I feel myself riding a new wave of optimism!HARPER: I felt the joy radiating off you when we first met. How do you deal with online hate?DYLAN: Sometimes hate comments or videos send me into a puddle of tears, but usually a bath cheers me up quickly. When Im tempted to react or respond to the hate, I take a moment to think through the trajectory of me adding fuel to the already blazing fire. If my response isnt helpful or constructive, I move on like water off a ducks back. I also have an excellent therapist and bffs on speed dial at all times. What about you? What has the reaction been like since Will & Harper premiered on Netflix?HARPER: Ill be honest, Im not really sure about the reaction. I dont ever look at reviews good or bad. Friends have been sending me lots of congratulatory messages and a few have sent me a review or a post someone made and those have all been positive because, well, friends sent them to me. Netflix seems to be happy that people are talking about it and watching it so Im guessing thats a good thing.DYLAN: What do you hope people will learn after watching Will & Harper?HARPER: From a trans perspective, what I want is for people to understand the damage that happens when you stop people from becoming who they need to be. If you deprive people of their gender, youre depriving them of a chance at true joy. I think the other big takeaway from the film is that friendship is about being present, listening and caring if someone you love is going through a period of change, spend time with them. Sometimes time is all it takes to say, Im here for you.DYLAN: Absolutely, its the simple things that go a long way.HARPER: How do you feel about being trans?DYLAN: I love my transness 99% of the time. It is a gift and one that I keep unwrapping. For a long time, I felt like an alien on this planet with few people to relate to, and now I feel a connection to other trans folks stronger than ever. The 1% of disliking my transness, it comes in times of comparison to cis folks. When I try to run from my transness and cruelly critique my body or mind, I remind myself that everyone is plagued by different insecurities, and that mine just happen to be linked to identity. I hope soon that the world will see trans people as a gift, too.HARPER: Insecurities are definitely a universal experience trans or cis. Can you name three heroes of yours that are not friends or family?DYLAN: Dolly Parton because she, a ciswoman, has given me the courage to stand strong as a transwoman in my celebration of hyperfemininity. She loves pink, and God, and doesnt believe a higher power would shame us for loving who we love or being soft-hearted. She has the largest portrait amongst the wall of my women heroes in my bedroom. This might be a cop out, but a good majority of Gen Z are my heroes. They arent afraid to speak their minds and they make me feel like trans people might be universally accepted if these are the kinds of humans who are growing up to have thoughtful, kind souls. Alan Cumming. This is technically cheating because he is a dear friend, but I find Alan Cumming to be the loveliest human on the planet and has been a crucial role model to me in my life. Alan is a master of bringing queerness and intelligence into his work, but always finds the funny. He is actively listening to the world around him and what sets him apart from the rest is that he is ready to take action to fix things with an empathetic approach.HARPER: All excellent choices.DYLAN: How do you think allies can show up for people in our community in a real and impactful way?HARPER: I believe in the micro over the macro so I think if you are cis or you are not queer, you can always start a conversation with Hey, cool shoes or I love your hair you know, what they used to call being friendly. Tiny moments like that have always allowed me to feel safer in spaces Im not comfortable in. Allyship is important but as a trans woman Im not here to explain my existence to anyone. I find this can be confusing for cisgendered people. To somehow connect with me, they need to understand me. Our allies need to know theres a certain wonderful thing about being trans that they will never understand. Maybe stop trying to understand us and instead just be there for us either at a voting booth or just being friendly. Outside of that, if you are a true ally, stop bitching about pronouns. If you can play Wordle you can figure it out.DYLAN: Exactly. I do a lot of work for The Trevor Project, and their research found that 46% of trans and nonbinary youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Its devastating. Yet, the findings also show that transgender and nonbinary young people who had access to gender-affirming clothing, gender-neutral bathrooms at school, and had their pronouns respected by the people they live with, had lower rates of attempting suicide. Theres simple actions everyone can take that are quite literally life-saving. Just let us live openly as our authentic selves.HARPER: Perfectly said. Lets end this with some joy whats a vacation look like for you?DYLAN: Oh I LOVE a vacation. If its up to me Ill bring my best friend Lily somewhere special and well order room service and wear the fluffy white hotel robes. I usually dont end up doing tourist activities, but Im a huge animal lover so Ill often try to visit some sort of animal sanctuary or excursion. For example in Scotland this last summer, it was my goal to see a Highland cow (and I did!) I also am addicted to jacuzzis, so anywhere I can find a great jacuzzi I am down.The post Dylan Mulvaney & Harper Steele In Conversation appeared first on The Trevor Project.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Florida state Sen. Randy Fine (R) wants to ban rainbow Pride flags and other political flags from government buildings, telling The Advocate, Government should not be flying political or ideological flags.He has filed legislation that would prohibit the display of flags representing a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint from schools and government buildings. The ban would include flags supporting President-elect Donald Trump, the transgender flag, and Black Lives Matter flags. Related House Republicans pass bill banning Pride flags & allowing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination Democrats condemned the bills riders as cruel attacks. Similar legislation was filed last year by Florida state Sen. Jonathan Martin it was dubbed the Dont Display Gay bill. While the bill never became law, school districts and local governments in various states have issued similar ordinances forbidding the flying of rainbow and other flags. 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 Opponents of the Pride flag claim often that it is divisive and political and opens the door to other special interest groups demanding that the government display flags pushing their own interests. Opponents also claim that government buildings should only fly the U.S. flag or those representing the military.This is just the latest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation from Fine. In addition to sponsoring Floridas infamous Dont Say Gay bill, a law that forbids instruction on LGBTQ+ issues in schools, he also sponsored a state bill to criminalize drag from taking place in front of children. Finesaidthe bill would protect our children by ending the gateway propaganda to this evil Drag Queen Story Time. However, the bill was blocked in federal court as a violation of free speech the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal to revive the law.While defending the drag ban last year, Fine said hes fine with erasing the entire LGBTQ+ community.I find it stunning that in order to justify that community, you have to stand up and demand that children be exposed to this, he said during a hearing on the bill. [Some LGBTQ+ people are] the ones that are saying this definition [of drag] applies to them. Well, if it means erasing a community because you have to target children then, damn right, we ought to do it! Fine also introduced a bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors, calling it the mutilation of children in the name of radical transgender theory, and wrote abill to revoke Disneys special tax districtwhen the company publicly opposed the states Dont Say Gay law.Donald Trump endorsed Fines state senate campaign,calling him a MAGA warrior. In October, Fine was held in contempt for angry gestures in court and now has to pay to take anger management classes.In November, Fine defeatedhis transgender female opponent, Democrat Vance Ahrens, to win re-election to his Florida Senate seat. Fine will resignfrom the Florida Senate on March 31, 2025 to run for a U.S. congressional seat. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The Senate debated the anti-transgender provisions of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Tuesday, with several Democrats coming out in forceful support of transgender rights.The bill, which is generally considered must-pass legislation to fun the military, had an amendment attached to it in the House that would deny coverage of gender-affirming care for minors under the militarys health insurance plan, Tricare, for any procedure that may result in sterilization. While this does not include puberty blockers, it may be used to target hormone replacement therapy, an essential treatment for transgender youth. Related Senate votes to advance military bill that restricts trans healthcare Sen. Tammy Baldwin is leading the charge to remove the anti-trans part of the bill. The debate featured four Democratic politicians calling on their colleagues to support Sen. Tammy Baldwins (D-WI) proposed amendment to the NDAA that would strike the anti-trans language from the bill, known as Section 708. Among them include Baldwin herself, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). 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 we are considering the NDAA. Embedded within its language would be a ban of Tricare coverage of gender affirming care for children of servicemembers in our country If passed into law, it would be the first anti-LGBTQ+ law passed by Congress in decades, since the 1990s, said Sen. Markey during the debate, in reference to the infamous Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy, which codified the militarys ban on gay and bisexual people serving openly in the military. This language is the product of a nationwide campaign against trans rights. A campaign that has facilitated harassment of teachers, bomb threats to childrens hospitals, and attacks on transgender people.Weve seen this playbook before, he continued. For decades Republicans attacked the right to abortion. They slowly chipped away, state by state, law by law, and today there is no Constitutional right to abortion.We must fight off efforts by politicians to force themselves into exam rooms. They think that they know better than trained healthcare providers and patients. They do not. The only expertise they are exhibiting is an expertise in oppression, suppression, and repression of health care freedom, and their attacks will not stop there. Freedom isnt lost all at once. It happens one inch at a time. And as the Senate author of the Trans Bill of Rights, this is an inch that we cannot give. Our commitment to our service members and all we represent, and to our security and safety, was broken. It has been broken because some Republicans decided that gutting the rights of our servicemembers to score cheap political points was more worthy, said Baldwin, before noting that this will affect upwards of 7,000 military families. Its flat out wrong to put this provision in this bill and take away a servicemembers ability to make a decision for their family, she continued.Under this bill, these children would not be able to access the care they need, said Sen. Hirono. We know what happens when transgender and nonbinary children are refused care. According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, depression, anxiety, and suicide all increase. This will cause trauma to the servicemembers, their children, the entire family. We didnt have to do this. We didnt have to impose this cruelty on our servicemembers and their families. I thank Senator Baldwin for introducing an amendment to strip this unnecessary provision from our bill, an amendment I and others are proud to cosponsor. We know that this fight is not over.I rise today to call my colleagues for section 708 to be removed from the bill. As you know I am new to the U.S. Senate. I come to the floor with great humility and great urgency, said Sen. Kim, before joining Hirono in listing the provisions of the bill he supports. By banning Tricare from covering gender-affirming care for minors, we are standing in the way of military families and the health care their doctors have prescribed. We are putting politics in a bill where it simply does not belong. We are sending a signal to our military families that if your loved ones are transgender, we dont have their backs. We shouldnt target transgender youth and spread fear into a community that has seen so much hate directed towards it.These speeches were widely supported by advocates who attended the hearing. Activist and legislative researcher Allison Chapman told LGBTQ Nation, Senators Markey, Kim, Hirono, and Baldwin all spoke about the effects this will have on military families. Markeys speech was particularly powerful and called out the increasing attacks on trans people at the state level. Seeing a Senator acknowledging the damage anti-trans attacks have on my community left me tearing up. Lindsay Church, Executive Director of Minority Veterans of America, said in a statement sent to LGBTQ Nation, Military service members and their families should not have to choose between taking care of our families health needs and serving our nation. They require access to comprehensive and quality health care, including gender-affirming care, as they sacrifice for the country they love. We urge Senators to join the Baldwin amendment, striking hate from our nations military funding, and to vote NO on any final NDAA bill that includes this provision.A press conference was held several hours after the debate concluded, led by Senator Markey, who echoed much of his remarks during the debate. Brandon Wolf, the National Press Secretary of the Human Rights Campaign, said during this conference: Servicemembers and their families make incredible sacrifices for this country. They lay absolutely everything on the line, and we entrust them with our nations safety, security, and its freedom. They are owed our respect, and the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions. But unfortunately, a bill that is supposed to be about pay increases and improvements to their quality of life has been hijacked. It has been poisoned by anti-LGBTQ+ animus.Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Womens Law Center, said during the conference: Were in a situation where right-wing extremists are once again trying to score political points by shamelessly targeting trans kids. Theres no reason that this specific bill should include such baseless, cruel, and inherently discriminatory anti-trans measures. Denying medical coverage to transgender people will make it harder to their families who are serving the country and simply trying to do right by their children.Chapman and Church both also delivered comments during the press conference, touching on their own experiences as transgender people and the wide impacts that anti-trans legislation has on the broader community. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A trans actress who played the role of a trans teen in a Pixar series is speaking out after her character was turned cisgender by Disney.I was very disheartened, Chanel Stewart told Deadline about hearing that Disney cut her characters storyline in the upcoming series Win or Lose. Related Disney is giving money to politicians who support Floridas Dont Say Gay law Following DeSantis feud, the Mouse House is making questionable contributions. The series is about a co-ed middle school softball team called the Pickles, and Stewarts 14-year-old character was originally written to be trans. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today But she said that Disney called her earlier this week to tell her that her character would no longer have a storyline about her trans identity.It was upsetting because my daughter is transgender and this is her life. I felt like it was very important that we not hide that fact, her mother, Keisha Stewart, told Deadline. There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized.Keisha Stewart was referring to Disneys statement justifying the changes to the character, which said that when it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline. It felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community, because its very hard on transgender teenagers transgender people, period. Especially when youre young and youre trying to figure out how to navigate this world that you live in and be able to grow into your own person, Keisha Stewart continued.Stewart said that she first learned of the role in 2020 when she, at age 14, saw a post on Twitter saying that Pixar was looking for a trans girl to voice the trans teen character.I was exactly what they wanted to a T, and thats why it felt so right. It felt just so right, she said. I immediately asked my mom if I could do it, because I just felt like if I dont do this, it wouldnt make sense. You know what I mean? She explained that she wore it as a badge that she was providing the voice for a trans character.I wore it with pride, she said. I wore it with honor because it meant so much to me. The thought of authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me.This explains why she was upset to learn that the characters trans storyline which involved a situation where her character experiences dysphoria in the girls bathroom had been cut, according to PinkNews.BREAKING: Here's the entire now-removed LGBTQ+ scene from Pixar's Win Or Lose. https://t.co/oqovp3tueG pic.twitter.com/Bnh7dtwEpi Lost Media Busters | @lostmediabusters.bsky.social (@LostMediaBuster) December 17, 2024 From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth, Stewart said. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.Its just that my character would now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl, she continued. So yeah, thats all they really told me and that I was still a part of the show.She said that she still considers herself a part of queer history for getting the role in the first place. The eight-episode series follows the Pickles as they prepare for their big championship game. Win or Lose will run for eight episodes on Disney+, starting on February 19, 2025.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A Montana judge has issued a preliminary injunction on a policy banning trans people from changing the sex markers on their drivers licenses and birth certificates. District Judge Mike Menahan wrote in his order on Monday that if the challenged state actions discriminate against transgender individuals on the basis of their transgender status, they also necessarily discriminate on the basis of sex. Related Montana Supreme Court becomes first in nation to uphold trans access to health care No matter what the next president does, this protection will remain in place in Montana. His decision echoes the Supreme Courts ruling in the landmark case of Bostock v. Clayton County, which determined that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are forms of sex-based discrimination. 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 The injunction stems from a class-action lawsuit filed by two transgender women against Montana and several state agencies over the governments anti-trans policies. The plaintiffs argue that the inability to change their gender markers puts them at risk of discrimination and harassment. The rule was established in 2022 by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) stating that the department would only change gender on birth certificates if an individuals sex assigned at birth was misidentified or incorrectly recorded. DPHHS officials said they would not change birth certificate gender markers based on gender transition, gender identity, or change of gender.In February 2024, the DPHHS said that any amendments on birth certificates would be subject to the provisions of Senate Bill 458. The bill declares, In human beings there are exactly two sexes, male and female The sexes are determined by the biological and genetic indication of male and female without regard to an individuals psychological, behavioral, social, or chosen or subjective experience of gender. These two interwoven provisions have incorporated discriminatory definitional principles into Montana law, the lawsuit states. SB 458 is scientifically incorrect and improperly seeks to limit the meaning of sex without legal, medical, or scientific justification sex consists of a complex set of biological, psychological, and social factors, including but not limited to the behavioral or subjective experience of sex.Additionally, the plaintiffs accused the state Department of Justice and Attorney General Austin Knudsen of implementing a new rule at the state Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) that revoked a previous policy allowing trans people to change the gender marker on their state-issued identification cards and drivers licenses if they had a letter from a doctor stating that the person seeking the change was in, or had completed, the process of changing their sex.After finally being able to live my life openly as the woman I know myself to be, I am frustrated that my birth state, Montana, is forcing me to carry around a birth certificate that incorrectly lists my sex as male, plaintiff Jessica Kalarchik, a U.S. Army veteran, said in a statement. I am being forced to use a birth certificate that is inaccurate and that places me at risk of discrimination and harassment whenever I have to present it.The temporary injunction comes just one week after the Montana Supreme Court upheld a temporary injunction against the states ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth, becoming the first state supreme court in the nation to do so.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Pixar Animation Studios, owned by Walt Disney Studios, has reportedly cut a transgender storyline from the upcoming Disney+ series Win or Lose. It is one of many cases where Disney made the choice to remove certain storylines and/or characters that could represent LGBTQ+ youth in mainstream animated films and TV shows.Win or Lose, which will premiere on Disney+ on February 19, 2025, follows a co-ed middle school softball team called The Pickles. Each of its eight episodes focuses on a character's life off the field life following a particular player, coach, and/or parent.One episode featured a character discussing their gender identity. However, those lines have all been removed. "When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline," a spokesperson for Disney told The Hollywood Reporter.The trans actress who was going to play this character on Win or Lose, Chanel Stewart, is now speaking up about that storyline being removed."Oh my God, it was crazy, the 17-year-old actress told Deadline. I wore it as a badge. I wore it with pride. I wore it with honor because it meant so much to me. The thought of authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me."Stewart's mother, Keisha, also shared a statement with the publication:"It was upsetting because my daughter is transgender and this is her life. I felt like it was very important that we not hide that fact. There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized. And it felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community, because it's very hard on transgender teenagers () transgender people, period. Especially when you're young and you're trying to figure out how to navigate this world that you live in and be able to grow into your own person." "I was very disheartened," Stewart added in the exclusive Deadline report. "From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard."According to Disney, Stewart's character is "still a part of the show heavily."Stewart countered that statement, saying: "It's just that my character would now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl. So, yeah, that's all they really told me, and that I was still a part of the show." (@) In the past few years, Disney's record with queer representation in children's media has been criticized.In 2022, a group of "LGBTQ+ employees of Pixar and their allies" released a statement alleging that corporate executives at Disney demanded they cut "nearly every moment of overtly gay affection" from all Pixar projects, "regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar," which was reported by Variety.That same year, a same-sex kiss in the film Lightyear was initially removed. As reported by Variety, the kiss was subsequently restored by the studio.In 2024, IGN released a comprehensive article noting that following the box-office disappointment that Lightyear turned out to be which was reportedly blamed on the same-sex kiss controversy among leadership Disney execs are now "uncomfortable" with queer themes overall.Regarding a central character in Inside Out 2, there were "continuous notes to make Riley come across as 'less gay,'" including changing the lighting of certain scenes. Special care was also put into making the relationship between Riley and Val, a supporting character introduced in the film seem as platonic as possible. Also in 2024, Disney reportedly declined to release a completed episode of the series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur that featured a trans storyline, as reported by PRIDE. The story notes that the trans storyline was the reason this particular episode got pulled.In the episode, the main character's basketball team is locked in the locker room after the opposing coach overhears that one of the girls, Brooklyn, used to "play on the boy's team." The team, which also includes a nonbinary player, supports Brooklyn. United, they get out of the trap.The queer community has long loved Disney, but there's growing concern about the erasure of LGBTQ+ storylines when so many anti-LGBTQ+ bills many of which are aimed at trans youth, as reported by The Advocate are proliferating across the country.

