As we reflect on 2024 and look forward to the year ahead, were reminded that every milestone weve achieved is thanks to the support of our incredible community. Its the dedication and belief of supporters like you that make our work possible and inspire us to continue building a brighter future for LGBTQ+ young people.Please enjoy this video for a complete look at what you helped make possible! Thank you for being the one to support LGBTQ+ young people.The post 2024 Recap Interactive: Big Moments, Bigger Impact appeared first on The Trevor Project.

A Kentucky federal judge has struck down President Joe Bidens Title IX guidelines prohibiting discrimination against transgender students. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves (an appointee of anti-LGBTQ+ former President George W. Bush) ruled that Bidens Department of Education (DOE) overstepped its authority and bypassed the necessary legislative process to extend a Supreme Court decision on LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination to schools. The educational guidelines have already been blocked in 26 states. Related Biden administration halts attempt to protect trans student-athletes Trans advocates argued the proposed rule was vague and did not go far enough to protect vulnerable students. In June 2022, Bidens Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced that Title IX, the 1972 education law that prohibits discrimination in federally funded schools on the basis of sex, should rely on the Supreme Courts 2020 decision inBostock v. Clayton County. That court decision found that Title VIIs ban on sex-based workplace discrimination includes discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity. 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 But while Bidens new Title IX rules were set to go into effect on August 1, 2022, Republican attorneys general sued to stop the rule changes. Reeve issued his decision in response to lawsuits filed by attorneys general Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.At issue in the lawsuit were three provisions expanding Title IXs definitions of sex discrimination and harassment as well as a provision allowing trans students to use school facilities matching their gender identity.The three challenged provisions fatally taint the entire rule,Reeves wrote of the Biden Administrations interpretation of Title IX. Put simply, there is nothing in the text or statutory design of Title IX to suggest that discrimination on the basis of sex means anything other than it has since Title IXs inception that recipients of federal funds under Title IX may not treat a person worse than another similarly-situated individual on the basis of the persons sex, i.e., male or female. The entire point of Title IX is to prevent discrimination based on sex, he wrote. Throwing gender identity into the mix eviscerates the statute and renders it largely meaningless. [The DOE] readsBostockfar too broadly by importing its holding into the context of Title IX. The Court inBostockexpressly limited its holding to Title VII and, even in that restricted context [did] not purport to address bathrooms, locker rooms, or anything else of the kind.Reeves called the DOEs interpretation vague and overbroad and also took issue with a rule provision classifying the misgendering of trans studentsas a form of harassment. The First Amendment does not permit the government to chill speech or compel affirmance of a belief with which the speaker disagrees in this manner, the judge wrote.Congress gave the [Education] Department authority to issue rules, regulations, and orders to effectuate Title IXs prohibition on sex discrimination consistent with the objectives of the statute. However, the Department exceeded that authority in issuing the Final Rule, he added. In a statement condemning the ruling, the National Womens Law CenterPresident Fatima Goss Graves wrote, Todays decision displays extraordinary disregard for students who are most vulnerable to discrimination and are in the most need for federal protections under the Title IX rule. The Biden administrations Title IX rule is essential to ensure that all studentsincluding survivors of sexual assault and harassment, pregnant and parenting students, and LGBTQI+ studentsare able to learn in a safe and welcoming environment.We are in the beginning of the fight to protect the rights of all students, especially LGBTQI+ students, as we transition into a new administration, Graves statement continued. This court ruling turns long-standing legal precedent on its head in a direct, disproportionate attack on trans students that continues to impact their education and livelihood. Graves pledged to continue fighting for trans and other students rights.Bidens rule changes didnt address the issue of trans students playing on school sports teams his administration has only said that trans students should be given opportunities to participate in sports, but hasnt issued any guidelines or rules explaining how. The ruling sets the stage for Trumps anti-trans agendaIncoming President-elect Donald Trump has said that on day one of his administration hell roll back Bidens trans student protections.The Trump administration spent four years fighting against the legal argument that laws that ban discrimination based on sex ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, particularly in schools. In 2017, then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos issued guidance to schools saying that Title IX did not protect LGBTQ+ students, shortly after she and Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked a guidance from the administration of former President Barack Obama that said the opposite.Trump is expected to follow Project 2025, a blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.Project 2025 calls for Trump to reinstate his transgender military ban; end educational, workplace, and healthcare protections for trans people; and instruct Congress to define gender as male and female and fixed at birth. The plan would end all acknowledgment of trans people and gender identity.Trump has vowed to end all federal and government-funded diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) programs. This would end numerous organizational trainings and funding for any groups devoted to serving marginalized communities.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