A 22-year-old Michigan man has pleaded guilty to a hate crime for planning to carry out a mass killing of gay people. Mack Davis spent a year July 2023 to June 2024 planning his crime while researching other mass killers and amassing weapons, even inscribing F***OT Killer into one of his knives, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Related He murdered an LGBTQ+ activist & stuffed his body in a metal trunk. Hes going away for a long time. The judge called the convicted killer a vengeful person during sentencing. From April through June 2024, he began to cement his own plans to carry out a mass killing at a political party headquarters because he felt it was filled with far-left liberal f***ot scum. He also planned to continue his rampage at a second location, which he referred to as a f***ot bar. 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 Owosso police arrested Davis before he could execute his plans after he tested one of his rifles by shooting about 60 bullets into his neighbors properties. Davis plans were chilling, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the EasternDistrict of Michigan said in a statement. He intended to commit mass shootings at two locations destroying countless lives and devastating our community all because of his fanatical hatred for gay people. I applaud the work of law enforcement in disrupting this awful plot and arresting Davis before he could carry out his planned attacks. Todays guilty plea is a reflection of my offices commitment to prosecuting bias crimes and is a critical step in holding this defendant accountable for his actions. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division added, This kind of vile and heinous hate-fueled violence, intended to target innocent people based on their sexual orientation, runs contrary to our values as Americans. Bias-motivated crimes targeting the LGBTQI+ community will not be tolerated. The Justice Department will continue using every tool at our disposal to protect communities from the scourge of hate-fueled violence by prosecuting those who carry out or attempt to carry out such crimes.Daviss sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, but he faces possible life in prison. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

While I do not support the means of Luigi Mangione alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson I fully back his purported goal of highlighting the greed, insensitivity, and inhumanity of large corporations and the increasing power of the oligarchs who control the country. He has hit the raw nerve of the vast majority of U.S. residents who consider the current economic system to be unfair and rigged against them.While economic disparities plague all of the nations across the planet, nowhere among the richer nations in the world are these disparities more extreme than in theUnited States. The top 1% of the population has greater wealth with an average income of $1,316,985 than the entire bottom 99%, with an average income of $50,107. Related Glorifying Luigi Mangione is a very slippery slope If we condone murder of any kind, what moral standing do we have against Donald Trumps horrific actions? So, when is enough enough? Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Is it when the compensation of corporateCEOs has risen an astounding 300 times more than a typical worker?Or when corporate profits have reached unprecedented heights, though the wages and benefits of the vast majority of workers either stagnated or diminished when accounting for inflation?Is it when a few individual families own 20 or 30 or 40 fast food franchises while paying their workers less than a living wage, even though 26% of fast food employees are parents raising children, and 68% are the major wage earners for their families. Or when many of our people go hungry as Congress fights to eliminate the food stamp safety net?Is it when a McDonalds employee must work the equivalent of at least 930 years to match the salary the CEO makes in a single year? Or when a family purchases two or three or four or five or even six homes that they occasionally visit depending on their current mood the way the rest of us choose a pair of underwear, all while many of our people, including youth, go homeless?Or is it when our elected officials in Washington, DC, respond to the demands of the upper-income groups and discount lower socioeconomic income brackets? Is that finally enough? How about when the corporate sector increasingly dictates economic policy through the purchasing and ownership of politicians at the expense of the American people, creating a culture that eliminates workers health care and collective bargaining rights, promotes and maintains workplace inequalities, forecloses our homes through scurrilous business practices, and holds students hostage to loan structures that jeopardize their futures? Or when the military-industrial complex marches to the beat of industry, our educational system bases itself on standardization and allegiance to corporate needs, and our prison industrial complex perpetuates the racial and socioeconomic class inequities pervasive throughout?Is enough enough when corporations grab government bailouts with impunity while doling out exorbitant bonuses for executives? What about when these same executives pay lower tax rates than their secretaries?When is enough enough? A democratic socialist revolutionEven before the Cold War and the so-called McCarthy Period (named after former Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy (R) ), individuals and groups on the political and theocratic right have flung the term socialist from their metaphoric sling shots into the faces of their political opponents to discredit their characters and dismiss their ideas and policies, all with the goal of swaying the electorate toward a conservative agenda.In his second State of the Union Address in January 2019, Donald Trump set a major theme for his future presidential bids by throwing to his base the red meat of socialism, characterizing it as an anti-American, freedom-killing political philosophy. Here, in the United States, Trump said, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.The right continued to sound these socialist alarm bells, especially through the MAGA movements representation of Kamala Harriss candidacy, plus its claim that various other Democratic politicians were socialist left-wing radicals.The right would have us believe that socialism is destructive and freedom-killing, but according to thedictionarysays socialism involves a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole, where each of us has a stake and advances in the success of our collective economy. Maybe if more of us challenged the widening and inhumane inequities in our nation, if each of us understood that we all have a stake in the success of ourcollectiveeconomy, then enough would definitely be enough.So what are some strategies to narrow the gaps in wealth and income between the economic classes in the United States? A quality, single-payer universal health care system that is not tied to an individuals employment, which includes safe and reasonably priced prescriptions and over-the-counter drug therapies. Guaranteed protection and enhancement of our Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid safety nets that are not taxed A system of parental leave, paid sick leave, tax credits and governmental supplements for quality child day care services, as well as universal Pre-K education for all young people. Guaranteed equal pay for equal work between the sexes, and the raising of the minimum wage so workers can significantly raise their standard of living. Further nationalization of our parks, forests, mountains, rivers, streams, shores, and off-shore waters, rather than allocating increased corporate mining, drilling, and timber rights. Free and quality education, not only through grade 12, but also throughout higher education and even after for everyone who desires. government-sponsored programs that guarantee our seniors a retirement system that ensures a high quality of life free from economic burdens. Guaranteed rights of workers in all industries to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. Elimination of workplace and larger societal inequalities based on race, nationality, citizenship status, age, sex, sexual identity, gender identity and expression, disability, socioeconomic standing, religion, and other social identities. Guaranteed comfortable and secure places to live, and governmental policies that actually prevent a banking system that forecloses peoples homes through shady business practices. Severe restrictions on the political process to prevent mammoth contributions by individuals and corporations, who currently have the power to buy and own politicians and influence public policy while locking out individuals and groups that are unable to amass large political funds. Challenge the military industrial complex that marches to the beat of industry, and the prison industrial complex that perpetuates the racial and socioeconomic class inequities pervasive throughout society.Create a true progressive tax structure where everyone pays their fair share, one that inhibits massive inequities caused by the overwhelming accumulation of wealth by the top income brackets. Establish effective restrictions on the so-called free market economic system that enables the creation and enhancement of mega monopolies, outsourcing of jobs, manufacture of defective products, and inhibition in the development of clean renewable energy technologies.If the United States does not act to narrow the massive gaps in wealth and income between sectors of the population, I believe a class war hopefully non-violent is imminent.Ironically, it will take a democratic socialist revolution to prevent the current capitalist system lacking in oversight regulations and rife with corruption and massive wealth and income inequities from imploding onto itself. It will take a democratic socialist revolution to promote governmental sponsorship of previously private and semi-private sector institutions, such as insurance and retirement policy corporations and educational establishments.It will take a democratic socialist revolution to compel the United States to live up to its overriding promise that anyone can succeed depending on their motivation, merit, and talent neither helped nor hindered by their socioeconomic birth ranking or their social identities.It will take a democratic socialist revolution to ensure a firm and strong safety net to catch everyone who has, for any reason, been unable to ascend. No, democratic socialism is not a magic panacea or some unattainable utopian vision from a futuristic film. Instead, democratic socialism provides a concrete foundation of action to lift our nation from the ever-widening social and economic abyss in which we find ourselves, an abyss that poses an existential crisis far greater than any threat from foreign military or cyber invasion.Young people, especially those steeped in history or possibly protected from its murky shadows can educate their elders who grew up in earlier generations when socialist was thrown around as an evil and corrosive epithet.The type of democratic socialism proposed, for example, by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and while not referring to herself as a democratic socialst, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has articulated similar plans) is completely dissimilar from the freedom-killing national socialism ruthlessly imposed by the Nazis; from the governmental system inflicted within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR); or the ruthless socialism of Venezuela and the communism of Mainland China and North Korea. Rather, the democratic socialism outlined by Sanders and the movement he has spawned resembles more the social and economic systems of the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.No country in the world today stands as a fully socialist state, but rather, some of the most successful economies combine elements of capitalism with socialism to create greater degrees of equity and lesser disparities between the rich, the poor, and those on the continuum in between.This year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development conducted its Better Life Index to determine the happiest countries in the world, according to its residents. Based on an 11-measure survey assessing quality of life, including housing, income, jobs, community, education, the environment, health, work-life balance, and life satisfaction, all of the Scandinavian countries, ranked in the top 10. Number one is Finland, followed by Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Canada, (which provides a single-payer health care system, unlike its North American neighbor), New Zealand, Sweden, and Australia (which places severe restrictions on firearms ownership). The United States did came in at 17 (down two from the previous year). Therefore, we might do well to look to these countries for some of their socialist policies that sustain high qualities-of-life for their residents.Many on the political right have established the false binary of capitalism on one side and socialism/communism on the other. But when we get beyond the fear and false generalizations, byeond the connections to tyrannical corrupt dictatorships, is socialism really so anti-American? It will take more than a president to do this, though. It will take the houses of Congress to propose and pass legislation and the courts to maintain policies and regulations making the capitalist system more equitable and sustainable. It will also require Congress to conduct genuine oversight functions that prior Congresses relinquished.Yes, itwilltake a democratic socialist revolution to save capitalism from itself.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A trans woman moved from a womens prison to a mens facility is suing the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) over her transfer, calling it cruel and unusual punishment.Trans inmate Amber Kim was previously incarcerated at a womens prison after a years-long effort to be housed there. In March, she was discovered having consensual sex with her cisgender cellmate and cited for a 504 infraction, which forbids sexual contact between inmates, the Huffington Post reports. Related Prison forces trans woman into solitary confinement at a mens facility Kim is on a hunger strike, and has been since Friday, demanding to be transferred back. Im just scared its gonna get a lot worse before it gets better, she said. The following week, the right-wing National Review published an expose about the incident, based on a leaked disciplinary report. The story deadnamed and misgendered Kim and described transgender women as male inmates who identified as women in order to sexually exploit female prisoners. No allegations of assault or non-consensual sexual activity were cited by prison officials. 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 A regularly scheduled review of Kims housing conditions shortly after the infraction determined she should remain in the womens prison, but, breaking protocol, the department initiated another review just weeks after the story appeared and determined she would be moved to a mens facility.The sudden reversal was arbitrary, in bad faith, and lacking a legitimate penological purpose, Kims lawyers, Adrien Leavitt and La Rond Baker of the ACLU-Washington, wrote in her petition. The lawyers noted Kim didnt receive any additional disciplinary infractions between the two decisions.DOCs baseless transfer decision defies its own well-found reasons for placing Ms. Kim at [Washington Corrections Center for Women] nearly four years ago, her lawyers wrote. For Ms. Kim, the risk of violence, sexual assaults and harassment is not merely speculative. Prior to her transfer to WCCW, Ms. Kim experienced two attempted sexual assaults, inappropriate touching by DOC employees, and ongoing sexual and verbal harassment by male inmates.Prison officials originally accused Kim of resisting transfer when she was moved to the womens facility and she was placed in solitary confinement at the mens prison as punishment. They have since retracted the accusation. Kim, however, has chosen to remain in solitary over fears for her safety.If I am eventually placed in mens general population, I will live in constant fear. I am afraid of physical assault, sexual assault, and the constant harassment, she wrote in adeclaration accompanying the lawsuit.I will face the ultimate paradox: my continued physical transition helps address my debilitating gender dysphoria, but the more female-presenting I become in appearance, the more unwanted, nonconsensual attention I will receive from the men in prison.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Its been 35 years since the publication of Judith Butlers book Gender Trouble, which argued that gender is performative (that is, its real only to the extent that its performed). Recently, the queer feminist theorist discussed the books enduring impact, as well as the role of gender in this years elections in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pas, which had previously named them one of the most influential minds in the world.And they had harsh words for people on the left thinking about abandoning trans people in hopes of future electoral success. Related Judith Butler tore J.K. Rowlings transphobia to pieces in an epic clapback I think we are living in anti-intellectual times. Butler laid out their stance on several issues, including access to gender-affirming care for trans youth. Not providing support to gender non-conforming youth strikes me as an act of cruelty, they said. I dont think every time a kid says, oh, I want hormones, you rush to the doctor. But you also dont refuse the idea. 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 Womanhood wont be erased just because we open the category and invite some more people in, they added.They talked about a straight, cis father they met in Chile who said he doesnt want to live next door to a gay family because his way of life is the way that God has mandated, and it is the only correct and moral one.His fear was that if there were different kinds of legitimate families, then his form would become less natural and less necessary, Butler recounted. Butler had thoughts on this years elections. They said they dont believe the reason Donald Trump won was because of trans equality, instead pinning the blame on how Trump was able to speak to peoples anxiety on a variety of issues, including the economy, war, climate catastrophe and then use those issues to scapegoat minorities. Part of Trumps success came with constructing an image of Kamala Harris as the source of these problems because shes the woke, the Marxist, the feminist, Black and brown, who presumably supports trans surgery (terrifying) on migrants who flooded over the border (also terrifying), Butler said. On the left, we dont know how to appeal to peoples deep passions. We think were very smart and very critical. But wheres the radical imaginary by which people will be passionately absorbed? they asked. People want to go back to the idea of being a white country or the idea of the patriarchal family, the principle that marriages are for heterosexuals, they continued. I call it a nostalgic fury for an impossible past. As a consequence of that, theyre furiously turning against some of the most vulnerable people in this country, stripping of them of rights as they fear that the same will be done to them.When asked about people on the left including some Democrats who are calling for an abandonment of trans rights, Butler said that that logic is steeped in fascism.You could say that about the Jews, Black people or Haitians, or any very vulnerable minority. Once you decide that a single vulnerable minority can be sacrificed, youre operating within a fascist logic, because that means there might be a second one youre willing to sacrifice, and a third, a fourth, and then what happens?Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

December 18, 2024 Today, the United States Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense policy bill that included a new provision banning members of the military from providing their transgender dependents with essential health care through TRICARE, the required health care program for active-duty service members. Jaymes Black (they/she/he), CEO at The Trevor Project, released the following statement in response:It is wholly disappointing to see Congress use a must-pass annual defense spending bill as a vehicle to deny health care to transgender young people with parents in the military. This provision is straightforward discrimination that denies essential health care for military families with transgender children, while allowing access to the very same care for all other military families. Personal medical decisions ought to be made between families, young people, and their medical providers not by the government.Preventing the families of service members from obtaining medically necessary care is a betrayal of our nations promise to our military, denying service members the very freedoms they risk their lives to protect including the freedom to decide what is best for the health and well-being of their children. It is understandable for people who do not personally know a transgender person to have questions about what it means to be trans, or how health care for trans youth works. But it violates American values of fairness and service for a small group of lawmakers to force a flat-out ban on essential health care for thousands of military families into, what is typically, bipartisan must-pass legislation.We urge lawmakers to listen to the military families who will be harmed by this bill, and oppose any further restrictions on this necessary care. For any transgender young person who is feeling overwhelmed by this news, please know that you are not alone. The Trevor Projects crisis counselors are here to support you 24/7 and we will never stop fighting for your right to be safe, accepted, and seen exactly as you are.Related Research:The Trevor Projects research has found that transgender and nonbinary young people face significantly higher rates of suicide than their peers, not because of who they are, but because of how they are mistreated, stigmatized, and discriminated against by others.An estimated seven percent of LGBTQ+ youth under 18 reported having a parent in the military.LGBTQ+ youth with a parent in the military report a staggering 40% higher odds of attempting suicide in the past year, compared to those who did not have a parent in the military.A 2024 peer-reviewed study in Nature Human Behaviour from researchers at The Trevor Project found that anti-transgender state laws directly caused an increase in suicide attempts among transgender youth by up to 72%.A 2022 peer-reviewed study in The Journal of Adolescent Health from researchers at The Trevor Project found gender-affirming hormone therapy was significantly related to lower rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary young people.If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Projects trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat atTheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678.The post The Trevor Project Opposes Defense Bill Banning Health Care for Transgender Youth in Military Families appeared first on The Trevor Project.

While often considered to be the realm of childrens programming, gay animation has long been at the forefront of telling complex, adult, and often queer stories with shows like Sailor Moon. In recent years, things have only gotten better. Series like The Owl House have given animated life to bi awakenings, and even SpongeBob SquarePants has come out. Its no wonder that the LGBTQ+ family cant get enough of the medium.From sapphic supervillains and gay super spies, to coming-of-age queer witches and MLM space defenders, these are the animated shows that PRIDE just cant help but be drawn to forever.All series descriptions are courtesy of their respective studios and networks.55. 'Super Drags'Synopsis: Three gay co-workers at a department store lead double lives as superhero drag queens, fighting crime and other forces like an evil drag queen and a conservative politician.Why we love it: The series boasts an all-star Drag Race cast including Trixie Mattel, Shangela, Ginger Minj, and Willam Belli.Where to watch: Netflix54. 'Castlevania'Synopsis: A vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly creatures controlled by Dracula.Why we love it: Lead vamp Alucards surprise coming out (by way of a mnage trois) gave the series the queer bite wed been craving.Where to watch: Netflix53. 'Chicago Party Aunt'Synopsis: Chicago Party Aunt is a half-hour animated comedy that follows Diane Dunbrowski, AKA The Chicago Party Aunt, as she stays true to her mantra If life gives you lemons, turn that shit into Mikes Hard Lemonade.Why we love it: The series is about a young queer guy going to stay with his aunt and party it up in Chicago, and in the process learn to love himself for who he is. Honestly, whats not to love here?Where to watch: Netflix 52. 'Star vs. the Forces of Evil'Synopsis: Star Butterfly arrives on Earth to live with the Diazes, a Mexican-American family. She continues to battle villains throughout the universe and high school, mainly to protect her extremely powerful wand, an object that still confuses her.Why we love it: This series is the epitome of starting off silly and turning it to a deeper story about tolerance, acceptance, and anticolonialism. Yes, you read that right. And its sweetly queer-inclusive.Where to watch: Disney+ or Hulu 51. 'Invincible'Synopsis: An adult animated series based on the Skybound/Image comic about a teenager whose father is the most powerful superhero on the planet.Why we love it: Andrew Rannells voices the lead character Mark Graysons best friend, William. That would be enough on its own, but it also features the talents of our forever crush Zachary Quinto.Where to watch: Prime Video50. 'Onyx Equinox'Synopsis: A young Aztec boy is saved from death by the gods and chosen to act as humanitys champion, forced to discard his apathy toward his fellow man and prove humanitys potential in a fight that spans across fantastical-yet-authentic Mesoamerican cultures.Why we love it: Ancient Mesoamerican queerness abounds in this very excellent and very adult anime.Where to watch: Crunchyroll49. 'High Guardian Spice'Synopsis: Four fierce girls train to become great heroes at High Guardian Academy, where they form allegiances, uncover betrayals, and discover their true identities while preparing to protect the world from an ominous unknown threat.Why we love it: This series created by Raye Rodriguez, a Cuban-American trans man, is a joy and populated with queer characters throughout.Where to watch: Crunchyroll48. 'Twelve Forever'Synopsis: Reggies dream is to be a kid forever. Her dream is so powerful that it creates its own fantasy world of perpetual youth.Why we love it: Reggie never wants to grow up, in part because it means shes going to have to come to terms with all those confusing feelings she has about her classmate Conelly.Where to watch: Netflix 47. 'Voltron: Legendary Defender'Synopsis: Five teenagers become the last line of defense for the galaxy in an intergalactic battle against the evil alien force led by King Zarkon.Why we love it: This remake of the 80s classic was modernized in our favorite way by making one of the leads, Shiro, gay.Where to watch: Netflix46. 'Baymax!'Synopsis: Baymax! returns to the fantastical city of San Fransokyo where the affable, inflatable, inimitable healthcare companion robot, Baymax (voice of Scott Adsit) sets out to do what he does best: help others.Why we love it: Disney has often (and fairly) gotten grief for including blink-and-youll-miss-it queer moments, then patting itself on the back for its inclusivity. But with Baymax! it finally isnt holding back the queerness takes unapologetic center stage.Where to watch: Disney+45. 'Adventure Beast'Synopsis: A brave zoologist, his spunky niece, and anxious assistant explore the world while saving wild beasts in this adult animated educational-comedy series.Why we love it: The episode We Live on a Queer Planet is a must-see.Where to watch: Netflix44. 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur'Synopsis: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur follows genius Lunella Lafayette as she teams up with a giant red dinosaur to protect New York City from all sorts of wild threats.Why we love it: This animated Marvel show has a fantastic cast, including a lot of queer faves among the guest stars who step into the recording studio for an episode or two. Best of all, it's just casually queer without making a big deal out of things.Where to watch: Disney+43. 'Helluva Boss'Synopsis: In Hell, imp Blitz runs an assassin business targeting the world of the living, using a spell book borrowed from a prince of Hell. With employees Moxxie, Millie, and Loona, they attempt to survive each other while keeping the business afloat.Why we love it: Because it has queer demons who make us laugh. Nuff said.Where to watch: YouTube42. 'The Great North'Synopsis: Following the adventures of the Tobin family, as single dad Beef tries to keep his kids close.Why we love it: Ham Toobin is out and proud and his family loves and accepts him for who he is. Its simple, its sweet, and we cant get enough of it.Where to watch: Hulu41. 'Velma'Synopsis: After teenage outcast Velma Dinkley is accused of killing a popular classmate, she has just 24 hours to find the real murderer. Theres only one problem: Velma has sworn off solving mysteries forever.Why we love it: Velma is officially out and proud canonically and this series does nothing to change that. It makes the world around Velma even more queer by making Daphne bisexual as well.Where to watch: Max40. 'Magical Girl Friendship Squad'Synopsis: Two girls are chosen by a red panda to save the universe by using newfound magical powers.Why we love it: Both the plot and the friendship at the center of this series are magical.Where to watch: Fubo, Spectrum39. 'Disenchantment'Synopsis: Princess Tiabeanie, Bean, is annoyed at her imminent arranged marriage to Prince Merkimer. Then she meets Luci, a demon, and Elfo, an elf, and things get rather exciting, and dangerous.Why we love it: Not only does the show boast a crew of lovable weirdos and outsiders, but Bean is queer and romances a mermaid.Where to watch: Netflix38. 'Danger & Eggs'Synopsis: In this fast-paced original animated comedy, teal-haired D.D. Danger and her best friend Phillip plan out another amazing day but get distracted with a challenge to conquer the worlds weirdest abandoned water slide.Why we love it: It's packed with queer and trans characters, voiced by queer and trans actors, plus it was co-created by a trans woman.Where to watch: Prime Video37. 'Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous'Synopsis: Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous follows a group of six teenagers chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a new adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar. But when dinosaurs wreak havoc across the island, the campers are stranded.Why we love it: The slow-burning and oh-so-sweet queer romance between Yaz and Sammy made us roar with happiness.Where to watch: Netflix36. 'The Legend of Vox Machina'Synopsis: Theyre rowdy, theyre ragtag, theyre misfits turned mercenaries for hire. Vox Machina is more interested in easy money and cheap ale than actually protecting the realm. But when the kingdom is threatened by evil, this boisterous crew realizes that they are the only ones capable of restoring justice. What began as a simple payday is now the origin story behind Exandrias newest heroes.Why we love it: Thanks to plenty of behind-the-scenes queer talent, this series, which began as a group of friends playing Dungeous & Dragons, features several queer characters and beloved queer celebrity guest stars like Stephanie Beatriz who plays as Lady Kima of Vord, a lesbian halfling paladin.Where to watch: Prime Video35. 'Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated'Synopsis: In this animated update of the cartoon classic, Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and their pals solve spooky mysteries in a hamlet bedeviled by supernatural bedlam.Why we love it: We all know that Velma is canonically queer now, but this series is where it all began! While the show begins with her chasing Shaggy around trying to get their relationship on track, by the end she realizes that perhaps the reason that love connection panned out was because her heart lies elsewhere with a girl named Hot Dog Water. Yes, you read that right.Where to watch: Netflix or Max34. 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off'Synopsis: After meeting the woman of his dreams, a musician finds himself contending with an army of her exes.Why we love it: Scott Pilgrim has endured in several forms over the years, but this reimagining of the worldvoiced by all the actors from the live-action cult classicgives bisexual icon Ramona Flowers a bigger role.Where to watch: Netflix33. 'Star Trek: Prodigy'Synopsis: A group of teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel and use it to explore the galaxy.Why we love it: This series continues the franchises legacy of inclucivity in its lead character, Gwyn, who is nonbinary.Where to watch: Netflix32. 'The Dragon Prince'Synopsis: Two human princes forge an unlikely bond with the elfin assassin sent to kill them, embarking on an epic quest to bring peace to their warring lands.Why we love it: Heroic lesbian queens in love.Where to watch: Netflix31. 'Summer Camp Island'Synopsis: Created by British animator and illustrator Julia Pott, the series follows the adventures of Oscar and his best friend, Hedgehog, who have just been dropped off at their first summer camp. Away from their parents, the two quickly learn that Summer Camp Island is not a normal summer camp: the counselors are witches, horses become unicorns, and monsters live under the bed. Not all camps offer the opportunity to swim with a talking shark in the swimming pool, crawl under the bed into a different universe, or make friends with the moon, but Oscar and Hedgehog do their best to navigate the mysteries and wonders of this magical place and make their stay worthwhile.Why we love it: This adorable and delightfully bizarre series features multiple queer and gender non-conforming characters throughout. These include some gay, married royal space puppies. Hey, we said the show was bizarre! Where to watch: Spectrum 30. 'Little Demon'Synopsis: Thirteen years after being impregnated by Satan, a reluctant mother, Laura, and her Antichrist daughter, Chrissy, attempt to live an ordinary life in Delaware, but are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces, including El Diablo himself, who yearns for custody of his daughters soul.Why we love it: While many of the animated shows we love are fun for the whole family, this one is strictly for grown folks. Transgressive and extremely violent, this hilarious series features a stellar cast including Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, Lennon Parham, and Michael Shannon. But its character Laura Feinberg, mother to the titular little demon, earns this spot on our list. Not only is she queer; shes voiced by bisexual queen Aubrey Plaza.Where to watch: Apple TV+29. 'The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder'Synopsis: The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder picks up the story of its central character, Penny Proud, and her iconic family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and grandmother Suga Mama (and Puff!). By Pennys side is her loyal crew: Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez, Zoey Howzer, Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, and Michael Collins.Why we love it: When the revival of the popular series returned, it was as promised as louder and prouder.: Michael Collins, now voiced by EJ Johnson, is out, proud, and fabulous. The show featured Barry Leibovitz-Jenkins (voiced by Zachary Quinto) and his husband Randall (Billy Porter). Where to watch: Disney+28. 'Craig of the Creek'Synopsis: Craig of the Creek follows a young boy, Craig, and his two friends, Kelsey and JP, as they go on adventures within a world of untamed, kid-dominated wilderness in the creek.Why we love it: In a show thats all about the imagination, Craig of the Creek keeps it real when it comes to inclusivity and representation of queer and nonbinary characters.Where to watch: Cartoon Network, Hulu, or Max27. 'DuckTales'Synopsis: Huey, Dewey, and Louie, along with Mrs. Beakleys granddaughter, Webby, discover long-kept family secrets from Scrooges epic past, sending the family on escapades around the world!Why we love it: This adorable reboot of the classic avian adventure story was modernized in several ways, including by stepping up its queer representation. In the third season, Webby gets a new best Violet whos being raised by two gay dads. Where to watch: Disney+26. 'Solar Opposites'Synopsis: A family of aliens moves to Middle America, where they debate whether life is better there or on their home planet.Why we love it: Two of its leads, Korvo and Terry, werent initially a couple, but over the course of two seasons thats exactly what theyve become.Where to watch: Hulu 25. 'Hazbin Hotel'Synopsis: The daughter of Lucifer opens a rehabilitation hotel that offers a group of misfit demons a chance at redemption.Why we love it: We need more LGBTQ+ rep across the spectrum including characters that are messy and awful and likely literally belong in hell.Where to watch: Prime Video24. 'The Hollow'Synopsis: Three teen strangers awaken in a dangerous world and try to make sense of what connection they have to each other as they attempt to make it out alive.Why we love it: Adam is out proud right from the start.Where to watch: Netflix23. 'Q-Force'Synopsis: A handsome secret agent and his team of LGBTQ superspies embark on extraordinary adventures.Why we love it: Were still not over this cancellation, Netflix! But fortunately we got one full season of this super-queer and hilarious show.Where to watch: Netflix22. 'Human Resources'Synopsis: Lovebugs, Hormone Monsters, and a parade of other creatures juggle romance, workplace drama, and their human clients needs in this Big Mouth spinoff.Why we love it: Nonbinary actor Brandon Kyle Goodmans turn as the queer Lovebug was enought to make us tune in. But all the laughs make it easy to stay, too.Where to watch: Netflix21. 'Tuca & Bertie'Synopsis: Tuca & Bertie is an animated comedy series about the friendship between two 30-year-old bird women who live in the same apartment building: Tuca (Tiffany Haddish), a cocky, care-free toucan, and Bertie (Ali Wong), an anxious, daydreaming songbird.Why we love it: Not only is Tuca an out and proud bisexual, but the show is just so intrinsically queer. Its odd and lovely and totally embracing of weirdness and otherness, and rejects the confines of normalcy. Plus, its just so funny. Where to watch: Max or Netflix20. 'Young Justice'Synopsis: DCs young superheroes come of age, balancing truth and justice against the secrets and lies of various villains and allies.Why we love it: While the first couple of seasons, which aired on broadcast television, shied away from introducing queerness into the plot, once it made the move to Max the show was able to bring several LGBTQ+ characters into the fold. Where to watch: Max 19. 'Dragon Age: Absolution'Synopsis: When a heist against the most powerful man in Tevinter goes south, an elven mercenary named Miriam (Kimberly Brooks) is forced into a desperate fight for survival. Now, to save herself and her friends, Miriam will have to confront the tragic past shes spent a lifetime trying to escape.Why we love it: Like the game series that inspired it, this fantasy series is just so very queer. Miriam and Hiras complicated romantic history is the lesbian chaos we crave. And dont get us started on Roland and Lacklon.Where to watch: Netflix18. 'Star Trek: Lower Decks'Synopsis: The support crew serving on one of Starfleets least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, have to keep up with their duties, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.Why we love it: Like the latest generation of Star Trek shows, queer representation is all over this series. One of the leads, Beckett Mariner, is bisexual.Where to watch: Paramount+17. 'OK K.O.! Lets Be Heroes'Synopsis: An enthusiastic young boy earns a job at a hero supply store and trains to become the Greatest Hero Ever.Why we love it: Enid and Red Scares romance was more than just OK.Where to watch: Hulu16. The Second Best Hospital in the GalaxySynopsis: Doctors Sleech and Klak take on a highly dangerous and potentially groundbreaking case and, in doing so, put existence itself in jeopardy. Although considering their dismal personal lives, oblivion might be an improvement.Why we love it: Queerness abounds in this sci-fi space soap opera. Plus, the cast is absolute fire. Natasha Lyonne, Maya Rudolph, Keke Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Sam Smith? Yes, please. Where to watch: Prime Video 15. 'The Venture Bros.'Synopsis: The bizarre escapades of pseudo-heroic scientist Dr. Rusty Venture, his competent, high-strung bodyguard, and his two overenthusiastic sons.Why we love it: This show is just so, so gay in every way, in every frame. Also Dr. Girlfriend is a style icon.Where to watch: Netflix14. Adventure Time: Fionna & CakeSynopsis: Fionna and Cake with the help of the former Ice King, Simon Petrikov embark on a multiverse-hopping adventure. All the while, a powerful new antagonist determined to erase them from existence hunts them from the shadows.Why we love it: This gender-flipped Adventure Time series continues to dial up the queerness of its predecessor by finally giving Marshall Lee and Gary Prince (the gender-flipped Marceline and Princess Gumball) their love story. Where to watch: Max13. 'Big Mouth'Synopsis: Teenage friends find their lives upended by the wonders and horrors of puberty.Why we love it: Puberty, whether youre gay or straight, can be an awkward horror show, and no series better demonstrates that than Big Mouth. While the show hasnt always been perfect in its representation, it gets all the credit for effort and for the inclusivity of multiple queer characters experiencing the pleasures but mostly pains of those awkward wonder years.Where to watch: Netflix12. 'Infinity Train'Synopsis: Tulip Owens is a 13-year-old girl who aspires to become a computer game programmer but finds herself trapped on a train one day and is looking for a way out. She meets a robot called One-One, which consists of two spherical robots containing contrasting personalities that can combine into the shape of a basketball. Together they search the train, meeting a cast of strange characters along the way and hoping to find clues that will help Tulip find her way home.Why we love it: While this show doesnt have any textually gay characters, subtextually its queer AF. And it was done so intentionally. The creators have expressed their frustrations about the powers that be not allowing them to take their queer and trans representation as far as they would have liked to, but it doesnt take any work at all to see the exact kinds of LGBTQ+ stories they were telling here. Where to watch: YouTube11. 'Adventure Time'Synopsis: A 12-year-old boy and his best friend, a wise 28-year-old dog with magical powers, go on a series of surreal adventures with each other in a remote future.Why we love it: It was a long, long wait for Princess Bubblegum and Marceline to confirm their romance but the minute we saw PB sniff that old T-shirt every queer person knew what was up.Where to watch: Hulu or Max10. 'Dead End: Paranormal Park'Synopsis: Two teens and a talking pug team up to battle demons at a haunted theme park and maybe even save the world from a supernatural apocalypse.Why we love it: Based on the award-winning comic by Hamish Steele Deadendia, this series is a prime example of the magic that happens when you let queer folks tell queer stories.Where to watch: Netflix9. 'The Legend of Korra'Synopsis: Avatar Korra fights to keep Republic City safe from the evil forces of both the physical and spiritual worlds.Why we love it: Korrasami, aka Korra and Asami, is the bisexual representation we crave and deserve. While the series may have made fans wait until the literal last minutes of its four season runtime to confirm these two were a thing, the slow build to that moment made it feel earned.Where to watch: Netflix or Paramount+8. 'SpongeBob SquarePants'Synopsis: The misadventures of a talking sea sponge who works at a fast food restaurant, attends a boating school, and lives in an underwater pineapple.Why we love it: SpongeBob has always been gay in our hearts. I mean he, Patrick, and their little kiddo Gary are pretty much queer fam goals. Then in 2020 SpongeBob came out of the (sea) closet and is now canonically queer.Where to watch: Prime Video or Paramount+7. 'Arcane'Synopsis: Set in utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League champions and the power that will tear them apart.Why we love it: Arcane, which just became the first streaming series to win an animated Emmy, also won hearts with its romance between Vi and Caitlyn.Where to watch: Netflix6. 'Harley Quinn'Synopsis: The series focuses on a single Harley Quinn, who sets off to make it on her own in Gotham City.Why we love it: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivys happy ending (not that its over; the show has already been renewed for a fourth season) was a slow build and so earned. Take note world: This is how you do a chaotic queer love story.Where to watch: Max5. 'The Owl House'Synopsis: Accidentally sent to the world of the Boiling Isles before a trip to summer camp, a teenage human named Luz longs to become a witch, with the rebellious Eda and pint-sized demon King at her aid.Why we love it: Speaking of shows that earned their romance, Luz and Amitys journey from enemies, to besties, to more, is one of the sweetest in animation history.Where to watch: Disney+4. 'Steven Universe'Synopsis: A team of intergalactic warriors fights to protect the Earth, but the combination of three highly trained beings and one quirky young boy leaves the team struggling to overcome the dangerous scenarios that are put in front of them.Why we love it: Steven Universe is easily one of the queerest and most delightful cartoons to ever grace the airwaves. The world would be a better place if more people watched and absorbed the world view of love and acceptance weaved into the very DNA of this show.Where to watch: Hulu 3. 'Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts'Synopsis: The young adult animated series follows a girl named Kipo Oak whos searching for her father after being forced to flee from her burrow, and must explore the post-apocalyptic surface world ruled by mutated animals to find him.Why we love it: While we celebrate all-inclusive cartoons, oftentimes they save the big queer reveal for the finale (or close to it). Not so with Kipo, which introduced both her friend Benson and his sexuality right from the jump. His coming out scene is handled sweetly, as is his romance with Troy.Where to watch: Netflix2. 'Sailor Moon'Synopsis: A group of schoolgirls discovers they are incarnations of super-powered alien princesses and use their abilities to defend the earth.Why we love it: The original English dub infamously tried to remove the queerness from this series by making Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus cousins instead of the lovers they so obviously aways were but queer 90s kids werent fooled. And thats just the beginning; the series was packed with queer and genderqueer characters and thankfully the uncensored version, now on Hulu, has restored it to its proper queer place in animated canon.Where to watch: Hulu1. 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'Synopsis: She-Ra, Princess of Power, leads a rebellion to free her land of Etheria from the monstrous invaders, the Horde.Why we love it: Has there ever been a gayer, more inclusive cartoon than She-Ra and the Princesses of Power? The series was created by trans artist ND Stevenson and it shows. The show explores queer love, queer struggle, and ultimately queer joy. Adora and Catra share one of the most epic love stories set to screen and theyre surrounded by a literal rainbow of compelling unapologetically queer and trans characters. We only wish there were more seasons.Where to watch: Netflix

Some of these cities welcome LGBTQ+ travelers while others punishsame-sex sexual relationswiththe death penalty.International travel is recovering following the global economic slowdown of the past few years. Global international arrivals jumped 19 percent in 2024 over the prior year, largely due to a return in tourism travel, Euromonitor International reports.But visiting countries with different cultural norms often comes with dangers for out LGBTQ+ travelers.In its annual Top 100 City Destinations Index 2024, Euromonitor Internationals list of most visited cities included entries from countries where same-sex sexual relations are outlawed and punishable by prison and even death, according to the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index. Europe scored much higher than Asia and the Middle East. Such information should give pause to out travelers when choosing destinations.Keep scrolling to find the most visited cities in the world and where they stand on LGBTQ+ rights.10. Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaKuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is home to the Petronas Towers, the worlds tallest twin skyscrapers.Kuala Lumpur had 16.5 million international visitors in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalMalaysia scored 16 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Same-sex sexual relations are illegal and punishable by prison, and LGBTQ+ rights are not recognized in this deeply Islamic country.Source: Equaldex Index9. Paris, FranceParis, the capital of France, is known as the City of Light and is a popular romantic destination for straight, same-sex, and queer couples.Paris had 17.4 million international visitors in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalFrance scored 75 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Same-sex sexual relations and marriage equality are legal, but there remain pockets of resistance to some LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index8. Macau, ChinaMacau, an autonomous zone on the coast of southern China, is known for its mix of modernity with historic regional and Western cultural influences.Macau had 18 million international visitors in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalMacau scored 59 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Same-sex sexual relations and some civil unions are legal in China, but there are no protections for other LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index7. Dubai, United Arab EmiratesDubai is the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. The ultra-modern city, rising from the desert sand, is home to the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building.Dubai had 18.2 million international visitors in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalThe United Arab Emirates scored 13 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Same-sex sexual relations are punishable by death and there is no recognition of LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index6. Antalya, TurkeyThe historic region of Antalya, Turkey, is a popular beach resort destination set amid historic influences pre-dating the Romans.Antalya had 19.3 international arrivals in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalTurkey scored 39 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.The Ottoman Empire decriminalized same-sex sexual relations in 1858, but Turkey remains hostile to LGBTQ+ rights under its current culturally conservative government let by President Recep Tayyip Erdoan.Source: Equaldex Index5. Mecca, Saudi ArabiaMecca, Saudi Arabia, is a holy city in Islam and the site of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Mecca's skyline is dominated by the Masjid al-Haram (Great Mosque) and the Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel.Mecca had 19.3 international arrivals in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalSaudi Arabia scored 16 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Same-sex sexual relations are banned and punishable by death, marriage equality is not recognized, and there is deep cultural opposition to all forms of LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index4. Hong KongA former territory of the British Empire, Hong Kong was returned to China as a special administrative state in 1997. The city is known as a center of international trade, finance, nightlife, and high-powered relations.Hong Kong had 20.5 million international arrivals in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalHong Kong scored 66 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Hong Kong scored slightly above average marks for legal rights and protections, but public opinion still lacked widespread support for LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index3. London, United KingdomLondon, United Kingdom, has a history dating back to its creation by the Romans as an important port city on the Thames River. Its skyline is dotted with iconic structures like Tower Bridge and Big Ben.London had 21.7 million international arrivals in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalThe United Kingdom scored 71 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.The United Kingdom doesnt recognize non-binary gender identities and is taking a hardline approach to gender-affirming care for minors, but otherwise earns high marks for its wide recognition and protections of LGBTQ+ rights.Source: Equaldex Index2. Istanbul, TurkeyIstanbul, Turkey, sits at the intersection of Europe and Asia and has been a strategic city since it was established as Byzantium in the 7th century BCE.Istanbul had 23 million international arrivals in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalTurkey scored 39 out of 100 on the Equaldex LGBT Equality Index.Source: Equaldex Index1. Bangkok, ThailandBangkok, the capital of Thailand, is known for its exciting nightlife, rich culture, and natural beauty.Bangkok had 32.4 million international visitors in 2024.Source: Euromonitor InternationalThailand scored 62 out of 100 on the Equaldex Index.Same-sex sexual relations are legal, but non-binary gender identities and marriage equality are not recognized.Source: Equaldex Index