As fires blaze across the Los Angeles area, one resident is going viral after relieving the tension of the last three days by being sassy and hilarious on the nightly news.Content creator Courtney Barnes has just been catapulted to "Meme Queen" status after stealing the show while being interviewed on KCAL about the fire.Sporting a yellow beanie, long red nails, hoop earrings, and a fierce set of false lashes, the instant icon appeared on the local news after having used a bullhorn to help direct his fellow residents to safety. "I was watching the news, I looked out the window, I seen the fire," Barnes said on KCAL. "Some of it went in my eye I can almost feel like I was going blind so I just grabbed my bullhorn, halfway got my shoes on my feet, took off running, and said, 'Lord carry me as far as you can.'"Barnes' bold personality and Jackson, Mississippi accent instantly won viewers over, inspiring drag queen and activist Pandora Boxx to post a clip from the news on her Instagram account, making Barnes who also dresses in drag as Martin Lawrence's Sheneneh Jenkins character an instant hit after captioning the video, "And in a tragedy a new meme queen shall rise."See on InstagramYou'd never know it from their sassy interview, but Barnes told PRIDE that he was outside helping his neighbors near Runyon Canyon as the home he was living in burned down."I said, since I'm gone, and my house is gone, I might as well just walk around see if I can help everybody else," Barnes explained. "And so I just started walking around and screaming and shouting and telling everybody to get the fuck up, get out, stop doing what you're doing, there is a house fire and there's a fire on the roof!"Barnes said that he hoped bringing some levity and humor to the situation would help people who are feeling "sad and scared and emotional" because "someone gotta be the strong one to keep us going so we can know it'll be a better tomorrow."He cautioned that although people might be finding his interview with the local news funny, he wasn't taking the situation lightly but wanted to put "a little smile, a little sense of joy back in their spirits, and so I was just keeping it real and if keeping it real reminds people how to laugh and how to be happy again then that's what it was sister girlfriend!"While going viral for something you said in the spur of the moment might be overwhelming for most people, Barnes is just happy that he was able to be a voice for people who are "too heartbroken" to speak and to help get the message about the dangers of the fire and the need for safely evacuating out there for the public.See on InstagramBarnes isn't just hilarious and someone who likes to help his neighbors, but he also does community outreach with his nonprofit called the Courtney Cares Foundation, where they bring care packages to the homeless people in Los Angeles with the help of troubled teens who sing, rap, and perform poetry for them."We pass our package out with a smile and entertainment, which means we allow troubled teen youth to come out on our journey with us and perform their art," Barnes explained.Not one to let a conversation get too serious, when asked his age, Barnes had the perfect retort: "Oh honey, you ain't gonna believe it, but I've been around since the dinosaurs been extinct. I'm 7,947. No, I'm just playing, I'm 33."If you want to help the Courtney Cares Foundation reach more people in the Los Angeles area, you can message Barnes on Instagram.

A federal judge has struck down the Biden administrations regulation interpreting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, especially those who are transgender.U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves of Kentucky ruled Thursday is fatally flawed, the Associated Press reports.Title IX bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The U.S. Department of Educations updated regulation, announced in April, extended Title IX protections to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity explicitly. At the time, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said this regulation aims to ensure that no one should have to abandon their educational aspirations due to discrimination. This includes safeguarding the rights of transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity and having their preferred pronouns respected.Twenty-six Republican-dominated states had sued over the regulation, resulting in it being blocked in those states. Reeves's ruling came in a suit filed by Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.The Biden administration had already withdrawn a separate proposed rule that would assure transgender students' right to compete on sports teams aligning with their gender identity.

Despite TikToks Los Angeles office being closed due to power outages as a result of the massive wildfires devastating the area, the social media site told employees to either work from home or use their personal/sick days even though nearly 180,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes.Currently, TikToks Culver-City office isnt under mandatory evacuation orders yet, but the Palisades Fire is close enough to TikToks office that smoke can be seen out the windows, Sarah Perez for Tech Crunch reports. Employees, on the other hand, are being impacted by fires threatening their homes, windstorms, and air quality issues. While TikTok employees are dealing with loss of power and Wi-Fi and could potentially be under evacuation orders at their homes, TikTok has told them to use their personal or sick time if they need to take days off because of the impact of the fires engulfing Southern California. The tech companys leadership told the LA-based staff that the office would be closed from January 8-12 because the office lost power due to the fires that have already destroyed more than 5,000 structures and led to the deaths of five people. TikTok decided to make the days the office is closed for Work From Home Days instead of giving employees the days off unless an individual team leader decided to change that.TikToks LA employees get 10 paid sick/personal (PSSL) days per year and 15 paid time off/vacation (PTO) days, so long as they were hired before June 2024, and are even more important now than in the past because of the companys return-to-office policy which requires employees to come into the office to work three days per week as chosen by their team. This means that if you are sick during one of the days youre supposed to be in the office, you have to use one of your dick days instead of working from home, making those 10 paid PSSL days even more important. But now TikToks LA employees are being forced to use their personal/sick days even though the wildfires ravaging the area are the cause of their need for time off. Tech Crunch also reported that this will leave them with fewer days off if they get sick later in the year, and if they run out of PSSL hours available, employees are supposed to either borrow from next year or use their PTO time instead.While making this policy clear, TikTok has also told employees to contact the Employee Assistance Program or their HR rep if they need to evacuate, with people in leadership roles within the company urging employees to make their own safety a priority.