According to Statista, 59% of people aged 12-34 and 55% of people aged 35-55 listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. In fact, theres a good chance that as youre reading this, youre listening to a podcast in the background.While there are several popular LGBTQ+-focused podcasts out there, like Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness and Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, there are plenty of other amazing podcasts that deserve highlighting as well. Check out our list of queer and trans-led podcasts that you should add to your rotation.Cruising: A Queer Documentary PodcastWeve featured Cruising before and for good reason. In 2021, Sarah Gabrielli, Rachel Karp, and Jen McGinity hopped in a Honda SUV for a road trip to visit and document the remaining lesbian bars in the country. In season one, the team visited 25 lesbian bars, speaking with staff and patrons, digging into the history, and looking toward the future of these spaces for queer women. Season two explores the newest bars that have opened since the COVID-19 pandemic.Slayerfest 98While Slayerfest 98 is described as A Queer Latinx Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast that occasionally covers Marvel stuff, the podcast actually tackles queer pop culture better than most. Host Ian Carlos Crawford delves deep into the Buffyverse and other genre shows like Agatha All Along and X-Men 97, with a lineup of pop culture critics, journalists, and actors and writers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and more. Carlos Crawford also co-hosts a queer horror podcast with Zachary Patton Garcia called My Nudie Judy.Queer Collective PodcastBased in Toronto, the Queer Collective is a nonprofit dedicated to positive LGBTQ+ representation and supporting queer and trans artists. The organizations podcast is hosted by founders and couple Karbon and Emily, who tackle LGBTQ+-related topics like being a trans woman in a mens prison, seeking asylum for being LGBTQ+, coming out at work, and more.Bad GaysThis podcast about evil and complicated queers in history is hosted by duo Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller. Lemmey and Miller explore the lives of historical figures like Franco Zeffirelli, Truman Capote and Violette Morris in this information-packed podcast. Theres even a book out now inspired by the podcast, Bad Gays: A Homosexual History.SubtextualMost movies are gay. Well prove it, is the tagline for the Subtextual podcast, hosted by Lizzie Guitreau and Samantha De La Fuente. Guitreau and De La Fuente examine movies through a queer lens, looking at subtextual elements that most viewers might miss in films like Practical Magic, Miss Congeniality, and Grease. Gone are the days when filmgoers had to search for scraps of queer subtext in mainstream movies, but subtext remains an important part of queer film criticism today.Lost SpacesHosted by K Anderson, Lost Spaces features lost queer venues and the impact they had on the people who drank, danced, and loved within them. Anderson is joined weekly by special guests to share their experiences with queer spaces in the past and how those spaces helped shape their lives. From discovering oneself at a small-town gay bar to Emo Gay Nights in Sydney, Australia, listeners will get a dose of history, heartache, and humor.TransLash Podcast with Imara JonesTranslash Media founder and and CEO Imara Jones is also the host of the official TransLash Podcast. On the pod, Jones and her guests cover critical trans-focused issues like how to prepare for the incoming Trump administration, environmental justice through a trans lens, and traveling while trans.Ghosted! By Roz HernandezComedian Roz Hernandez gets spooky in this humorous paranormal podcast produced by the Exactly Right podcast network. Joined by celebrity guests like Peppermint and Joel Kim Booster, Hernandez explores ghost stories, psychic experiences, and all things that go BUMP in the night with a serious side of laughs.The Queer Family PodcastOn The Queer Family Podcast, queer mom and host Jaimie Kelton asks the question, Whats it like to live as an LGBTQ family in a world built for the straights? The podcast celebrates LGBTQ+ families, whose stories and experiences arent often told. From sperm donation to co-parenting, C-sections, and fostering, the Queer Family Podcast shines a light on the experiences of queer and trans parents across the country.Have a favorite LGBTQ+ focused podcast you want us to know about? Email us at newsisout@localmedia.org.The post Queer and trans podcasts you may not know about yet but should put in your listening roster appeared first on News Is Out.

The Senate has voted85 to 14to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a $895.2 billion military bill containing a provision to restrict gender-affirming care for trans children covered by Tricare, the militarys medical insurance. Lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who unsuccessfully tried to get the provision removed, said that Republicans had broken and poisoned the final bill with the provision. The NDAA contains a provision banning any medical treatment for gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization for those under 18. Its unclear if the current legislation would ban puberty blockers (which dont affect fertility), hormone replacement therapies (whichcan), or mastectomies (which are rarely ever performed on minors). Related Families consider leaving the military after House votes yes on anti-trans spending bill The NDAA would remove gender-affirming care coverage for servicemembers trans children. The bill will now head to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Biden has previously pledged to veto any legislation that harms the LGBTQ+ community, but the NDAA is traditionally considered a must pass bipartisan bill that typically becomes law without much opposition. 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 That tradition has changed in recent years as House Republicans have inserted culture war items into the NDAA meant to combat wokeism in the military. Last year, Republicans tried toremove any gender-affirming care coverage for trans troops, ban any book that has pornographic materials, and eliminate any offices overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. All of the anti-LGBTQ+ provisions were removed from last years bill.This year, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) inserted the gender-affirming care provision into the NDAA, turning some congressional Democrats against it. Yesterday, Sen. Baldwin debated alongside three other Democratic senators to get the provision removed. Baldwin alsointroduced an amendmentto eliminate the provision; 20 other Democratic senators supported her amendment, but it failed to pass.In a statement, Baldwin argued that lawmakers commitment to U.S. service members has been broken and noted that the provision will affect between 6,000 and 7,000 military families.It has been broken because some Republicans decided that gutting the rights of our service members to score cheap political points was more worthy, she said before the Senate vote. Were talking about parents who are serving our country in uniform, having the right to consult their familys doctor and get the health care they want and need for their transgender children, thats it. Some folks poisoned this bill and turned their backs on those in service and the people that we represent, she added.Last week, the Housepassed the NDAA in a 281-140 vote. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) was among the 81 Democratswho supported the bill and was the only out gay House member to do so. Pappas said he supported the bill because it contains pay raises for junior servicemembers and Pentagon childcare workers, addresses staffing shortages at Veterans Affairs centers in rural areas, and funds projects that generate $1.5 billion to his home state of New Hampshire.Pappas wrote that he remains incredibly frustrated that this process was politicized in the worst way and blamed House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) for adding unnecessary riders to limit care for some LGBTQ+ individuals. Johnson may have allowed the Tricare restriction into the bill to buffet conservative support for the upcoming 2025 vote to keep him as House Speaker. In a statement condemning the Senates vote, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinsonwrote, A majority in the Senate failed [military] families today, thousands of whom now face the possibility of losing access to medically necessary care. President Biden has the power to put a stop to this cruelty. He should make good on his promises to protect LGBTQ+ Americans, defend military servicemembers and their families, and ensure this countrys politics reflect the best of who we are. President Biden must veto this bill.In a separate statement, Advocates for Trans Equalitys Director of Federal Policy Olivia Hunt wrote, Denying lifesaving, medically necessary care to trans members of military families creates profound hardships, forcing service members to make impossible choices between their duty and the health and wellbeing of their loved ones. Politicizing access to evidence-based healthcare undermines the principles of fairness, dignity, and respect that our nation aspires to. No one should have to choose between their duty and protecting their family.Including this discriminatory provision in what has historically been bipartisan legislation is a disgraceful move by anti-trans politicians pandering to a fringe segment of their base. This decision prioritizes political gamesmanship over the dignity, rights, and well-being of those who serve our nation and set a dangerous precedent of governmental overreach into decisions that should remain between doctors and families.Last week, the Housepassed the NDAA in a 281-140 vote. In addition to the trans healthcare restriction, the bill also contains provisions blocking the Defense Department from teaching about critical race theory in its academic institutions or military trainings and freezes any military hiring on positions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. It also didnt contain a provision to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) services to service members whose infertility wasnt caused by service-related illnesses or injuries.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Actress Shailene Woodley is sparking rumors that she's dating Sapphic dream boat and A League of Their Own star Roberta Colindrez after the two were reportedly seen kissing.Last week, celebrity gossip site DeuxMoi reported that Woodley was spotted "getting cozy" with Colindrez, who she is currently starring alongside in the off-Broadway play Cult of Love.Eyewitnesses told the Hollywood insider publication that they saw the co-stars looking like more than just friends while having a Thanksgiving dinner at the historic Fraunces Tavern in New York City."Honestly, they were super cute and definitely looked together," the source revealed to DeuxMoi. "They were making out all night!"Woodley came out as bisexual back in 2014 in a Hollywood Reporter article and has consistently made headlines for her much-gossiped-about (and recently ended) relationship with NFL quarterback Aaron Rogers and for unfortunate quotes like saying, "I'm not a feminist."On the other hand, Colindrez who recently lent her vocal talents to the Audible adaptation of Alison Bechdel's beloved Dykes to Watch Out For has kept her romantic life most out of the spotlight until now.According to DeuxMoi, the pair got friendly while sharing the stage for Cult of Love, where their electric on-stage chemistry has been generating buzz, but now it seems they may be taking their rumored romance into the public eye.If the two are really dating, we can't wait to see the queer couple walk the red carpet together!Shailene Woodley and Roberta Colindrez did not immediately respond to a request for comment from PRIDE.

(@) Donald Trump may have just been elected president, but even people at his own golf club dont want to listen to him, and we cant stop laughing.Today, Patriot Takes on X (formerly Twitter) posted a video clip of Trump walking into a crowded room at Mar-a-Lago and trying to give a speech while people walk around him and ignore everything hes saying. This may be the first time weve ever related to people who would go to Trumps gaudy golf club.Trump, of course, is bragging about the election while sporting a bizarre mullet hairstyle and a white polo shirt with his name printed on it. We had a great victory. It was really we won everything, he said before raising his fist in the air to a pathetic smattering of applause from what sounded like just a few people. Watching the MAGA leader grandstand and only have a couple of people in his own very busy resort pay any attention to him is feeding our soul in the middle of an otherwise depressing news cycle, and the internet roasting him is giving us life!From commenters making fun of his ridiculous hair to saying that people are ignoring Trump because they dont recognize him without a face full of bronzer to jokes about Trump needing his own name printed on his search in case he gets lost, the jokes are endless, and we cant get enough.Keep scrolling to see the funniest responses to Trump being ignored like the loser he is! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is freaking out over the fact that members of the House Ethics Committee have voted this week to release its investigative report looking into whether he engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, shared inappropriate images on the House floor, misused campaign funds for personal reasons, accepted a bribe, committed statutory rape, and engaged in child sex trafficking. In a statement released Wednesday, Gaetz described his past behavior as embarrassing, though not criminal. Related Gay congressman calls Matt Gaetz an idiot & tells him to f**k off Gaetz made an inappropriate joke about a school shooting in Rep. Mark Pocans district. Multiple sources told CNN that the committee voted earlier this month to release the report. In early November, the committee votedalong party linesnot to release it. Its unclear why Republicans on the committee changed their vote or whether the committee might vote again not to release the report. The committee will reportedly release its findings after the House finishes voting for the year, which could occur later this week. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Its exceedingly rare for the House Ethics Committee to release an ethics report after a member has left Congress, the aforementioned news outlet wrote. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after President-elect Donald Trump named Gaetz as his next pick for Attorney General.However, shortly after he was nominated, The New York Times published a document prepared by federal investigators bolstering claims by women who said Gaetz hired them for sex. The image showed a web of payments from Gaetz and dozens of friends and associates who are said to have taken part with him in drug-fueled sex parties.Additionally, a lawyer for two women who testified before the Ethics Committee and were questioned by theDepartment of Justice (DOJ) said Gaetz paid them both for sex even though one of them was underage (17) at the time. Gaetz removed himself from consideration barely a week after Trump nominated him, writing that the scandals surrounding him had become a distraction to Trumps transition into the presidency. He later announced that hell join the right-wing media outlet One America News Network in January.However, upon hearing news of the investigations possible release, Gaetz wrote on X that he was fully exonerated from any allegations of criminal wrongdoing. While the DOJ didnt seek criminal charges against him, that isnt the same as being completely absolved of any wrongdoing it merely means the body may not have found enough evidence to build a case against him that would prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.Nevertheless, Gaetz wrote, In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18.Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court which is why no such claim was ever made in court. My 30s were an era of working very hard and playing hard too. Its embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now, he added.Then, the very witnesses DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys, Gaetz cintunued. Ive had no chance to ever confront any accusers. Ive never been charged. Ive never been sued. Instead, House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that I have no opportunity to debate or rebut as a former member of the body.The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes. I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me. Then, the very witnesses DOJ deemed not-credible were Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) December 18, 2024 The allegations facing GaetzIn 2020, the Secret Service received a tip that Gaetz was associated with a Florida county tax collector who was charged with making fake IDs to sex-traffic underage girls. The DOJ opened an investigation into Gaetz that same year, and investigators found that Gaetz would show his colleagues videos of naked and topless women on his phone as he bragged about how he was able to go to the parties held by the county tax collector,according to some witnesses.In an attempt to get a pardon in 2020, the county tax collector wrote a letter to the Trump administration in which he confessed to paying women and girls for sex and said that he and Gaetz sexually abused a 17-year-old girl together but said that they thought she was 19.Around the same time, the DOJ was also investigating whether Gaetz paid for her to travel with him for an alleged sexual relationship with her when she was 17. Gaetz denied the accusations and said that he was the victim of an extortion plot by an unnamed DOJ official. In strange media interviews, Gaetz claimed his father was wearing a wire to help officials catch the person extorting him, and he denied that there were photos of him with child prostitutes no one accused him of that.Gaetzs close relationship with Joel Greenberg who pleaded guilty in 2021 following a DOJ probe into whether he had sex with an underage girl and introduced her to other adult men who also had sex with her while she was underage put him under suspicion, as did the fact that Gaetz was the only member of Congress to vote against a bill that increased funding to fight human trafficking.Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CO), who was House Minority Leader at the time, said that he would not remove Gaetz from his committee assignments.CNN reportedthat Gaetz showed pictures of naked women to his colleagues on the House floor and bragged about having sex with themin 2021.But by 2022, the DOJ investigation into Gaetz had concluded, and prosecutors recommended not charging Gaetz in the sex trafficking investigation due to a lack of credibility of two key witnesses.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The first out transgender school board member in California history was sworn in today at Shasta Countys Gateway Unified School District.In a press release provided to local news station KRCR, Bobbie Simpson said her victory highlights the Golden States commitment to diversity and representation, as well as the ongoing quest for acceptance among LGBTQ+ people. Related School district votes out board members who banned Pride flags in schools It was sneaky behavior, and then they pushed it through without listening to people. We will not stand for this. I am proud to serve my community and create a future where every student can thrive, no matter who they are, she said, emphasizing her commitment to improving education in the area. 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 Simpson won the election on November 5 with more than 56% of the vote. She beat incumbent Elias Haynes, who served on the school board alongside his wife, Lindsi Haynes. Both were recently the subjects of recall efforts and have not yet issued public statements.The last [GUSD board] meeting that I went to was fairly normal. It was very quiet, Simpson told Northstates News last month. Id hope to just kind of keep it like that. My biggest issue is having a married couple on the board, really seeming like an improper representation of the district.Simpsons goal is to improve the options students have for learning.I have experience with the special ed program. In particular, thats a special interest of mine, Simpson also said last month. Everyone learns a little differently. People have different learning styles, and I would like to see that addressed.She additionally emphasized her role in serving the LGBTQ+ community while also representating the broader Shasta County community. Ive had quite a few parents of both gay and trans kids come up to me and thank me for speaking up and being visible and advocating. So thats really kept me going through this last year even though Ive had a lot of opposition.In a November interview with Action News Now, she said she was very excited about the prospect of being elected. Im very proud that I have so much acceptance, that I do have this lead.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

We're finally getting a spicy season of Queer Eye and the timing couldn't be better.After all, Jeremiah Brent replaces Bobby Berk and joins Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, and Tan France as the Fab Five invades Las Vegas for a sinful season nine.Everyone knows a trip to Sin City has shenanigans at every corner and the Queer Eye cast indulged in plenty of steamy fun while filming the new season."We did go out! Mommies had a few nights out. We went to Piranha a few times! I had one of the best times," France tells PRIDE."At the end of episode ten, it's a Queer Eye first, there's a five-way spitting tongue kiss. We all start making out ferociously. There's so much kissing," Van Ness adds. See on Instagram In true Queer Eye fashion, the hosts don't hold back on any of the details and jump right into the good stuff."I instigate [the kissing]. I've got a very large tongue and they all just took turns on the tongue," France says."It's so long and wet," Van Ness adds.Talk about a very close group for Brent to be joining in Vegas! Besides all of the making out, the famous designer was beyond grateful and thrilled to join the iconic show."I didn't quite anticipate how important these relationships would be to me. When we started doing this show, it became really obvious how fantastic they are. I adore them and love all of them," Brent shares.Of course, it also wouldn't be another uplifting season of Queer Eye without all of the local heroes that the Fab Five help every episode."The heroes were just beyond! The heroes gave back to Vegas. For us to help them out and give back to them was pretty amazing," Brown says."Las Vegas is a living, breathing ecosystem. It was so wonderful to offer a glimpse behind the velvet rope as to what really happens. It got me excited for more seasons to come," Porowski adds.The new season of Queer Eye is streaming now on Netflix. To see the full interview with the Fab Five, check out the video at the top of the page.

Daily news is suffering from the same problem that much of the media is facing: It's simply not queer enough. What if there was a version of NPR's Up First or the New York Times's The Daily, but gayer? The Gayly, if you will. Well, here's a change of pace for you we have great news."Today In Gay is your safe daily queer news podcast. Its the place you can tune in as a queer person or an ally to hear headlines affecting the queer community in 15 minutes or less," Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown said in an interview with them. Savoy Brown had teased their new project on Instagram in late October and early November, only telling fans that the podcast would be very gay, that she would be executive producing, and that Our Flag Means Death heartthrob Vico Ortiz would be one of the hosts. Say no more, we were already hooked.See on InstagramHere's what else we learned from the interview: Savoy Brown serves as EP of Today in Gay, along with one of the cohosts, Nay Bever, and Today in Gay's editor and composer Lauren Klein. The daily LGBTQ+ news podcast will be cohosted by Bever, Ortiz, and Bex Taylor-Klaus (Voltron: Legendary Defender, Dumplin'').The first episode will launch exclusively on Substack on December 30, and will then be available wherever you get your podcasts starting January 1. Savoy Brown said the format would be similar to other daily news podcasts, and while it won't shy away from the more brutal queer goings on, the tone will trend towards the hopeful. "Our goal is for it to be 15 minutes or less, Monday through Friday, but were kind of chatty. But its never more than 25 minutes. And we like to open the show and end the show with good news," said Brown, adding, "I think its really important for us to remind ourselves and our community that good things truly are still happening. As stressful as it can be to stay informed about all of the bad things going on, I know that for myself, its really impactful when I hear the good news because I can be a little cynical, a little negative, and it really pulls me out of that."See on InstagramOrtiz and Bever will host more traditional news, while Taylor-Klaus hosts their own segment, "Gay Goss." Savoy Brown described Taylor-Klaus's portion of the show. "Gossip is a big part of gay news," she said, continuing, "and gossip historically has been how a lot of people have stayed informed and what a lot of people have needed to stay safe in their community. So its just a really good, funny quickie part of the show that Bex is just kind of made for because theyre online and they have a good sense of humor and were all kind of sharing those funny online things anyway, but then Bex gets to bring it to us in two minutes or less. And then if theres something within that that is particularly intriguing, then Bex has the space to do a deeper dive bonus episode on that.See on InstagramSavoy Brown and Bever met when Savoy Brown was producing an episode of Bever's docuseries, Queer for Fear. Their creative chemistry was electric from the get go. Savoy Brown said, "It was just instant mutual obsession that we both were trying to keep under wraps and I thought, this person is brilliant. She needs a bigger platform. What can I make for her? Around the same time, I had this idea for a queer news podcast."From there, the two firmed up a pitch for Today in Gay, and while we can all see that this show will be an instant hit, mainstream media has failed to do the same. "Nay and I developed and pitched this show everywhere. Name a podcast network, we pitched it," said Savoy Brown, but unfortunately, "They said no. And finally this summer we were like, fuck it."Today in Gay is, at this, completely funded by Savoy Brown, who is hoping to continue the podcast through support from listeners and LGBTQ+ companies looking to advertise on the show."I am fortunate to have a really nice paycheck recently with Yellowjackets and the Scream movies that Ive done. Why dont I take that money and put it back into my community? And so I'm funding this myself until hopefully we get enough Substack subscribers and ads. Maybe the podcast networks didnt realize how much we were worth, but maybe some sex toys or vitamins will and theyll give us money to promote them," said Savoy Brown.See on InstagramThose looking to support the podcast can do so through their Substack. But Today in Gay isn't just looking for monetary support, but support in building a thriving queer community dedicated to celebrating queer news big and small, far and wide."We are partnering with Substack because in addition to their support for us, they have the ability for us to create a community, and that is the core of what this show is," said Savoy Brown. She explained more about what the team is looking for, "We want to source local gay news, as Vico and Bex were saying, we want to know what good gay news is happening in your life, in your town, and this is a place for you to share that with us and maybe we can share it on the podcast. But beyond that, and more importantly, we just want to create a safe space for folks."Listeners can also call in the podcast's Google Voice number with their own queer news and Gay Goss. Savoy Brown said, "If you have good gay news that youd love to share, leave us a voice memo or voicemail. Just know that if youre leaving us a voicemail, youre consenting to us playing it on the podcast. But that number is +1-551-333-5247."You can follow Today in Gay on Instagram and TikTok, subscribe to their Substack, and watch the full trailer down below.See on Instagram

When it comes to sex in film, one thing is for sure: At times, it can definitely shock us.Granted, it isnt necessarily the type of shock that has us clutching our pearls, but is rather the type of shock that makes us wonder, just for a moment, if weve accidentally put on a different type of adult film.A recent example of a film that made us blush is Queer by Luca Guadagnino, which just released nationwide on December 13. We already knew this would be a sexy and provocative film that would give us more nudity and sex than Guadagninos previous venture with Call Me By Your Name, and the full-frontals in the film certainly delivered.See on InstagramIn case youre unfamiliar, the film is based on a 1985 novella of the same name by William S. Burroughs, which also serves as a partial sequel to his 1953 novella, Junkie. It centers around an American Navy serviceman, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), who becomes the focal point of the obsession for the much older William Lee (Daniel Craig), an American expat and struggling drug addict in Mexico City.Eventually, after some convincing from Craig's character, the two wind up heading out to South America in search of a telepathy-inducing psychedelic in the jungle. The journey between the two includes a lot of nudity, a lot of sex, and a lot of investment from the actors, including Omar Apollo, who made his film brief but notable movie debut as one of Craigs other onscreen lovers.In a recent interview with TIME, Guadagnino, Craig, Starkey, and Apollo all addressed the heavy sex, with Guadagnino saying, For me, this is not about gay or homosexuality, its more about: Are we ready for connection? What is preventing these characters from having a full-blown connection?See on InstagramThat full-blown connection involves some very eye-catching and fully nude visuals, of which Starkey admitted he used a prosthetic, which is a common practice to help actors during sex scenes.We got to embarrass ourselves in front of one another, said Starkey. And have little accomplishments in the choreography with each other. That imbued its way into everything.As to why he didnt go full frontal himself, Craig said of the others, Theyre young. Theyre young and beautiful. To the sex, he admitted theyve gone for that sort of vulnerability and keeping it as real as it possibly can be, with hopes that translated well onto the screen.Apollo, on the other hand, didnt confirm nor deny whether he used one for his role. Until further notice, we're just going to allow ourselves to pretend we got to see it all.Catch Queer out in theaters now, and keep an eye out for its streaming release.

Jonas Brothers fans are roasting Nick Jonas after his odd choice to seemingly show his support for billionaire mogul Elon Musk on Twiwe mean X.On Tuesday, Musk took to his own social media site to brag about Tesla's profits being "up 100 percent" since President-elect Donald Trump won the election by posting a Jonas Brothers gif with the caption, "My, how the tables have turned!"Normally, this would be one of a dozen annoying posts Musk vomited onto X in a given week, but instead, the youngest Jonas decided to repost the Tesla owner's tweet with a photo of Musk with the caption, "Take us to the Year 3000." (@) (@) Fans immediately ran to X to read Jonas for filth and call him out for his seeming support of Musk, who has glued himself to Trump's side in recent weeks, spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars on Trump's campaign, has been named co-chair of the MAGA leader's Department of Government Efficiency (aka DOGE because Republicans think they're clever), and has consistently used his social media platform to spread Trump propaganda.Jonas' post quickly went viral, and since the pop star has never endorsed a political candidate in the past (although the Jonas Brothers did film a video with President Joe Biden in 2012), fans were quick to start roasting him for supporting Musk while he bragged about Trump's win helping his company.Fans immediately started begging Jonas to delete his post, expressing how disappointed in him there are, with one person telling Priyanka Chopra to come "get your man." (@) (@) "And just like that you'll never have another hit again," another fan wrote, while someone else joked that we need to "Make celebrities normal again."But possibly the funniest read came from the person who wrote, "BREAKING NEWS: Luigi Mangione will be replacing Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers after dumb fucking tweet."Keep scrolling to see more hilarious reactions to Nick Jonas' unfortunate post! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Ghanas Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed two preemptory challenges to a new gay propaganda law unanimously approved by the countrys Parliament and awaiting signature by the president.The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill imposes a prison sentence of up to five years for the willful promotion, sponsorship, or support of LGBTQ+ activities. The West African nation already mandates a three-year prison term for same-sex activity, a holdover from British colonial rule that was upheld earlier this year by the same court. Related Ghanas top court upholds law that makes gay sex a crime The government is considering a bill to make the punishment for being gay even harsher. The two cases were dismissed on a technicality. Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson of the seven-member panel court said in the televised ruling that the challenges were premature. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Until theres presidential assent, there is no act, the court ruled, adding both cases were unanimously dismissed.President Nana Akufo-Addohas delayed signing the billpending the courts ruling on the laws constitutionality. Their decision did not answer that question.Opponents of the law say that in addition to the moral implications of outlawing support for the LGBTQ+ community, Ghanas economic well-being is at stake if the bill is signed, citing billions of dollars in international trade and financing at stake.A report from Ghanas finance ministry warned the new law could jeopardize $3.8 billion in World Bank financing and threaten a $3-billion loan package from the International Monetary Fund to address a long-running economic crisis in the country.Calling homosexuality an import from the West, Ghanaian presidential candidate Mahamudu Bawumia said in June, We will never accept it no matter the consequences. We will defend our values. And we will let the world know, we will not change our values for them. The Human Rights Campaign has called the legislation a cruel bill that violates the fundamental rights of LGBTQI+ people and allies throughout Ghana.Every single lawmaker who voted to pass this bill is wrongly using their power to strip away the basic humanity of the people they are supposed to represent, said David Stacy, HRCs vice president of government affairs following passage of the bill in Parliament earlier this year.The advocacy group noted that LGBTQ+ people face high levels of discrimination in Ghana, citing incidents of violence and discrimination against queer Ghanaians in the last few years. In February 2021, police raided and shut down a LGBTQ+ resource center. In May that same year, 21 LGBTQ+ activists were arrested during a human rights assembly in Ho, Ghana, and have not yet been released. LGBTQI+ people throughout the country have faced evictions and various other forms of systematic discrimination, a press release stated.Ghana joins a growing list of African nations outlawing LGBTQ+ identity.Ugandas notorious Kill the Gays law, signed in 2023, is the most egregious example, with penalties up to and including death for some same-sex behavior.More recently, the military juntaruling Burkina Faso, Ghanas neighbor to the north, said that homosexual acts are now an offense punishable by law. Henceforth homosexuality and associated practices will be punished by the law, Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala said in July, according to the international news organization Agence France-Presse.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Were a month and a day away from President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. This past weekend, I appeared on MSNBCs Ayman Mohyeldin Reports to discuss Uncloseteds latest investigation into Kristen Waggoner.I popped up on the network shortly after ABC News agreed to pay Trump more than $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit. Trump sued the network after George Stephanopoulos falsely said in an interview that Trump had been found liable for rape (when he was actually found liable for sexual abuse).Since then, Trump has called the press corrupt and has threatened more lawsuits. And hes already taken action: In a news conference on Monday, Trump announced hed be suing the Des Moines Registeran Iowa paper that was founded in 1860, and that has lost 70% of its Sunday circulation since 2018 and now has just under 40,000 readers. He is suing them over a poll they released on November 2 that predicted Kamala Harris would win.I will admit, its very scary and intimidating stuff when you have someone with the power of the Presidents office threatening lawsuits and actually executing them against tiny and local news organizations. Lets be real: Trump could run Uncloseted into the ground if he really wanted to. With that said, we wont (and for the sake of our democracy, we cant) tweak our coverage or mission even a degree to the left or right to avoid retaliation. All we can do is present the truth and rely on the principles of journalism. Aymans final question was how Uncloseted Media plans to cover the Trump administration. I stand by my response:We plan on covering Trump just like we investigate any person, piece of power, piece of legislation, or amount of money that is important to scrutinize. We define balance not along partisan lines. Balance is not a Republican soundbite and a Democratic soundbite divided by two. Its following the money and the facts and giving a definition of balance thats rooted in methodologically sound, evidence-based research. So were gonna get the receipts, the timelines, the screenshots and tell it like it is. Were not gonna shy away from these stories Trump and the administration need to be checked more than ever.Subscribe nowYou may have noticed on our Instagram page or elsewhere that weve been collaborating with Gay Times, a leading global LGBTQ media brand. We are thrilled to announce that we are turning these collabs into an official partnership. The content partnership sees Uncloseted Medias investigative journalism broadcast across GAY TIMES media platforms that reach tens of millions of LGBTQ consumers each month, with GAY TIMES promoting Uncloseted Media to its existing audience. The organizations have already reached over a million consumers under the agreement during its pilot phase over the last four weeks. Check out the full press release here. Huge shoutout to our fantastic advisory board member, Angela Earl, who helped spearhead the partnership. We are looking forward to working with Gay Times CEO Tag Warner and his entire team as we get set for all our 2025 coverage. Rep. Nancy Mace's position on LGBTQ community appears to have changed (ABC News)Rep. Nancy Mace has faced significant backlash for her anti-transgender rhetoric, including efforts to ban transgender women from using women's restrooms at the U.S. Capitol and using a slur against protesters. Pete Hegseth, Trumps Defense pick, says allowing gay troops to serve openly reflects a Marxist agenda (CNN)He has expressed regret over the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," arguing that changes allowing LGBTQ+ individuals and women in combat roles undermine military effectiveness in favor of social justice. Gay Democrat is lone LGBTQ vote in Congress for anti-trans national defense bill (The Advocate)Rep. Chris Pappas, the only out LGBTQ lawmaker supporting the recently passed $895.2 billion National Defense Authorization Act, faces backlash for backing a bill that prohibits Tricare from covering gender-affirming care for transgender children of military service members. This weekend, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting: This weekend, we dive into the story of The Great American Family channel, where holiday cheer appears to be crafted to exclude queer representation. What could Trump 2.0 mean for LGBTQ rights, public policy, and the future of equality in America? I interview fellow Substacker a renowned legal expert known as , to break down the potential legal and social implications of this pivotal political shift.Thanks for reading! And feel free to email me with questions, complaints, tips or story ideas! Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chiefspencer@unclosetedmedia.comIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Incoming Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first out transgender person ever elected to Congress, delivered a heartfelt farewell speech to the Delaware Senate yesterday as she heads to the Capitol to take office in early January.While I have served in this legislative body for four years, in many ways, I feel like Ive been a member of the Senate family for nearly 20 years, she began her speech, reflecting on her memories of the legislative chamber over the last two decades. Related Sarah McBride warns Americans not to let the GOP distract them with anti-trans attacks Every single time we hear them say the word trans, look what theyre doing with their right hand to pick the pocket of American workers She said she first entered the chamber as a visiting 14-year-old in January 2005 and then had the opportunity a few months later to serve as a Senate page during the final two weeks of the legislative session, where I remember getting yelled at because my cell phone went off in the corner. She then returned to the chamber in 2009 serving as part of a letter-writing program to contact state senators and then as an intern for Gov. Mark Phil (D). 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 I have the ability and the privilege of standing before this legislative body to share my hopes and my fears and my dream of returning to this state that I love, or living in a community that I love and work, she said. And, because of this chamber for me and countless other Delawareans you offered me that opportunity. In so many ways, this chamber has helped me find my voice and helped me find my hope.Serving here for the last four years has, quite simply, been the best four years of my life, she continued. I have never been more fulfilled. I have never been happier, and that is because of the people I serve and you.She said that serving in the chamber over the last four years has deepened her hope, and she told new members of the state Senate and House, When you sit on this floor and your name is called, if you utter one word, yes, that word reverberates through posterity. As you vote on major legislation, you realize the awesome responsibility and the lost opportunity that weve had to leave the state better. She mentioned recent legislation in the state congress has led to a higher minimum wage, family and medical leave, a historic investment in public schools, environmental sustainability, criminal justice reform, helping working families, and protecting children.We have proven time and time that small states can do big things, she said. As I head out and head to Washington, D.C., I take with me the lessons that I have learned here. I take with me the hope that I have found here, that despite the rancor and the toxicity that we too often see in our politics, that we do genuinely have more in common than what divides us; that we can and that we must have conversations across disagreement, that we can have a politics of grace and a politics of progress.So I stand before you today to say thank you for your friendship, for your partnership, for your leadership, for your service, for all of the laughter and snorts and to thank you for giving me the opportunity to come home, she concluded as her colleagues gave her a standing ovation. Beyond my childhood home, no place has impacted me more than the Delaware State Senate. It is the place where I found my voice and my hope as a student, as an advocate, and, now, as an elected official. Yesterday, I delivered farewell remarks during my final day on the floor as pic.twitter.com/C1NgSd7QRE Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) December 18, 2024 This year, McBride made history bydefeating Republican John Whalen III, who ran on an anti-immigration, anti-choice platform, and becoming the first out transgender person to serve in Congress, joining a small LGBTQ+ contingent in the House and Senate. At only 34, McBride has already made an impressive name for herself. She worked for the Human Rights Campaign and interned in the Obama-Biden White House. She was the first trans person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. She became the first trans person elected to a state senate in 2020, and in 2022, became the first trans incumbent to win re-election in a state senate.With trans rights being attacked nationwide, trans people and allies hope that McBride will help humanize trans people and issues to more Americans and serve as an ardent advocate for trans civil rights.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Former California police officer Joseph Benza III who assaulted a trans man for flipping him off and then lied about it is set to plead guilty to felony deprivation of rights under color of law after agreeing to a plea deal earlier this week. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. When an officer violates someones civil rights, it corrodes trust in law enforcement and undermines the effectiveness of other officers who sacrifice to protect the public, United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. Related Man pleads guilty to hate crime for chilling plans to carry out anti-gay mass shooting Mack Davis was caught while testing his weapons for the crime. This senseless assault and subsequent attempted cover-up are an affront to our system of justice. My office is committed to upholding civil rights and prosecuting those who abuse their authority. 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 In the summer of 2023, video footage revealed Banza tackling Emmett Brock, a then-23-year-old high school teacher, to the ground after following him into a 7-Eleven parking lot. The surveillance video, combined with audio from the officers bodycam, showed that despite the fact that Brock continued to scream for help and assure the officer he was not resisting, the officer would not let up.Brock then endured anti-trans harassment at the police station, where he was charged with three felonies obstruction, resisting arrest, and mayhem, as well as the misdemeanor charge of failure to obey a cop. He then lost his teaching job due to the charges. In the footage captured at the scene, Benza can be heard screaming at Brock to place his hands behind his back while Brock yells multiple times that he cant move his arms because the officer is holding them. The altercation lasted three minutes, during which Brock yelled, Youre going to kill me. Youre going to f**king kill me. Help! Help! Help! Im not resisting! All the while, Benza was repeatedly punching Brock in the head while sitting on top of him.Even when I did get [my arms] out the way he wanted, he continued to punch me, BrocktoldThe Los Angeles Times at the time.He just kept saying, Stop resisting, stop resisting. I didnt understand why he was shouting that because I wasnt resisting. Benza maintained that the incident began because Brock had an air freshener hanging in his rearview mirror that was allegedly obstructing his view of the road, but it took place after Brock flipped off Benza, making it more likely the assault was retaliatory. Brock had been driving home from school when he saw an officer believed to be Benza arguing with a woman on the side of the road. Brock put up his middle finger as he drove by but did not intend for Benza to see the gesture. Seconds later, Benza was following him. He didnt turn on his sirens or attempt to pull Brock over, but he kept driving in the same direction.When Brock pulled into the 7-Eleven to buy a soda, Benza drove up behind him and said, I just stopped you. Brock replied that he didnt, and in response Benza grabbed Brocks arm and tackled him. Benza ended up handcuffing and arresting Brock. At that point, Brock still had no idea why Benza had targeted him. He did not learn it was supposedly due to an air freshener until Benza filled out paperwork about the incident. His report did not include mention of Brock flipping him off. He also claimed he tackled him because Brock made a fist that looked like he was going to throw a punch. He accused Brock of biting him during the interaction, but medical reports didnt mention any bite marks.At the police station, Brock was then forced to show a jailer his genitals after explaining that hes trans.A press release from the Central District of Californias U.S. Attorneys Office said Benza admitted in the plea agreement that he abandoned the domestic violence call he was responding to when he saw Brock flip him off. He said colleagues advised him to leave that part out of his incident report and admitted to making up the story about the air freshener being the motivation for the stop. He also admitted to lying about Brock biting his hand. He also reportedly talked to colleagues about deleting text messages about the incident and made false statements to authorities during the initial investigation, during which he said he did not see Brock flip him off and also that did not discuss the incident report with others while writing it. He has since admitted that a sergeant wrote large portions of it. It is deeply troubling that a member of our Department, who has since been relieved of duty, violated the trust placed in them to uphold the law by abusing their authority, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna said in a statement. These actions undermine the integrity of our Department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect.Mr. Benza abused his position of authority to assault an innocent citizen, then dissembled to cover his actions during the subsequent investigation, added Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office. The FBI prioritizes the protection of civil rights and will pursue prosecution when warranted.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