A federal judge has struck down the Biden administrations regulation interpreting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ+ students, especially those who are transgender.U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves of Kentucky ruled Thursday that the regulation is fatally flawed, the Associated Press reports.Title IX bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The U.S. Department of Educations updated regulation, announced in April, extended Title IX protections to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity explicitly. At the time, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said this regulation aims to ensure that no one should have to abandon their educational aspirations due to discrimination. This includes safeguarding the rights of transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity and having their preferred pronouns respected.Twenty-six Republican-dominated states had sued over the regulation, resulting in it being blocked in those states. Reeves's ruling came in a suit filed by Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.The Biden administration had already withdrawn a separate proposed rule that would assure transgender students' right to compete on sports teams aligning with their gender identity.

Right-wing personalities across the internet blaming the devastating Los Angeles wildfires on LGBTQ+ people, specifically LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, who is an out gay woman.Far right media outlet Newsmax blamed the Los Angeles fire chief for the fires, claiming in a recent broadcast, Please do not be fooled by what youre hearing from the media. These are not once-in-a-generation wildfires. This is not climate change. In Los Angeles, its the exact same story. Death by DEI, this time with their brand new fire chief. Related Conservatives blame LA wildfires on fire chief being gay They dont know what she did, but her being gay, they say, proves that she was a diversity hire. There is no evidence that DEI which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, referring to initiatives to increase representation of historically oppressed groups caused these wildfires. Nor is there evidence that Crowley isnt qualified for her position. She has served as a firefighter, paramedic, fire inspector, engineer, and in multiple high ranking positions throughout her three-decade-long career. She was the first female fire marshal in the city, appointed in 2016, and was in the top 50 of 16,000 applicants when she passed her firefighter exam in the 1990s. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today It is currently thought that these fires are caused by, in large part, climate change altering wind and rain patterns in the region, as well as severe droughts and unusual humidity.These fires have been devastating the Los Angeles area, displacing over 130,000 people from their homes and destroying nearly 40,000 acres of land. 2,000 buildings were destroyed, and an untold amount of ecological damage is seen in the greater Los Angeles area. Additionally, the health of many residents is severely affected by the heavy smoke that now plagues the region.Right-wing pundit Megyn Kelly decried the fire chief on her SiriusXM program. In recent years, LAs fire chief has made not filling the fire hydrants top priority, but diversity, she said on Wednesday. Who gives a s**t if the fire chief is gay? she asked sarcastically, even though it appeared that Kelly herself cared about Crowleys sexuality. Im sorry but who gives a flying fig about who she likes to sleep with, can you fight the f**king fires, madam? Thats the relevant question. CNN commentator Scott Jennings also blamed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.There was some interest in the fire departments and the firefighters in California. And the interest was that there were too many white men who were firefighters, Jennings claimed on Newsnight with Abby Phillip. And we need to have a program in California to make sure we dont have enough white men as firefighters. We have DEI, we have budget cuts, and yet Im wondering now if your house was burning down, how much do you care what color the firefighters are?Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) shot back at Jennings by pointing out that discriminatory hiring practices that favor straight white men are what prevent qualified applicants for jobs from being considered. The fact is, stop trying to act as if only white men are the ones that are capable because right now, youre sitting at a table with three very capable black women, she said. Actor James Woods said on X, Refilling the water reservoirs would have been a welcome priority, too, but I guess she had too much on her plate promoting diversity. He didnt explain why he believes the fire chief of LA should have fixed state water policy. Moreover, the California Department of Water Resources website shows that the states major reservoirs are at or above their historic levels. Priorities stated in her bio below.Refilling the water reservoirs would have been a welcome priority, too, but I guess she had too much on her plate promoting diversity. pic.twitter.com/7GXgBR3RO2 James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 8, 2025Billionaire and friend of President-elect Donald Trump Elon Musk and hate influencer Chaya Raichik who goes by Libs of TikTok online made similar claims. The LA Fire Dept passed a racial equity plan to end systemic, institutional, and structural racism in LA. Part of it is a chart to map out the race of every employee to make sure theyre racially diverse enough, said Raichik, linking racial diversity to the fires. They prioritized DEI over saving lives and homes, said Musk in response. Neither individual offered any proof for their claims. They prioritized DEI over saving lives and homes https://t.co/KW1S7ZJEuJ Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025The Los Angeles Fire Department recently faced nearly $18 million in budget cuts, while the citys police departments budget increased. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Homophobic Christian activist Anita Bryant died of cancer on December 16 at the age of 84 in Edmonton, Oklahoma. Her anti-gay activism ended her singing career, bankrupted her, and famously compelled a gay activist to hit her in the face with a pie on live TV in 1977. Near the end of her life, she condemned her own granddaughter for being gay.She led numerous anti-gay campaigns, calling homosexuals human garbage and members of a deviant lifestyle who groomed children through sexual abuse. Her hateful demonizing views made her a precursor to modern-day far-right politicians, influencers, and bigots who accuse queer people of grooming and sexualizing children in schools. Related QAnons SaveOurChildren slogan has a long anti-LGBTQ history With each accusation on social media comes the hashtags #SaveTheChildren and #SaveOurChildren slogans that have been used against LGBTQ people many times over the last 100 years. Bryant, an Oklahoma native, won the 1958 Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant, was a professional singer who performed at U.S.O. military shows, Billy Grahams evangelical tours, and famously sang The Battle Hymn of the Republic during the 1971 Super Bowl and at the 1973 burial of ex-President Lyndon B. Johnson. She also served as a brand ambassador for the Florida Citrus Commission, selling orange juice from 1969 to 1980. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today However, Bryant is most infamous for her anti-gay activism during the 1970s when she led the Save Our Children campaign to successfully repeal a Dade County, Florida ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. If gays are granted rights, next well have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters, she said during the campaign.One of her biggest supporters was Rev. Jerry Falwell, a fundamentalist preacher who called gay people vile, Satanic murderers. He founded the Moral Majority political action group in 1979. It laid the groundwork for Christian nationalism that has since become a Republican Party mainstay.During a live TV appearance in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 14, 1977, she endorsed her network of Anita Bryant Centers where homosexuals could go for rehabilitation; that is, conversion therapy (a fraudulent practice that has been denounced as ineffective and harmful by major psychological associations). During her TV appearance repeatedly said she loves homosexuals, but hates their sin. During her appearance, gay activist Thom L. Higgins threw a banana cream pie in her face, leading her to remark, At least its a fruit pie.After the assault, Higgins told Bryant, We love you as a person, but we cant stand the garbage you spout.Bryant began crying as she led a prayer for God to forgive Higgins for his deviant lifestyle. She then led campaigns to ban equal rights ordinances in several cities nationwide. In 1978, she endorsed the Briggs Initiative, a California ballot measure to ban gays and lesbians and anyone who made pro-gay statements from working in public schools.The recruitment of our children is absolutely necessary for the survival and growth of homosexuality for since homosexuals cannot reproduce, they must recruit, must freshen their ranks, she said, adding, A particularly deviant-minded teacher could sexually molest children. The measure was defeated by over a million votes after Ronald Reagan and then-President Jimmy Carter both publicly opposed it. Reagan said he opposed it because it could lead students to falsely accuse teachers they disliked.Her activism galvanized gay rights activists who fundraised and organized against her campaigns, picketed her live events, and picketed against her at demonstrations and Pride events nationwide. Activists also led nationwide boycotts of Florida orange juice at gay bars, leading some to replace vodka-OJ screwdrivers with Anita Bryant Cocktails made of vodka and apple juice.Her anti-gay activism also led to hate mail and death threats, rescinded sponsorships from over 80 organizations, the revocation of an offer to have her own weekly TV variety show, the cancellation of numerous big-money concerts, and he loss of her 1978 bid to become vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention (surprisingly because some leaders disagreed with her hateful anti-gay statements). In 1980, the Florida Citrus Commission dropped her as a spokesperson and she divorced her first husband Bob Green, leading Christian fundamentalists to shun her because they saw divorce as a sin.In 2007, Green told The Miami Herald that he blamed gay people for his divorce, saying, Their stated goal was to put [Bryant] out of business and destroy her career. And thats what they did. Its unfair.Anita Bryant will suck oranges in hell from now on. Lets celebrate our queer icons who protested against this enemy of human rights. https://t.co/k1V4PNdBpf pic.twitter.com/1Um5RcZX8h Margaret "Molly" Rasberry (@RasberryRazz) January 9, 2025When Anita Bryant came to Houston in 1977 pic.twitter.com/ug98WCEcjm Bathhouse Agitator (@gusselsprouts) January 10, 2025 Her name has since become synonymous with anti-gay bigotry. She was mocked on numerous TV programs including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Saturday Night Live, Soap,Designing Women,The Golden Girls, and Will & Grace. She declared bankruptcy in 1997 after owing over $172,000 in unpaid taxes had trouble financially providing for her kids, contemplated suicide, and later admitted to becoming addicted to pills and wine, The Washington Post reported. To this day, LGBTQ+ people suffer higher rates of financial hardship, suicidal ideation, and drug addiction due to the sort of public discrimination