State Sen. Molly Cook, 33, a sixth-generation Texan and former ER nurse, starts a new term in January after multiple campaigns in a single year that would have left a less energetic candidate exhausted on a beach on South Padre Island.Not so for Cook, who has only upped her game with every electoral challenge. Related Barrier-breaking Kim Coco Iwamoto explains how she took down a powerful Democrat Full of energy and love for her community, she talked to LGBTQ Nation about Donald Trump, winning local elections, and helping the homeless. A savvy internet presence substitute Hi, guys with Hey, yall and you get Cooks polished, Texas-styled YouTube video intros the millennial lawmaker is all about the organizing, online and off. 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 Im ready to go all gas, no brakes, Cook enthuses in a clip introducing her new Organize to Win PAC.The senator made time shuttling between events in her massive Houston district (pop. nearly 800,000) to talk about that new project, the joy of falling in love with a woman, and the Texas values she says many of her Republican colleagues dont represent.LGBTQ Nation: Youve written about your first vote for president, for Barack Obama in 2012. You share many of his ideas and policy positions and his optimism, and something else, as well: his embrace of the permanent campaign. Just days after this years election you launched a new Organize to Win PAC, which formalizes your vision of year-round, grassroots organizing in your Houston district. Its a little surprising that you wouldnt take some time off, because, remarkably, the general election this year was your fourth run for office in nine months. You ran in the Democratic primary in March, coming in second and earning a runoff. You ran again in May for a special election to fill the same seat vacated by the new mayor of Houston and won, making you the incumbent. You ran again three weeks later in the runoff, winning by just 62 votes, and then a fourth time in November, beating your Republican opponent by 25 points. Arent you tired?State Sen. Molly Cook: That was the best summary of my year from anyone! (laughing) You know. Im not. Im so excited, and even as a nurse, burnout really isnt about how much work Im doing if I love my team, if I love the work. It really energizes me. So we are just full speed ahead through the end of the year.In addition to your four runs for office this year, you took on the current mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, for the same seat in 2022 and earned over 40% of the vote. Who or what inspired you to run for the Texas Senate, and how are you getting along with Whitmire today?I love that. So what inspired me to run? Im an ER nurse, and so I see when policy failures reach peoples lives that turn into emergencies. I see it cutting peoples lifespans short. I see the suffering and the inability to find the kind of resources you need to heal. And that just made me so frustrated, and so I wanted to do more from my patients that I could do from the bedside. I did take on a 50-year incumbent who had $12 million in the bank as a first-time candidate, which turns out, was an extremely bold move (laughing). But the voters really respected that. After I lost, I stayed engaged, and I can tell you that that is the reason that I won this seat, was that I showed a real commitment to the people in this district.And our relationship is great. His staff has been incredibly kind to all of my staff coming into the Capitol. And of course, were looking forward to hopefully partnering in a really effective way to help the city of Houston achieve its goals in the legislative session, as well.You came to politics as an ER nurse, as you mentioned. Whats prepared you in that role for your job in the Texas Senate? The values. You know, I treat every single patient, provide the gold standard of care to every person who walks through the door, regardless of their party, regardless of their ability to pay, or whether or not theyre even registered to vote, and thats the exact same way that Im going to show up for the people of Texas Senate District 15.And I get the question a lot: how are you going to function as a Democrat in the minority in the Texas Senate? And I say, Well, I treat every kind of patient and I work with every kind of doctor and every kind of nurse and every kind of other staff member in the emergency department to save lives. So we will use the tools, we will build good relationships, and well pass life-saving policy.Youre one of the few women electeds or candidates Ive written about that has come out publicly, and proactively in your case, to say theyve had an abortion. What compelled you to go public with that part of your biography? The American public in general really are looking for authenticity in their leadership. I think thats actually really important to people. Even if you disagree with me sometimes, Im always going to shoot you straight. And Im not ashamed that I had an abortion. It was the right thing to do for me at that time, and Im really grateful that I had access to it, and it was safe.So when I told people especially women, but really everybody at the doors my own story, it was often met with tears, with hugs, with a sense of relief. And I saw people connect to me, and they want that in their leadership. So for me, it was important to be my true self.And then I think, ultimately, it was a strategic decision, as well. In Texas, we are restricting physicians abilities to provide data-driven healthcare. Women and people in Texas who get pregnant do not have access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care, and those sorts of tragedies have to stop, and we have to tell those stories so that folks understand whats really at stake. Maybe one of the most Orwellian components of Texas Republicans crusade against reproductive freedom is a proposed abortion travel ban. Can you describe what that is?So this is in some of the counties across Texas. Theyve essentially tried to make it impossible for pregnant women to cross state lines to seek an abortion, and it is an unfathomable overreach of government. Its going to kill people, and it sets a really scary precedent for what the government is allowed to tell you that you can and cannot do, whether its with your own body or hopping in a vehicle to drive across straight lines for any reason. This is a sign of the times and more policy to come if we do not get serious about organizing in our communities and fighting back for health, for safety and for, frankly, our most basic freedoms.Do you think that has any chance of standing up in court? Some astounding things can hold up in Texas court sometimes, but I would hope that the judges would understand that this is not constitutional. Its a violation of very basic human rights.Lets talk about Ken Paxton for a minute. The Texas Attorney General has inserted himself into the private lives of Texans like few others. What do you think is the most egregious thing hes done as AG?I think most Texans who are anything left of center at all would say its going to be really difficult to name one. Whether its asking Texas taxpayers to cover the cost of his mistakes, whether its telling parents whether they can provide healthcare to their children, or telling women they cant leave the state while theyre pregnant there is no end to the just inappropriate I mean, you said it. He just injects himself right into the lives of Texans, into our bedrooms, our bathrooms. You know, hes very creative, and the attacks are going to keep coming as long as hes sitting there. What do you think it is about Paxton thats appealing to Texas voters? Hes been elected. What is it about his character thats reflective of Texans?I think I want to pivot and talk about what billionaire special interests are doing to the political process here in Texas. I dont know that some of the decisions of our leadership actually do reflect true Texans values, even conservative ones. People care about transparent governance. People care about good stewardship of resources and public money, and we dont always see that out of our leadership. But they are protected over and over again by billionaires who want to see policy changes that line their pockets. And until we are able to get these special interests, get these out-of-state billionaires out of the political process in Texas, we are not going to see the life-saving changes that we need.Gov. Greg Abbott or Sen. Ted Cruz: whos been worse for Texas? (Laughing) We dont even have to go there! Theres no reason for that to be a competition. You know, Ill just say that its going to be easier to flip a statewide seat in Texas than it is going to be to flip some of these House seats and Senate seats, because of gerrymandering. So I invite folks to do the kind of work that were going to do at Organize to Win. This needs to be year-round. It needs to be grassroots, and it needs to be focused on real issues and real people, and we got to bring it to their doorsteps.What do you think is behind Republican animus toward trans people?Ill just start by saying that the transgender community also had some really beautiful wins this time around. So some of the narrative around the disappointments, its important also to counter it with the wins, with the assets and the successes of the transgender community. I think that the Republicans are really good at finding vulnerable people who are hurting and making scapegoats out of them, and putting them even more into the crosshairs of bad policy than they were before. And so the most vulnerable among us, the people who deserve the most protection and who desperately need public dollars and public protection are the most at risk when the Republicans are creating their wedge issues. And Im so proud to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community and to be in that chamber out and proud, to stick up for all of the members of our community.In neighboring Oklahoma, the state superintendent of schools, Ryan Walters is on his own crusade to put Bibles in every classroom, and Louisiana passed a law to prominently display the Ten Commandments in every public classroom in the state from kindergarten through college. The United States has a long tradition of the separation of church and state, while Republicans seem to be embracing the Christian nationalist idea, seen in the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, of a biblically based government. Would defending the line between church and state be a good organizing principle for progressives and Democrats in the face of MAGA Republicans moral crusade?Absolutely. Weve got to have a big tent and a big umbrella that focuses on workers rights, that focuses on regular, everyday Texans, that centers the people who are having trouble making ends meet, that centers the people who are breathing unclean air right now as a result of poor policy decisions from corporations. And that tent includes an open mind to all religions and faiths and those who dont practice a religion or a faith. It is wrong to impose from the government any particular religion onto people and onto children, and we will not see success until were able to roll that back and create a more inclusive learning environment for Texas kids. From your vantage point as a medical professional, where do you come down on trans women and girls in sports?Those decisions do not need to be made by the Texas Legislature. Thats just the bottom line. It is an overreach of government. It is not our place as legislators to be creating extremely niche rules about who can participate in what, or go to the bathroom where. It is up to the Texas Legislature to protect the lifespan of Texans, every single one of them. That is our job.Lets say Texas legislators didnt take up that issue. Who is it left to do it? Are we talking about local school boards banning trans women and girls in sports? Kids need to be able to play. Kids need to be able to go to the bathroom where they want to go to the bathroom. The most important thing is that every child feels accepted, loved and free to grow and explore what it means to be a human in a safe environment.Honestly, those decisions are best left up to the people who know them the best, their parents, their doctors and that sort of thing. I dont have the perfect answer about exactly who needs to create what rules or what rules need to be created, but I can tell you that as we think through that process, the people who need to be at the center of these conversations are kids who are trans and the parents that take care of them and love them.Would you support national mandatory service for young people in the military or some other form of public service of their choosing, like the Peace Corps or Teach for America?Thats interesting. You know, I hadnt thought about it enough to really give a thoughtful answer. Youve done a lot of organizing work around climate and environmental justice. Whats the single most important thing the world should do to address the climate crisis?I hate that I can only pick one. There are certain things that we as individuals can make decisions to do, things like not eating meat, but theres things on a systems level that we really need to think about. I spend a lot of time in transportation. Theres a lot of emissions that come from transportation. Theres a large carbon footprint for transportation. And in Texas, we are the only state with no dedicated public transit funding. We spend 99% of pertinent revenue on highway widening or highway projects or highway adjacent projects. We do need to shift the paradigm in Texas around that for climate justice and also for basic transportation safety.You came out as bisexual in 2021 calling it a powerful, deeply personal liberating experience. What can you share about it?That was the first time that a suspicion of mine, inside of myself, was really able to bloom, and I was able to experience kind of releasing fear or anxiety that I had had around myself: whether or not I was going to judge myself or accept myself, whether or not this experience would be something that makes me feel good or bad. And when I just leaned in and fell in love with a woman for a while we dated it was so fun, and it was different, but also the same, and kind of a relief to me to say, Okay, Ive done this. I felt it, and it was good. And it just gave me a lot of freedom to continue to explore what I love and how I feel and who I am. And that kind of freedom is something that I want for every single person who is in young adulthood, early adulthood, late adulthood, whenever it is! To love yourself, accept yourself, and see yourself even more fully. I found evidence online you share your home with a senior chihuahua. Do you have a partner now as well, and what can you tell us about them?No partner. Im single. The chihuahua, though, is eight pounds, hes got one eye, he has no teeth, and everybodys afraid of him. So he is actually a hero and a model to me (laughing) as I walk into the Texas Legislature.Have you taken him into the Legislature?Oh, absolutely not (laughing). No dogs allowed. For anyone who hasnt been to Houston, I was really struck driving across the city at how there seems to be zero zoning regulation. Oil refineries are next to golf courses are next to residential neighbors next to skyscrapers next to distribution centers next to public parks and lots of malls in between. It feels a little like the movie Bladerunner. Texas prides itself on its freedoms do you think that philosophy works when it comes to urban planning?Theres an argument for deregulating some zoning in certain places to allow for more affordable housing. In Houston, we often talk about how we need maybe a little bit more of the zoning.There is a holistic approach to planning that we really need to take, and we need to prioritize public health. And, of course, when you have private interests developers and things like that in the conversation, things can get skewed, especially when theres a lot of money in politics. Your district holds the Rothko Chapel, which is a monumental brick building designed by the artist Mark Rothko as a non-denominational church, and displays 14 large Black Paintings by the artist in different hues. Have you spent much time there, and whats the feeling that it conjures for you?I have actually spent a lot of time there. I believe its still out of commission at the moment. They sustained some pretty serious damage in one of the last storms, and so its closed to the public right now. But I have had multiple profound experiences inside of the Rothko Chapel. It is a gem of Houston, and Ill just say, everyone who has a chance should visit as soon as it reopens.Whats the best thing about representing the constituents of Texas State Senate District 15? Our district is diverse in every single sense of the word. Every single neighborhood is unique. Every single neighborhood has certain needs and tons of assets, and it is such a joy to get to know every single person, the history of their neighborhood, how much they love and care about it see the folks who are new to their neighborhoods and are in love with Houston for one reason or another. It is just a powerful place full of incredible people, and its a joy to travel around it and get to know more of it every day.Those are all of my questions. Is there anything you want to add?People should just follow us at Molly for Texas, on Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok. Come check out Organize to Win as we get to work on that during the session. And stay tuned: well have more to share as we roll more policies out.The permanent campaign continues.Exactly.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Valentina Gomez ran for Missouri secretary of state this year, repeatedly using slurs and hateful rhetoric as part of her failed campaign. Now shes in Texas, and shes running for Congress. She continues to use extreme anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, but she is also now trying to profit off of her social media presence.Im running for Congress in Texas and Im taking down a RINO and a dinosaur once and for all because Congress is full of crooks like Speaker [Mike] Johnson who is just a little man with no balls that funds Ukraine, she says in a video posted to her social media. And Dan Crenshaw, who is only good at betraying his fellow Navy Seals. Related GOP candidate who called drag queens pedophiles caught partying with drag queens She spent this past year attacking LGBTQ+ people with slurs and weak and gay accusations. But she was partying with Aquaria from Drag Race. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) represents Texas Second Congressional District, which includes Houstons north and east suburbs. A RINO is a Republican in name only, a term Republicans throw around when they want to accuse each other of being insufficiently conservative. 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 Gomez didnt explain how shes running in Texas so shortly after running for office in Missouri, but she did promise that shes coming to Texas to speak the truth, cook the crooks, and save the children.Buckle up, Texas, because this aint my first rodeo, she concluded. Her first rodeo is probably the GOP primary for Missouri secretary of state earlier this year, where she came in a distant sixth place. Im running for Congress in Texas. I dont fear pdfs, criminals, or the crooks in DC. I only fear God. pic.twitter.com/sWiZBOdTmf Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) December 18, 2024In a video she posted to X just yesterday, Gomez announced that she is accepting subscriptions on the platform, where people can pay her for access to exclusive content. She promised that 0% of the profits will go to an LGBTQ cause. She said that she would be catching a pedophile and shooting a gun, among other things, while wearing a shirt that said, Dont be weak and gay.Grateful for each of youSubscribe & you might join me catching a pdf, at the gun range, get some merch, or even on a run (if you can keep up) pic.twitter.com/SKluY5OBEl Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) December 18, 2024 Earlier in the week, Gomez said that the LGBTQ is a terrorist organization, even though LGBTQ doesnt refer to an organization at all. If they cant groom your children, they will kill them, she claimed. Pedophiles that hide under the LGBTQ flag are the next mass shooters.Christians are being hunted and killed and now multiple kids in a Christian school are dead.She explained that she was referring to the Madison, Wisconsin, school shooter from earlier this week. The shooter is not LGBTQ+ in any way. In fact, the shooters social media activity now suggests that she was being influenced by neo-Nazis and other members of the far-right. Gomezfrequentlyusedanti-gay slurs during her run for Missouri secretary of state, recently saying anyone who didnt vote for her is afa**ot.One of her maincampaign sloganswas Dont be weak and gay, but she got online attention earlier this year when a video of her running in a Kevlar vest went viral.In the video, she said, In America, you can be anything you want. So dont be weak and gay. Stay f**king hard. Shealso lost her job with Nestle Purinaafter her numerous anti-LGBTQ+ stunts. In a video talking about her no longer working with the dog food company, she claimed, Today, I fired them. No amount of money, stock, or bullying will make me compromise my values. So I will never support a company that wants to empower and protect pedophiles and groomers in our schools and libraries.She grew increasingly unhinged as she got closer to the primary,calling LGBTQ+ people pedophilesregularly. She even made a video this past weekcalling LGBTQ+ people fa***tsand claiming that unnamed people tried topoison her dogs beforecalling Vice President Kamala Harris an Indian hoeand saying that Democrats are all gay, vaccinated, and cannot reproduce.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Two trans women have made history in Nepal for running in local elections. Despite neither one winning her race, the LGBTQ+ community is still celebrating the moment as a leap for representation since no out trans woman has run for office in the country before.Honey Maharjan and Mouni Maharjan are both members of the Peoples Socialist Party-Nepal. The former candidate ran for mayor of Kirtipur, a town outside of Kathmandu, and the latter for ward chair in the same locale. Related Bobbie Simpson sworn in as Californias first out trans school board member I am proud to serve my community and create a future where every student can thrive, no matter who they are, said Simpson. I hope my candidacy will inspire others in the queer community to participate openly in future elections, Honey Maharjan told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in November, adding that she wants to show the public the intrinsic value of their trans neighbors. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today When I remember my past, its like a nightmare because I faced a lot of discrimination and abuses like other transgender people. I want to change this, she said. We are also part of this society and can contribute to the betterment of society. This is what I want to do if I am elected.Mouni Maharjan ran on a platform of improving infrastructure and sanitation, as well as implementing more LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculums in schools so that the new generation will easily accept our presence and be treated better, she said. Honey Maharjan wanted to fight for improved health care, education, and roads. I did not win, so I am a little sad this time, she told the Washington Blade. But I am happy that the media has covered my campaign, so I am grateful to all journalists.Mouni Maharjan also spoke about the challenges the two candidates endured in that they did not have the budget or support held by the more major political parties.But the visibility they gained from the race, itself, still matters. Elections are important because it creates awareness about the candidate, said Honey Maharjan. Otherwise everyone would think that transgender community is engaged in sex work only [and] that is not true.Nepal is known as a leader in South Asia when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, supporting them in its 2015 constitution,offering third gender ID cards since 2013,andopenly supporting Pride parades.In 2017, United Nations officials and local dignitaries joined Nepals LGBTQ community in celebrating International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia byraising the rainbow banner for the first time in the nationshistory.In February of this year, Anju Devi Shrestha and Suprita Gurung became the first lesbian couple to register their marriage with the authorities.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Andy Bellomos art practice sparked from a place often filled with controversy in the queer communityChristian church.Bellomos love of art blossomed while observing stained glass windows in churches she attended with a friend growing up in Boston. Now an educator and artist in Chicago, she focuses much of her creative work on queer people and underrepresented experiences such as queer parenting.For her, there was a strong juxtaposition between how she discovered the medium she created with for a large portion of her career and who she was as a person.I was really into this art form, but at the same time, the space that was housing the art form was extremely homophobic, based on my experience in the church, she said. I didnt fully come out until I moved to Chicago, which was in 2008 so I was 28 and then I slowly picked [glass] back up, reconnected to it, rediscovered it in a way.Bellomo began taking classes and workshops about stained glass once she discovered the medium, since she loved the emotional feeling of the transcending light and color. This wasnt her first experience with art, howeverwhen she was a child, Bellomos mom supported her love of drawing and would buy her supplies and enter her in little contests.In addition to her expertise in glasswork, Bellomo also works with paints. Photo: Andy BellomoShe later took up painting and drawing and went on to work in the city as the director of a Boston art center. Bellomo knew she always wanted a career in art but didnt know if it was achievable, so she decided to study education.However, she found her way back to glass after moving to Chicago to study under a mosaic artist working with tile and ceramic murals.Now in the city for over 15 years, shes focused her work more deeply on the queer community and the queer experience. One of her projects includes a queer mural series highlighting Chicago queer activists and artists, which to date has highlighted 10 individuals.The idea is to create these larger-than-life portraits, Bellomo said. So that the work that these artists are doing gets a voice, it gets heard, it gets a platform.The project had to hit a pause during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincidentally was a year before Bellomo became a parent. The shift in her life moved her to begin focusing some of her work on the experience of having a queer family.Activism is a part of Bellomos life that seeps into all different sectors. With being an educator, a parent, a volunteer with HP Solidarity Network in Humboldt Park and more, she finds herself representing her community both in her activist work and her artwork.Im surrounded by an abundance of extremely talented, hardworking activists who are artists, she said. We do community events here at my house where we get together in community for food, but we also make it a donationso everyone will bring a coat or stuff that we can donate. Then were getting together, obviously, to talk and hang out and socialize and regain that energy from each other.Jenn Freeman, a Black queer choreographer in Chicago, met Bellomo when she came to take a burlesque class from Freeman. A self-proclaimed introvert, Freeman sees Bellomo as someone who takes them out of their shelloften initially in the form of a dance class.Bellomos current project is a series of textile paintings focusing on the queer birthing and family experience. Photo: Andy BellomoTheyve now been friends for about 15 years, where Freeman has seen firsthand how being a queer birthing parent has transformed Bellomos life. And when Freeman looks at Bellomos art, they said they can clearly see how important her community is to her.[One of] the things that come to mind when I think about Andys art practice is love, a deep love for not only the art, but the people that shes uplifting, Freeman said. I think especially now that shes a mom, I think a lot of her work is about understanding herself.Im surrounded by an abundance of extremely talented, hardworking activists who are artists.Andy BellomoRight now, one of Bellomos main focuses in art and in life is queer childbirth and family. Shes hosted events where shes provided free childcare and educated people on the experience of being a queer parent and artist. Shes also working on putting together a queer parenting coloring book filled with photos of 100 queer families in Chicago in order to create space to recognize these experiences.Shes also in the process of creating a series of textile paintingswith half embroidery, half paintingdepicting postpartum and childbirth trauma. Bellomo said she experienced highly homophobic environments while pregnant and giving birth, and the art will provide viewers the opportunity to engage with those experiences. One of the works is set to be displayed at the Woman Made Gallery group show in January.Its this interesting work to dig deep into and think about the world, the larger world, as well as the community and the people around you and people who are trying to give birth to create this radical new generation, she said. But you still have all these systems in place that are holding us down in many different avenues [in] many different ways.For her, her art and her queer experience are inseparable.I dont think I could ever separate that, she said. I feel like its so innately into me because Ive been practicing as an activist for so long and an educator, that what I build in an art practice, it is about the people around me always, and its about my community and its about whats happening in the community.This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.The post Chicago queer artist Andy Bellomo highlights underrepresented queer experiences in her work appeared first on News Is Out.

Donald Trumps weird hair has gone viral once again, but this time, instead of it flying off of his head, he was caught on camera sporting a ridiculous new mullet.Yesterday, the internet couldnt stop roasting Trump after a video went viral of him walking into his own golf club and attempting to give a speech while people ignored him. But today, people are focusing on a new detail from the viral video: the MAGA leaders strange choice to sport an ugly slicked-back mullet. Its dictator in the front, idiot in the back!Trump is no stranger to bad hair days. His hair flapped off of his head during his criminal trial, he looked bizarrely bald in a recent photo with Elon Musk, and the wind seems to be his comb-overs constant enemy. Predictably, his supporters are thirsting after his new do and calling him Mullet Trump because they are just as uncreative with nicknames as their leader. Since his fans love to copy everything he does even if that means wearing diapers we suspect before long, MAGA followers will start sporting bad mullets, too.His new hairstyle may just be the result of hat-hair after being on the golf course, but we dont care because the jokes on X (formerly Twitter) are too good. From people comparing his bad mullet to Buzz from Home Alone to someone quipping that they didnt have Trump getting a mullet on their 2024 bingo card to people saying he looks like a grandma now, we are cracking up.As hilarious as this all is, though, we are going to need Trump to go back to his old comb-over abomination before he ruins hot lesbians rocking mullets for us.Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to Trump trying and failing to rock a mullet! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Just dont do these things.Relationships are tough. You dont have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. We all wish there was a set of hard and fast rules to make them work, but there aren't. That said, there are still some things that men in romantic relationships with other men should do their best to avoid. Yes, some of these things are helpful tips for people of all genders in any relationship, but youll notice that a number of the things listed are specific to gay/bisexual men. Either way, if you're curious, here are 35 tips on things you should maybe not do if you want to your relationship to last.1. Become too codependentFirst and foremost, it's always important to maintain and remember your own identity and individuality anytime you enter a relationship. We'll talk a lot more about specifics coming up, but just do your best to remember the world does not, in fact, revolve around him and that's also totally okay.2. Let love and sex become an addictionWe all get a bit of euphoria when we first fall in love, but just like anything else, there is actually too much of a good thing, so do your best not to let either love or sex become something the two of you become addicted to or rely on. It's an important part of the relationship, for sure, but not the only thing.3. Forget to set up boundariesBoundaries are incredibly important, and sometimes they're easy to forget about when you're going into a relationship or already in one. You want to impress him, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice everything just to do so.4. Compare yourself to himWhen youre in a different-sex relationship, its much harder to compare yourself to your partner directly. But if youre a man dating another man, its difficult NOT to compare yourself to your spouse. Nevertheless, try your best not to. Nothing good can come from this. You are two different people with different strengths and weaknesses. He may have a better body, but youre a kinder person. He may make more money, but you may help more people. You want someone to balance you, because of this, there will be things he is better at than you are and that's 100 percent ok.5. Compare him to your exesComparing your new man to your old man is a big no-no. Hes not supposed to be like the guys who came before him. Theyre exes for a reason. You dont want to be dating someone whos exactly like your ex. That relationship didnt work out!6. Tolerate homophobic remarks from familyYou or he may come from a homophobic family who calls your sexual identity a lifestyle. They also may harass you with other homophobic remarks. A healthy same-sex couple does not tolerate homophobia from family. If your family harasses your partner with intolerant remarks, stand up for him.7. Don't get jealous of random guysIts tough not to get jealous when guys check him out and not you or guys always flirt with him and not you. It makes you feel like the uglier one in the relationship. And if you are, so what? It means youre dating up. It means he likes you for more than your looks. It means youre a real, awesome person!8. Lie about your wants, needs or desiresDont say youre ok being in an open relationship if youre not. Dont claim youre not looking for something serious if you are. Similarly, dont lie in the other direction, because youre afraid of hurting his feelings. Dont say youre ok with a serious relationship if youre not. Be honest about what you want from him and the relationship.9. You can say "no"Its surprisingly difficult to say, no, especially to the people we really care about (unless, youre a bitchy queen, then it's probably not that hard). But it's crucial in a relationship to be able to say, no whenever you feel uncomfortable.10. Not reciprocating sexuallyYou need to be generous lovers, doing things for both you and him. A relationship with a selfish lover never works out (unless its a particular BDSM/kink dynamic).11. Belittle himA little joke here or there is fine, but constant jokes are no longer funny. Embarrassing your partner repeatedly or belittling him in front of his friends is not acceptable.12. Force him into the closetYes, there are some circumstances when a boyfriend asks you to closet yourself in front of an old, dying homophobic grandma or something like that, but Id say 95 percent of the time, he shouldnt ask you to closet yourself. It took him years to come out. The struggle was real. Youre asking too much of your partner to re-closet himself, even if its for a short period.13. Ask him to give up his friendsThis is a form of manipulation and abuse. Some men use their insecurities, neediness, and tears to manipulate you into doing things. One of those big things is giving up your friends to spend time with him. If this happens, leave the relationship. He is manipulating you.14. Get jealous when he checks out other guysOr let me rephrase this. You can get jealous, but dont get angry or do anything rash. Please, feel free to call him out on it, especially if he makes a bad habit of checking out guys way too conspicuously. But remember, hes human. Theres no harm in looking as long as he doesnt touch.15. Spend too much time on your phoneIt is so rude and annoying. Yes, if youre both lying in bed, on your phones, and making small talk, thats fine. But during dinner, or when hes trying to have a real conversation, get off your damn phone!16. Make him read your mindI had an ex tell me, I just want you to know that I want that. How? Queer men are many things, but a mind reader is not one of them. Dont expect anything. If you need something, and its important to you, make the clear. Be direct. Be upfront. Be honest.17. Let arguments fester until you explodeI cant even begin to tell you how guilty I am of this. Do your best not to stew in negative emotions. If something is upsetting you, you need to say something to avoid festering in it. Otherwise, what ends up happening is you get furious at something relatively trivial because youve been harboring such negative emotions towards your partner.18. Take a nasty tone with himDisagreements happen. We screw up. But no matter what, no matter how angry you get, you need to treat him with respect. This means you can never take up a nasty tone with him, no matter how annoyed you are.19. Make him feel unsafeThis should be obvious, right? Sadly, thats far from the case. Oftentimes, because we have trouble saying no (see reason #6) our partner gently pressures us into doing something that we dont feel comfortable doing. Dont be that partner. You should know if your partner has trouble saying no to things. Dont take advantage of that. You should be doing the opposite -- really making sure he feels comfortable and safe because you know hes not likely to say no to you.20. Bring up any and everything during a fightA fight or argument should focus on a particular issue. You either did this one thing, or you have a tendency to repeatedly do these group of stuff that I don't appreciate. The conversation should be about that one issue. Dont bring up every single little thing that he has ever done wrong that has nothing to do with the issue at hand. If those things bother you too, save them for another time and conversation where you can focus on those specific topics.21. Forbid him to talk to all exesI was kind of torn about putting this on here, but I think its important to add. I dont talk to serious exes. Im friends with many guys I dated/slept with casually, but men Ive previously loved and had a very intense relationship with, I dont talk to. In my opinion, nothing good can come from it. For me, its tough to move on when Im still friends with a close ex. And frankly, I dont need any more friends. Nevertheless, many gay men are still friends with guys they seriously dated. Good for them! You need to trust your partner when he says theyre just friends. You cant forbid him from talking to exes. You dont own him like that. You can express your reservations about it (e.g., You know his ex was manipulative, so youre wary of their friendship), but you cant force him to do anything.22. Blame him for everythingEverything is not his fault. Sometimes its your fault and sometimes, its no one's fault. Shit just happens. Dont blame him for everything that goes wrong.23. Secretly using hookup appsSo this pertains more to when youre just starting a serious relationship, right as youre getting to know him. Dont be on hookup or dating apps when youre with him. If I'm honest, I have done this in the past. Id check my Grindr/Tinder when he went to the bathroom to see if another guy has messaged me. Be in the moment. Theres plenty of time to check out Grindr later when youre pooping on the toilet.24. Lie to him about your sexual activityThere are real health risks to sex, as all gay men know. Dont lie to him about your sexual conduct. Dont say youre not sleeping with someone else if you are. Dont say youre having protected sex if youre a cum dump for anonymous loads.25. Use your insecurities to keep him aroundThis is a classic sign of manipulation. Using your insecurities to make him do things for you. Its insidious and manipulative. Dont be a terrible partner.26. Skip date nightsDate nights matter, because they are when you are taking time just for the two of you. By skipping them you are sending the message that your partner isn't a priority.27. Let the romance dieThis is another reason you dont skip date nights. You dont want the romance to die. Make sure to do sweet things for him like sending him flowers, commenting on how handsome he looks and expressing your love for him.28. Demand sex/settle for mediocre sexDont demand sex. Similarly, dont settle for mediocre sex. If one of you is not in the mood, dont do it. Wait until youre both in the mood. Its not fun having sex just for your partners happiness. It leads to mediocre sex for everyone.29. Avoid vulnerabilityBe open. Be honest. The vulnerability is terrifying for everyone. Of course, it is. You always run the possibility that you open yourself up to him and he rejects you, but its a risk you have to take. You cant have a real relationship without vulnerability.30. Conflate your wants and needsSome things we want. Other things we need. Dont confuse the two. Dont demand things you want, and dont settle for not getting the things you need.31. Forget why youre dating himThings will undoubtedly get tough at some point in the relationship. Thats just how relationships work. Never forget why youre dating him. Never forget his positive attributes and the reasons you fell in love with him.32. Hold in how you feelYoure growing together, and its scary to share your deepest insecurities and vulnerabilities. Its okay to let the growth happen. Share your biggest fears and desires, and set the world on fire.33. Tell the world your businessThe whole world doesnt need to know all of your drama. Sure, its great to have some close friends and confidants to share with when the going gets tough, but if someones meeting your man for the first time, they shouldnt know all the above-mentioned dirty secrets.34. Forget about the sparkIts never good to force yourself to be with someone. If the spark has faded, and neither of you are really putting in the work, it may be best to have that conversation. Otherwise, you may end up doing something like...35. CheatYes, this also circles back to using apps behind his back and lying to him about your sexuality, but its even deeper than that. Dont betray your partners trust. All youre doing is causing everybody pain, so if youre not in an open relationship (or even if you are), dont do anything with anyone you wouldnt want your partner to know about. Otherwise, cue Carrie Underwood.

You know and love her from The Real Housewives of New York City, now is your chance to seeCountess Luann de Lessepslive! Currently touring the United States on her A Very Countess Christmas Tour, de Lesseps joined GLAADs Anthony Allen Ramos to talk about the show and her love for the LGBTQ community. Oh my [...]The post WATCH: Countess Luann Shares Love for LGBTQ Community; Talks New Tour first appeared on GLAAD.

Last week was a bizarre time to be queer on social media: Many cishet people voiced enthusiastic support for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that the health insurers denial of claims led to so many deaths that the murder was justified as retaliation. Meanwhile, Congress was passing a bill that would require an insurer (Tricare) to deny claims, and it was hard to get anyone to even pay attention to that.President-elect Donald Trump made denying people health care central to his campaign, spending over $200 million on ads criticizing Kamala Harris for ensuring that trans inmates in California could get health care. Meanwhile, Harris repeatedly attacked Trump for his previous attempts to cut Medicare and kept on bringing up how he only had concepts of a plan for what would replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a law that provides healthcare coverage to over 45 million people. Trump repeatedly tried to repeal the ACA during his first term. Related Glorifying Luigi Mangione is a very slippery slope If we condone murder of any kind, what moral standing do we have against Donald Trumps horrific actions? Health care was on the ballot, and Americans clearly voted against it, giving the banning denials for preexisting conditions is communism party control of the House, Senate, and White House. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today The most generous interpretation of these facts is that Americans would rather deny health care to a tiny minority just how many undocumented transgender inmates are there who need gender-affirming surgery? than provide it for everyone, a stance that spells doom for universal health care. In a country of over 330 million people, there will always be a reviled person getting access to health care somewhere or people making health care decisions that other people disagree with.In fact, one person I was talking with last week dryly noted, possibly joking, that shes against single-payer health care in the U.S. since Republicans would use it to end access to gender-affirming care for trans people.In the past two weeks, the House and Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the bill that funds the military, with an amendment that bans Tricare (which provides healthcare coverage to servicemembers and their families) from reimbursing some forms of gender-affirming care for transgender minors. This is literally about denying peoples health care claims. People in the military and their families are among those for whom the United States federal government currently provides health care coverage. But the demonization of youth transitioning over the last few years has led majorities in both the House and the Senate to tell military servicemembers that theyll have to pay out of pocket in order to provide health care to their trans kids. That is, the circle of people getting government health care coverage will get smaller next year, should the NDAA be signed into law in its current form. And the people wholl be denied care are children, and one of the reasons people want to deny them health care is literally because they are children and therefore should wait before they can have access to health care.This happened as people on social media were posting memes supportive of Mangione, memes that portrayed him as a Robin Hood-type character whose actions would either bring down the U.S. health insurance system or at least were justified because of how terrible it is for peoples legitimate health care claims to be denied. | Screenshot But I didnt see anyone posting memes like this acknowledging what Congress was working to pass. Part of the issue is probably that a lot of people dont see gender-affirming health care as real health care, despite how all major medical associations in the U.S. support it as a safe and effective treatment for gender dysphoria. Its been shown to save lives, and cisgender people can access the same treatments for similar reasons. In fact, cisgender boys get gender-affirming surgeries more often than trans minors.Still, people think about trans health care as siloed off as a separate issue from health care coverage, even though many of the battles around trans access to health care are about insurance companies and government insurance programs refusal to cover it. This may be why universal healthcare initiatives will be doomed in the U.S., at least in the foreseeable future. We just saw the GOP use the health care needs of a very small minority undocumented transgender inmates to gain political power, power that they will use to deny health care coverage to the wider population.Until people accept that others are going to make decisions for their own bodies that they wouldnt personally make for themselves and thats ok building support for universal health care is going to be an uphill battle.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Transphobic billionaire Elon Musk has helped end a congressional continuing resolution (CR) that would continue funding the federal government through mid-March. The incident has compelled at least one Republican lawmaker to call for ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and replacing him with Musk.The battle demonstrates Musks growing influence over the Republican Party after he donated millions and used the X social media platform to help reelect President-elect Donald Trump. In fact, social media commenters have now started saying that Musk, the richest man in the world, is the real president and that Trump merely serves him. Related Elon Musks trans daughter might leave the country because of Trumps victory Even if Trump doesnt implement his anti-trans agenda, Vivian Jenna Wilson cited one reason shes still leaving Musk and failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy both of whom have been appointed to Trump to the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) both posted messages on X urging congressional Republicans not to support the measure. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today This bill should not pass https://t.co/eccQ6COZJ4 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024 The measure continues current government funding levels and adds-on $100 billion in hurricane disaster relief funds, $10 billion in aid to farmers, reforms to the pharmacy pricing industry; an extension to the farm bill, and the first pay raise for members of Congress since 2009.Musk called the CR full of pork (a term for politicians large spending meant to benefit politicians local voting districts), and Ramaswamy compared the bills feel good spending to showering cocaine on an addict. Johnson told Fox News on Tuesday night that he recently spoke with Musk and Ramaswamy, who told him that they know hes in an impossible position of having to either fund the government with Democratic help or cause a government shutdown while reducing spending to appease Musk, Ramaswamy, and other far-right Republicans.We got to get this thing done so we dont have the shutdown. So, we get the short-term funding measure, and we get to March where we can put our fingerprints on the spending, Johnson said. Thats when the big changes start.Speaking to reporters, Johnson added, This is not an omnibus [bill], OK? This is a small CR that we had to add things to that were out of our control. These are not man-made disasters. These are things that are the federal government has an appropriate role to do We have to be able to help those who are in these dire straits. However, numerous House Republicans are already saying they wont support the CR. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) have all said that they wont vote for it, according to The Hill.The House GOP unrest over the CR also puts Johnson in possible danger of losing his House speakership when the House votes for Speaker on January 3. Johnson will need Democratic votes to pass the CR, and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted by far-right Republicans last year for essentially doing the same thing.In fact, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-WV) said he wouldnt support Johnson to stay as speaker, and Rep. Greene and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) have both already called for Johnson to be replaced by Musk for House Speaker.Greene wrote, Id be open to supporting @elonmusk for Speaker of the House. DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency. The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday. This could be the way. Id be open to supporting @elonmusk for Speaker of the House. DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency. The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday.This could be the way. https://t.co/8YuL56e443 Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) December 19, 2024The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress, Johnson wrote in a December 19 post. Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk think about it nothings impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka uniparty, lose their ever-lovin minds).The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress . . . Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk . . . think about it . . . nothings impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka uniparty, lose their ever-lovin Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 19, 2024 Republicans will have a slim House majority in 2025 with a 217-215 split between them and Democrats. Johnson will likely struggle to keep the slim GOP majority together, especially if Musk continues criticizing his legislative efforts.The display of power has compelled numerous social media commenters to say that Musk is really in control of the Republican-lead Congress and presidency, and Trump is just a servile figurehead. Many of these images were generated by artificial intelligence.Grok even knows that he's President-elect Musk. pic.twitter.com/LjJwtRVqxp Devin Duke (@sirDukeDevin) December 19, 2024President Musk pic.twitter.com/n9eREp3pHS Kyle Sweetser (@sweetser_kyle) December 19, 2024 President Musk and Vice President Trump. This isnt going to end well. pic.twitter.com/hVuurMoRba Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 19, 2024Ponder thisElon Musk spent $44 billion to buy Twitter, but only $277 million to buy the United States of America. pic.twitter.com/TwFZ2WCCtm Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) December 19, 2024Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Its about to be a very drag-tacular holiday season!Partners in crime Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme have teamed up once again for a country-wide tour of The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show, but you can enjoy it while sitting in front of your own fireplace and sipping on hot chocolate.Now in its seventh year, the Drag Race alums Holiday Show tour runs through January 3 with a one-night-only livestream event on December 21 and features glittery gowns, fun Christmas-themed costumes, whip-smart comedy, brand-new songs, and your annual faves.Even if you watched last years show, you are in for a treat, as fabulous drag queens and besties DeLa and Jinkx sleigh with a new show that is sure to surprise and delight you!The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show will livestream on December 21 at 8 pm PT/11 pm ET. Livestream tickets are available now at JinkxandDeLa.LiveBash.com.Scroll through to get a sneak peek at this year's The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show.