Bryant fostered.In 2011, Bryant told an Oklahoma newspaper, Ive never regretted what I did. Would I do it again? Ive had to ask myself that question many times, Bryant once told The Washington Post. What I did, I feel today still, was right. If you go against what God says is wrong, there are ramifications for that. She avoided the public spotlight for most of her later life.In 2021, her granddaughter Sarah Green announced she was gay and wanted to marry her girlfriend. Sarah Green said that, upon coming out to Bryant, the former singer told her, Homosexuality is a delusion invented by the devil and advised that she should keep praying until she believes shes straight.A moment of silence for Anita Bryant: https://t.co/vpWXHO8A6K pic.twitter.com/It2vn1my5K Mr. Panda (@knightofetros) January 10, 2025I hope this is the first thing Anita Bryant sees when she gets to hell pic.twitter.com/XZUK0O0uGY Ben Yahr (@benyahr) January 9, 2025 Editors note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at988lifeline.org. TheTrans Lifeline(1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for youth viachat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

By: Piper Hutchinson This article was originally published in the Lousiana Illuminator. Hundreds of people gathered at Washington Square Park in New Orleans on March 31, 2023, for a march to mark Transgender Day of Visibility. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)Subscribe nowA federal district court judge in Kentucky has struck down President Joe Bidens effort to protect transgender students and make other changes to Title IX, ruling the U.S. Department of Education violated teachers rights by requiring them to use transgender students names and pronouns.The ruling issued Thursday, which applies nationwide, came as a major blow to the Biden administration in its final days and to LGBTQ advocates. It comes less than two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, when the rule was likely to face more scrutiny from a candidate who took aim at transgender people in a culture-war focused campaign.The Biden administration rule was released last April and aimed to protect LGBTQ students in K-12 schools, colleges and universities. The rule also conferred protections for pregnant students. The update to Title IX, the federal law that forbids sex-based discrimination in education, was expanded to include gender identity and sexual orientation.In his opinion, Chief Judge Danny Reeves of the Eastern District of Kentucky wrote in his opinion that the education department could not expand Title IX to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Reeves was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush.Gender identity refers to the gender that an individual identifies as, regardless of their sex assigned at birth.The entire point of Title IX is to prevent discrimination based on sex throwing gender identity into the mix eviscerates the statute and renders it largely meaningless, Reeves wrote.Subscribe nowLouisiana was among the states that sued the Biden administration over the rule. Its case was pending in the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals at the time of the ruling in Kentucky, which came in the case Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti brought.Louisiana is honored to have litigated this issue alongside Tennessee and our sister States, Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement to the Illuminator. This is a great day for America!Gov. Jeff Landry also praised the decision in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.Bidens attempt to rewrite Title IX is dead!, Landry posted from his personal account. Its a shame this even had to go to court, but pleased to see this win for women and girls across our Nation.Prior to Thursdays decision, the rule had been temporarily blocked in nearly half of U.S. states, including Louisiana and Tennessee, as litigation played out.While Reeves opinion references a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that limits the regulatory authority of federal agencies, it also notably rejects the rule on First Amendment grounds.The First Amendment does not permit the government to chill speech or compel affirmance of a belief with which the speaker disagrees in this manner, Reeves said, referring to sections of the law that could be interpreted as defining deadnaming and misgendering of students as harassment.Deadnaming is when someone uses a transgender or nonbinary persons birth name or dead name against their wishes. Misgendering occurs when someone refers to an individual by a gender they do not identify as.If 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

A video of a local news reporter cutting off a man claiming that the gays caused the LA wildfires is going viral.The clip shows a journalist with Fox 11 talking with a young man who happened to pass by where she was reporting live. Related A religious leader blamed coronavirus on the gays. Now an LGBTQ org is suing him. Coronavirus is Gods punishment for marriage equality, he said. Human rights advocates worry his words will lead to violence. Why is there a fire happening right now? the man asks. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The reporter said that there are multiple fires happening.Youre the news so youre supposed to know! he responded.I dont know how it started, we dont know how it started, there are, you know, winds- the reporter started to say. Exceptional dryness, prolonged drought, and powerful winds are some of the conditions being blamed for the fires getting as big as they did, killing at least ten people and destroying over 9000 structures by Thursday, according to the LA Times.All the, all the, all the, all the gay people in LA- the man started to say. Ok ok, unacceptable, the reporter said, before turning back to the anchor. LA newscasters: We dont know how the fires started. Random guy: I think its all the gay people in LA. I just happened to see this live on Youtube just now. pic.twitter.com/9GOYFyFH4J Words are words (@Wordsarewordz) January 9, 2025Many straight people often blame natural disasters on LGBTQ+ people, at times claiming that God is punishing a geographic location for the LGBTQ+ people who live there, despite the fact that there are LGBTQ+ people everywhere.In one more famous example, pastor John Hagee said Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was Gods retribution for a planned gay pride parade. Several rightwing leaders blamed the COVID-19 pandemic on gay people, including televangelist Pat Robertson. More media savvy rightwingers will now blame diversity hires as a way of blaming LGBTQ+ people for disasters. Several rightwing pundits, including Megyn Kelly, have already accused LAs fire chief of being an unqualified diversity hire simply because shes gay, despite her qualifications. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Democrat Dr. Elizabeth Steiner officially became Oregons first woman and first LGBTQ+ treasurer when she was sworn in on January 6. She is also the first Jewish treasurer in the state in 150 years. Steiner earned thunderous applause and a standing ovation while being sworn in by the states out lesbian governor, Tina Kotek (D), one of the first lesbian governors in the country, along with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D). Steiner then raised her arms in victory and joyfully embraced Kotek. Related The newest LGBTQ+ members of Congress are fired up & ready to serve The 119th Congress has begun, and three LGBTQ+ freshmen have officially made history. Too many Oregonians are living with what appears to be an unbreakable ceiling between them and financial security, the bisexual mother of three (including a nonbinary child) reportedly said during her swearing in ceremony. Too many families would have a hard time paying even $1,000 if a car breaks down or if they receive a surprise health care bill. 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 Kotek added, We must ensure our young people can fulfill their promise and our workers can retire with safety and security. Elizabeth and I share a vision of Oregon as a place where every person has the opportunity to shape the future they want for themselves, and I just couldnt be more proud of my friend today. Steiner also reaffirmed her commitment to doubling the percentage of kids in the state with college savings plans as well as ensuring the vast majority of Oregonians are saving for retirement and the establishment of child savings accounts so that every child born in Oregon has a savings account available to them when they turn 18, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported.She also wants to expand the ABLE program, which allows those with disabilities to save money without losing public benefits.Steiner was a state lawmaker and family physician before taking on the treasurer role. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

My 20s came and went as fast as a guy from Tinder whose name I cant remember. I thought I would have it all figured out by now, but theres still so much I dont understand. Like what does having steez mean, and is it a good thing or a bad thing? All I know is that I am getting older, and its scary as hell.Turning 30 as a trans woman comes with a lot of rational fears about the future. Will my body age like a male? Will my hair growth after all these years be for nothing if something ends up making me lose hair anyway? Will my breasts ever get bigger, or am I stuck with these A, sometimes B on a good day, cups? Will trans people younger than me have it easier than I did, or is history going to repeat itself? I dont have the answers to any of these questions, and that terrifies me. It is scary to think that the progress that has been made could eventually fade away. Related Legendary poet Nikki Giovanni was my hero. Then I accidentally outed her. The backlash was swift. Whats often missing from the conversation about aging and trans people is the regret and sadness from those of us who start our transition a bit later in life. I began mine at 22. I have only been living as Kristina for eight years, only eight, and yet already Im 30. I feel like Im trapped in some new iteration of Benjamin Button. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Trans people often have to navigate this world without any help. Before we know it, were thrown in and we cant get those previous years back. Its funny. When I was younger I felt older, and now that Im older, I feel younger. There are many parts of my life before 22 that feel hazy and dreamlike. When I think back, it feels like I wasnt even there, or like I was distant and constantly distracted. I didnt get to experience what most young people did. I didnt have a high school sweetheart that I was madly in love with, I didnt go to my senior prom or have senior photos taken, I didnt apply for colleges or work hard because I didnt want my successes to be attributed to my former self. Every day just felt the same; I had no breath of life.I have felt more alive in these past eight years than I ever did in those 22, but I still cant help but feel remorse for a lot of that time that now feels wasted. I used my mid- and late 20s to experience much of what I missed from experiencing sex for the first time with someone I loved, to going back to school, to making lasting friends, and finally finding an outlet for my creativity. I am thankful that I was able to begin this journey when I did, as I know there are plenty of trans people who dont have that opportunity until much later, if at all. But as I made memories and experienced so much for the first time, I also missed out on establishing closer connections with those who were already in my life. My stepfather passed away on New Years