When Cedric Sturdevant, of Mississippi, was diagnosed with HIV in 2005, he tried to ignore his status.Sturdevant said he was concerned about what people would think of him for having HIV and afraid to talk openly about his diagnosis, which led him to avoiding addressing the condition and the kinds of care it required.Like many people, I thought I could just ignore it, Sturdevant said. So I didnt seek treatment or get on medication until a year later, and that was because I almost died with complications of HIV.With the support of his family, community and church, Sturdevant found the treatment he needed and overcame that fear of rejection due to his HIV status, he said. Now, hes made it his mission to help others like him living with HIV and affected by its stigma.A lot of people are too concerned about what people say to seek treatment or talk about their status, Sturdevant said. I was at first, but Ive learned to not be worried about what people say, and I hope that by sharing my story, other people can learn that, too.Sturdevant co-foundedCommunity Health-PIER(Prevention, Intervention, Education and Research), an organization based in Greenville, Mississippi, that focuses on raising awareness for the health disparities experienced within the Black community, primarily around HIV and AIDS.Not only is Sturdevant among an estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. living with HIV and affected by its stigma, but hes also part of a network of organizations across the country working to overturn negative ways in which people think about the disease.While experts and research suggest these kinds of organizations are making progress in eliminating stigma around HIV, they also say that the negative attitudes and beliefs surrounding the disease are still a major issue.On Nov. 27, GLAAD released its2024 State of HIV Stigma Report, which is used to track Americans knowledge and attitudes around HIV and its stigma.The report found signs of progress, including a decrease in the belief that stigma around HIV still exists to 85% in 2024down from 89% in 2020. Additionally, nearly 90% of Americans reported knowing at least a little about HIV in 2024, and half said they felt knowledgeable about the disease.But GLAADs findings also showed areas where more work needs to be done. The report found a significant decrease in the belief that everyone should get tested for HIV from 77% in 2020 to 67% in 2024. This decline was seen in all regions of the country.Cedric Sturdevan, co-founder of Community Health-PIER. Photo: Cedric SturdevanAdditionally, there was a decrease in the belief that people living with HIV can experience long, healthy lives from 90% in 2020 to 85% in 2024, according to GLAAD.Despite the advances in treatment and prevention, GLAADs 2024 State of HIV Stigma showed that fewer Americans report knowing the fact that people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, can live long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV, said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. Meaningful representation of HIV facts and people living with HIV is sorely needed in news and entertainment to increase education and decrease stigma.Aces Lira, manager of policy and advocacy for theAIDS Foundation of Chicago, said there are multiple factors influencing how HIV stigma manifests today, including its historical context, cultural attitudes toward the disease and how existing healthcare systems respond to it.The historical piece cannot be ignored, Lira said. Theres this initial tainted legacy in that the government was really slow to react to HIV and in fact leaving people that were impacted to die. That has consequences because people remember that.Additionally, receiving an HIV diagnosis can be isolating due to cultural attitudes toward the disease that need to be changed, Lira said.An HIV diagnosis can come with a really deep sense of shame because there are people trying to throw blame or a moral judgment on others for living with HIV, Lira said. You would think there would be more empathy and understanding, but some have these ideas that people living with HIV are seen as dirty or unclean, which only fuels this fire.And then healthcare systems can also contribute to exacerbating HIV stigma, Lira said.People dont always think of the systems and blame the individual first, but what if they didnt have access to insurance or healthcare? Lira said. Maybe they tried getting on PrEP but it fell through, or maybe it was someone who didnt know they were at risk because it wasnt something their primary care provider ever brought up.Dr. Bonnie Pete Thomas, a site medical director forHoward Brown Health, one of the countrys largest LGBTQ+-centered health providers, compared HIV stigma to a three-headed monster thats fueled by ignorance.And I say ignorance not in a way to place blame, Thomas said. Its in a sense that we didnt do our due diligence in educating the community around what HIV is, and that education is crucial to beating the stigma.One effective tactic to educate people about HIV is to partner with other organizations at the grassroots level, Thomas said.We can always work with our friends and allies, but its important that we get outside of our comfort zone and create partnerships with people who traditionally havent had partners like us, Thomas said.Many HIV organizations have found success partnering with churches and community groups who will let them go in and conduct HIV screenings, blood-pressure monitoring and education around the virus, Thomas said.Thats a big part of reducing the stigma and getting people to sit down and listen, Thomas said.Then there are the larger-scale efforts like partnering with news, television, radio and other forms of media to tell stories and share education about HIV, Thomas said. Leveraging social media is also crucial.HIV stigma is still a very persistent challenge in healthcare, and it has to be a part of every organizations strategy to invest robustly in our grassroots efforts, outreach teams and media to dismantle the stigma, Thomas said.The post Experts: HIV stigma still a persistent challenge despite signs of progress appeared first on News Is Out.

A Chicago man convicted of stalking and extorting young men on Grindr and other apps is headed to federal prison for 52 months.Omoruyi O. Uwadiae, 29, pleaded guilty in May to 22 counts including cyberstalking, interstate communications with intent to extort, and unlawful transfer, possession, or use of a means of identification, according to court records. Related Deranged cyberstalker threatened gay Democrat for years. Now he could go away for decades. Investigators said the messages were extreme enough to put the elected official in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury. The sentence was handed down on December 10 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson in federal court in Columbus. 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 Court records document a spiteful campaign of extortion by Uwadiae in 2019 using apps like Grindr and Snapchat to target gay and bisexual men.In March 2019, Uwadiae solicited nude pics and video from an Ohio State University student he met on Grindr along with his cell number. He told the victim, pay me $200 and I wont post (the) pics, vids, number, and name online, court documents read.The young man didnt pay up. Rather than move on to another potential mark, Uwadiae sent him a text with a link to an online platform where he had uploaded videos of the student engaged in sex along with his personal information. The pattern continued with a 17-year-old that Uwadiae met on Snapchat in April 2019. The minor, who claimed to be 18 at the time, sent Uwadiae sexually explicit photos, and Uwadiae again demanded payment with a threat to expose him. He, too, declined.Uwadiae responded by sending the photos to the boys mother and other family members, friends and classmates, according to the complaint, outing him in the process. As well, Uwadiae created a public Facebook page where he posted a photo of the young man engaged in sex.In May, Uwadiae engaged another young man on both Grindr and Instagram. In this case, Uwadiae accused the man of being racist and created fake social media profiles using the mans image. He also posted the stalking victims photo on Grindr with the same accusation, court records show.Eight young men in Ohio, Colorado and Washington state were victimized by Uwadiae, according to a statement from prosecutors. Given the nature of the crime, that number could be higher.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In 2019, Christian chicken chain Chick-fil-A had high hopes for expanding their chicken sammie empire to the U.K. Within months, they were out of business in the British Isles.LGBTQ+ protests overwhelmed the first of two locations, in Reading, just west of London, where a call for the company to cluck off over their support of anti-LGBTQ+ organizations resonated with Britons. A second spot the chain claimed was a pop-up in a posh hotel in the Scottish Highlands closed not long after. Related Chick-fil-A isnt going to be happy with this Texas restaurants new chicken sandwich Chick-fil-gAy is a Panko-textured filet with a slightly sweet taste, topped by two crinkle-cut pickles on lightly toasted buns, plus mayo. Hold the homophobia Now the chicken purveyor is back for a second British invasion and prepared to overwhelm the opposition with plans to open five stores simultaneously. This time theyre backed by a well-oiled PR team, and hope the imprimatur of a respected LGBTQ+ rights organization will help grease their way into Britons hearts by way of their stomachs. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today That PR effort is already underway, as seen in an interview with Peter Backman, a retail food consultant, in The Telegraph, Britains conservative daily.I suspect that a bit of the steam has gone out of the LGBT thing, Backman told the right-wing outlet, staying ahead of the issue. There may be the odd protester, but if they have got armies of PR people laser-focused on that then I suspect it may be OK.The $20 billion chicken behemoth, privately owned and managed by the devout Cathy family from headquarters in Atlanta, plans to launch five chicken stores in 2025 across London, Liverpool, Leeds and in Belfast, Northern Island, where it will have two locations.Chick-fil-A predicts a $100 million investment in the U.K. over the next 10 years with 500 employees by 2027.The family-owned company has a long and ignoble history of supporting anti-LGBTQ+ organizations. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A and the chairmans father, donated money to anti-gay groups like the Marriage & Family Foundation, the Georgia Family Council and the ex-gay therapy group Exodus International. As recently as 2017 Chick fil-Adonated $1.8 millionto the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a group that opposes same-sex marriage, and to The Salvation Army, a group withits own history of anti-LGBTQ actions.The company has faced repercussions for its donations, getting forced out ofcollege campuses and airports and protested in schools and in Canada. At the same time,conservatives made Chick-fil-A a symbolof their fight against LGBTQ+ equality.In 2019, the chicken hawkers announced they wouldreconfigure their charitable-giving guidelinesto exclude groups with anti-LGBTQ+ policies and promote a culture of belonging. The decision to backtrack after years of nonstop support from the religious right caused evangelical leaders and politicians to immediately attack the chain they had previously fought to defend so vociferously.Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Donald Trumps pick for Ambassador to Israel in his second administration, accused Chick-fil-A of surrendering to anti-Christian hate groups.Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), said the chain badly lost its way. The far-right caught up with Chick-fil-As DEI initiatives four years later when they declared the family-owned business had gone woke along with Bud Light and the raft other businesses targeted in the DEI backlash.Now the company is exploiting the fallout from their efforts at moderation in their push across the Atlantic.Bryan Malenius, a former chief of staff in the House of Representatives, is heading up the companys PR offensive.There are a lot of misconceptions about Chick-fil-A, Malenius told the Telegraph. If you look at our anti-discrimination policy and read through it, its very all-encompassing.The chicken spox held up the example of U.K. LGBTQ+ advocacy group Stonewalls support for the company as evidence Chick-fil-A had found its way.A rep from the nonprofit was quick to put the PR spin on support in perspective.We frequently have conversations with companies and organizations at various stages on their journey to becoming more inclusive workplaces for their employees, including those who are considering locations in the U.K., the rep said.We have had some recent conversations with Chick-fil-A about the training and services we could provide to support the company on this journey.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Gays across social media are debating whether Nicholas Galitzine just experienced twink death and was reborn as a muscle-bound twunk after a new photo of the star went viral on social media.On December 18, the 30-year-old actor nearly broke the internet when he shared a photo on his Instagram Stories showing off the huge physical transformation hes undergone while prepping to take on the role of He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie.Although the former Red, White & Blue star is wearing a long-sleeved shirt in the now-viral photo showing him standing next to a big Christmas tree, it does little to disguise the massive muscles hes gained since we saw him in Mary & George.The white shirt hes sporting barely contains his new bulging biceps, and the holiday pic also gives us a tiny peek at his muscular thighs in a pair of black boxer briefs. Why, yes, were salivating too.Of course, the photo made the gays on X (formerly Twitter) feral and has had people saying that Galitzine used to be a twink but has now transformed into a twunk or that hes gone from being a bottom to a top. Either way, the responses from Gay Twitter have been hilarious and spot-on.Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to Nicholas Galitzine going from twink to twunk! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Cara Delevingne is rocking out in a new role, albeit definitely an unexpected one.The Paper Towns star stepped into Elton John's shoes in a remake of the music video for his ever-popular Christmas tune, "Step Into Christmas," released this Wednesday.The original 1973 video features John goofing off while performing the song with his band. It's a quirky video, bordering on bizarre, thanks to the singer's over-the-top facial expressions and the inclusion of random moments, like the one where he suddenly holds up his Watford Hornets Football Club membership card.This reimagining captures all of that with Delevingne's version of John, while providing a commentary of sorts by jumping back and forth between that and the imaginary behind-the-scenes as the production crew observes everything going on. At several points, the 2024 video even jokingly attempts to explain some of the stranger moments of the original through the crew's contributions. It also flips back and forth between treating the remake as the real deal in-universe and having characters acknowledge that, um, that's not actually Elton John.In short: it's a delightful way to update an old classic.The timing of John's decision to revisit "Step Into Christmas" over 50 years later actually makes sense. It's continued to get a lot of play during the holidays, and was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry last year. As for bringing Delevingne along for the ride, that stems from the two of them trying to find a project to work together on this year."When someone suggested the idea of her playing me in a riff on the 1973 Step Into Christmas video, I just thought it was the perfect opportunity," John said in a statement. "Thank God Cara thought the same, because it came out great.""I hope that Elton may one day return the favour and agree to play me in my not yet developed, written, pitched or funded biopic," Delevingne joked. "Fingers crossed."Sold.

Despite vigorous opposition from LGBTQ military families and civil rights organizations, the U.S. Senate yesterday passed and sent the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to President Bidens desk with a dangerous provision that discriminates against military families raising transgender youth, supporting a version of the bill that previously passed in the U.S. House. The provision [...]The post Congress Sends National Defense Authorization Act With Dangerous Anti-Transgender Provision to President Bidens Desk first appeared on GLAAD.

Tip your queens!Between the economy, political discourse, and oversaturation of incredible RuPaul's Drag Race dolls around the globe, it's becoming very difficult for these girls to secure jobs.While many Drag Race alum may be keeping everything cute on the surface, Salina EsTitties is letting everyone know what's really going on behind the scenes."I don't know if any girls are willing to admit it, but the RuGirls are struggling out in these streets. Look at the girls! There's not a lot of gigs. There's an oversurge of queens and not enough gigs at the moment. It's really hard for the girls to stay above water," EsTitties tells PRIDE. See on Instagram Everyone knows social media is all smoke and mirrors, so EsTitties is reminding fans to not be confused by all of the glamor that people are posting online."[The struggle] may not be shown on Instagram. We can't let the kids know that, but that's the truth and the reality. There's no answer. I think it's just the economy and gay bars are struggling as a whole. There's definitely something happening."Times may be tough, but nobody can keep a good queen down! EsTitties has plenty of projects in the works in the world of musical theater, podcasting, and even merchandise for the holidays. The powerhouse won't let these trying times get in the way of her pursuing her passions."I just urge that we keep on going out there regardless. They want us to shut down and not exist. That's not the case! Drag queens have never been the ones to be kept in a closet honey. We have to come out!"For the ideal stocking stuffer, this lovable queen has released a hilarious ornament with partial proceeds benefitting the Los Angeles LGBT Center on The Pride Store.To see the full interview with Salina EsTitties, check out the video at the top of the page.

Hot Frosty, who?!Hot Frosty, your days are numbered.On Saturday, Dec. 7, more than 625 sexy Santas and fundraisers turned up the heat at Sidetrack Chicago for the 2024 Northalsted Santa Speedo Run. This annual event celebrated its 13th anniversary with bang: raising over $182,000 for the Center on Halsted, which is a local organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community.Organizers estimate that the event was attended by 1,200 people this year, ranging between actual runners and party-minded individuals. Debbie Fox once again hosted the event, which prides itself as the "start of the Midwest's LGBTQ+ holiday season."A press release for the annual Northalsted Santa Speedo Run notes other highlights of the events, such as "awards for top-donations earners, both teams and individuals." David Roberts this year's top fundraiser was also inducted into the 100k club after raising more than $100,000 over the course of 10 years.To donate for this year's total earnings, you can visit CenterOnHalsted.org. Plus, one can make sure to write down Dec. 6, 2025, as the date of the next event, if interested in participating!Scroll through to check out fun pictures from the annual Northalsted Santa Speedo Run, held at Sidetrack Chicago in 2024.

An 18-year-old Black transgender woman named Cameron Jamal Miikquise Thompson was shot to death in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Monday. Police have arrested an unnamed underage suspect and charged him with murder as an adult. Thompsons family suspects her murder was a hate crime, and police suspect it may have to do with comments she made about her suspected killer.Thompson left their home around midnight last Monday, but around noon, her mother noticed that she had only taken her phone, leaving her purse and other personal items in her room. Her mother tried calling but Thompsons phone went to voicemail. 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. That wasnt like her to leave her belongings, Thompsons aunt, Tara Matthews, told AL.com. 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 Around 4 p.m., Thompsons family called the police to report that she was missing. Police informed them that they had found a body a few hours earlier. Thompsons later mother identified the body as her daughters.Police say she had been shot several times in the early morning hours. Nearby residents reported seeing her body in the yard of a home near the eastern edge of the citys 35th. The citys crimes unit said the motive appears related to comments Thompson may have posted on social media regarding the suspects sexual orientation, WBMA reported.The murder marks the 20th homicide investigated in Tuscaloosa this year, an all-time annual high, The Tuscaloosa Thread reported. The homicide also marks the 27th in the county this year. Thompson is suspected to be at least the 31st trans or gender non-conforming murder victim this year.She was a very sweet person, very nice person, never met a stranger, said her aunt, Tara Matthews. She loved hair and nails. She was very quiet, very to herself, always very private, she added, noting that she was beloved by her family and friends.Thomson had recently graduated from Job Corps, a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free education and vocational training to young people. She worked at United Parcel Service (UPS). Another of Thompsons aunts, Tara Maneice, wrote on a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign, My sister does not have a life insurance policy in place, so Im asking for any assistance to give a proper burial.Thompsons funeral service will be held on January 3, 2025. The crowdfunding campaign has raised $4,282 of its $4,500 goal as of Thursday evening. Young Black trans southerners disproportionately face gun violenceIn 2023, there were 35 homicides of transgender or gender-expansive people, according to the group Everytown for Gun Safety. Of these, 80% were murdered with a gun. In 2023, 50% of gun homicides were of Black trans women.At least 19% of violent deaths of trans people were at the hands of an intimate partner or family member. 68% of these deaths were with a gun, the group wrote on its website.The group also noted that 44% of homicides of transgender and gender-expansive people that occurred between2017 and 2023 happened in the South. Approximately 34% of gun homicides of transgender and gender-expansive people remain unsolved, and 57% of victims were under the age of 30.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A Tuesday hearing on gambling addiction turned awry when Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) suddenly turned the conversation towards the issue of transgender inclusion in sports.In a hearing about theSupporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet Act (SAFE Bet Act) a law that is meant to discourage sports gambling addiction the two senators barraged NCAA chief Charlie Baker with questions about allowing biological males to play games with biological females. Kennedy told him to stand up in front of God and country and oppose trans womens inclusion in sports, and to stand up and take a leadership position, as well as to go to Amazon and buy a spine online. Related Transgender people could use teammates in these times A Trans Day of Remembrance message for the difficult times to come, in sports and in everyday life, for trans people. Hawley then jumped in and repeatedly talked over Baker, raising his voice to claim that there is no federal law that allows trans women to play against women and to shout This is your federal policy that you will not defend because it is indefensible. He also questioned Baker about recent forfeitures against San Jose State University due to them allegedly having a single trans player on their team. 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 Despite Hawleys claim, the U.S. Constitution and federal law guarantee equal treatment of college athletes. While this should include trans athletes, there have been recent scientific and political debates about whether trans female athletes have biological advantages over cisgender competitors. Republicans have largely opposed trans inclusion in sports and vilified trans athletes and their allies as harming cis female athletes.Baker was also asked by Sen. Dick Durban (D-IL) how many trans athletes there were. Out of 510,000 total athletes, Baker said, there are less than 10 total in NCAA schools (a figure that translates to fewer than 0.002% of all NCAA athletes). Baker also defended trans women, saying it was debatable whether theyd always, no matter what have a physical advantage over cisgender women.There is no concrete evidence that trans women have an unfair advantage in sports. A recent study found that trans women have equivalent physical metrics to cisgender women after being on hormone replacement therapy. Few other studies examine trans athletes in comparison to cisgender athletes.Sen. Durbin continued on X, 510,000 NCAA athletes. Ten or fewer transgender NCAA athletes nationwide. Lets focus on ways to actually improve womens sports. 510,000 NCAA athletes. Ten or fewer transgender NCAA athletes nationwide.Lets focus on ways to actually improve womens sports. https://t.co/7BKT16dntT Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) December 17, 2024Minority Whip of the West Virginia House of Representatives Shawn Fluharty said, Congressional hearing on sports betting turned into a hearing on political tantrums on manufactured outrage over NCAA trans athlete policy. If Congress wants to jump in on sports betting, maybe find some adults in the room first. That was embarrassing.Congressional hearing on sports betting turned into a hearing on political tantrums on manufactured outrage over NCAA trans athlete policy. If Congress wants to jump in on sports betting, maybe find some adults in the room first. That was embarrassing. Shawn Fluharty (@WVUFLU) December 17, 2024Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.