Day last year, and I often think about how I would have liked to talk more with him as Kristina. He had been in my life for over 15 years, and it saddens me that we didnt get to establish a father/daughter bond. Aging while trans is complicated. Even though I am getting to live what is essentially a new life, everyone else around me is still also getting older, and its difficult for me to grasp. I dont feel 30; I still feel like I am in my early 20s, and part of me expects everyone I love to be put on pause.The only part of my transition that I regret is not identifying and understanding it sooner so I could have started living my life earlier. It makes me furious that younger trans people are facing legislation against them that would prevent that from happening. It could avoid so much heartache. Now that Im 30, I have also been thinking about how I would navigate the dating scene if my partner and I were ever to separate. Dating is already impossibly difficult, and throwing being 30 and trans into the mix feels like a recipe for loneliness. Ive only ever been in three relationships, so the chances of another one feel pretty slim. What will make it even harder is the current anti-trans climate perpetuated by far-right extremists. How we can expect to find love when people are calling us degenerate and doing everything they possibly can to make us come across as wicked?When I was younger, I was much heavier than I am today. I used food to cope with a lot of my distress. At one point, I was almost 300 pounds. I knew I needed to make changes, and thankfully, hormones helped greatly with losing weight. I fear that weight may come back, and I fear that it will make me appear how I looked pre-transition. When it comes to diet and exercise, Ive always felt like I have had to try harder than all the other women around me, and now that I have reached 30, Ill likely have to try even harder. Im tired.Getting older frightens me, but I know I am in a better place now than I ever have been. Whatever may come, I will take it in stride. Heres to another 30 and more.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Transgenderism is a term appropriated by opponents of transgender equality to inaccurately and harmfully imply that being trans is a political ideology, rather than an authentic aspect of ones personhood. Framing a persons transgender identity as a concept or ideology reduces a core identity to an opinion that can be debated, and therefore justifies dehumanization, [...]The post Fact Sheet for Reporters Term to Avoid: Transgenderism first appeared on GLAAD.

This articlefirst appeared on Mother Jones. It has been republished with the publications permission.Donald Trumpscriminal case ended with a sputter on Friday morning as a New York City judge sentenced him to no jail time and discharged his case. While the incoming president received no actual punishment forhis 34 convictions for concealing hush money paymentsto adult film actress Stormy Daniels, the sentencing did formalize his status as a felona first for any American president. Trump did not have to be present in court for the sentencing, but appeared by video from Mar-a-Lago, sitting next to his attorney.During the brief hearing, prosecutors said they agreed with the plan to not give Trump any jail time, but insisted he must be categorized as a felon. Joshua Steinglass of the Manhattan district attorneys office told Judge Juan Merchan that a probation report produced for the sentencing described Trump as seeing himself above the law and refusing to take responsibility for his actions. Related Federal judge smacks down George Santos attempt to delay sentencing until August to record podcasts He said he needs 8 months to pay a $205,000 fine using his one-month old to raise funds. The judge said nuh-uh. 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 Steinglass argued that Trump, who appeared to either sleep or pretended to sleep for much of the trial, and who used his social media to direct vitriol at prosecutors, witnesses, and Merchan and his family, should not be allowed to walk away from his convictions without any formal recognition of his wrongdoing,This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system and has placed officers of the court in harms way, Steinglass said.This has been a very terrible experience, Trump complained in rambling remarks to Merchan, adding that he thought its been a tremendous setback, for the state of New York. At one point he complained about his former fixer, Michael Cohen, who testified against him in the case, saying that Cohen talks like George Washington, But hes not George Washington.Aside from other brief comments once again denying he had done anything and pointing to electoral results in swing states as a way of claiming vindication in the case, Trump reportedly spent most of Fridays hearing looking either distracted by something in front of himpossibly a phoneor grimacing and shaking his head at negative descriptions of his behavior. Trump and his legal team attempted to have the case and sentencing delayed or thrown out, taking appeals all the way to the Supreme Court, citing the high courts July decision extending presidents unprecedented immunity from criminal prosecution. On Thursday, the Supreme Court,deniedhis efforts clearing the way for Fridays sentencing.Speaking from the bench, Merchan reminded Trump that the presidential immunity that he triedand failedto invoke to avoid the convictions, applied to the office of the presidency, not the individual who has occupied it. As Merchan put it, it did not protect Donald Trump the ordinary citizen, Donald Trump the criminal defendant.The sentence of an unconditional discharge means that the case is over, Trump is not punished, and unlike a conditional discharge, does not have to meet any conditionslike keeping a job, passing drug tests or making restitutionto avoid further consequences.During the trial, Trump wasfined$9,000 for contempt.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

At least five people are dead and nearly 180,000 are under evacuation orders as multiple fires continue to spread in the Los Angeles area.Over 11,000 acres in the Pacific Palisades, and 10,000 acres near Altadena and Pasadena have been burned, according to the latest updates from CBS, resulting in more than 1,300 structures destroyed and over 60,000 threatened. Here's the latest information on shelters, closures, and free services.For the most up-to-date information about evacuation zones and ongoing fires, visit LAFD and CAL FIRE.Evacuation shelters include:El Camino Real Charter High School (5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367)Northridge Park (10120 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324)Pasadena Convention Center (300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101)Ritchie Valens Recreation Center (10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima 91331)Sepulveda Recreation Center (8825 Kester Ave, Panorama City, CA 9140)Westwood Recreation Center (1350 S Sepulveda Blvd 90025): Accepts small animals.Animal evacuation shelters include:Agoura Animal Care Center (29525 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301): Small animals only.Los Angeles Equestrian Center (480 Riverside Dr, Burbank): Open for evacuation of large animals.Pasadena Humane Society (361 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105): Small animals only.Pierce College Equestrian Center (7100 El Rancho Drive, Woodland Hills): Open for evacuation of large animals.Sign up for alerts through L.A. County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County , Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County.For information on what to prepare, and what resources and documents to pack during an evacuation, visit ReadyForWildfire.org.For those evacuating, Uber has offered a $40 credit using the code WILDFIRE25. 211 LA is partnering with Airbnb to offer free temporary housing for people who have been displaced.For information about school closures, check the LA County Office of Education website.For information about the status of LGBTQ+ community centers and events, visit the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

President-elect Donald Trump, a convicted felon will move into the White House in less than two weeks. In an unprecedented moment in American history, the president-elect has been sentenced on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. The case stems from payments made to bisexual adult film actress and advocate Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an alleged affair. Despite this conviction, Trump is set to take the oath of office on January 20.New York Justice Juan Merchan presided over the case in which a jury found Trump guilty in May and described it as a truly extraordinary case with a unique and remarkable set of circumstances. The charges originated from $130,000 in hush money payments facilitated by Trumps former attorney, Michael Cohen, reimbursed through falsified records in the Trump Organization. The prosecution argued that the payments were designed to protect Trumps 2016 campaign from potentially damaging allegations.Trump attended court sessions in person for seven weeks last year as his criminal trial unfolded. However, he appeared remotely from Mar-a-Lago in Florida for Fridays sentencing. Manhattan District Attorneys Office prosecutor Joshua Steinglass recommended an unconditional dischargea minimal sentence that Justice Merchan upheld. It means that Trump will not face jail time, fines, or probation, although his status as a convicted felon remains.During sentencing, Steinglass emphasized the gravity of Trumps actions. The defendant falsified 34 separate entries in his business records with the intent to defraud, he said. This included an intent to commit or conceal a conspiracy to promote his own election by unlawful means. He criticized Trumps unrelenting attacks on the justice system: Far from expressing any kind of remorse for his criminal conduct, the defendant has purposefully bred disdain for our judicial institutions and the rule of law. Steinglass also highlighted Trumps use of dangerous rhetoric, which he argued was designed to intimidate officers of the court and undermine public trust in the judiciary.Trump delivered extended remarks during the hearing, reiterating familiar claims of innocence and alleging unfair treatment. He decried the trial as a witch hunt, criticized Cohen as discredited, and complained about being under a gag order. This has been a very terrible experience, Trump said, adding, I think its been a tremendous setback for New York.Merchan noted that while Trumps position as president-elect influenced the sentencing, it did not diminish the seriousness of his crimes.While one can argue that the trial itself was, in many respects, somewhat ordinary, the same cannot be said about the circumstances surrounding this sentencing, and that is because of the office you once occupied and which you will soon occupy again, Merchan said. To be sure, it is the legal protections afforded to the office of the President of the United States that are extraordinary, not the occupant of the office. The legal protections, especially within the context of a criminal prosecution afforded to the office of the president, have been laid out by our founders, the Constitution, and most recently interpreted by the United States Supreme Court in the matter of Trump versus the United States, which was decided on July 1st, 2024. He added, The trial was conducted pursuant to the rules of procedure and guided by the law.The Supreme Court declined Trumps request to delay sentencing in a 5-4 decision, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the liberal justices to reject his bid. As a convicted felon, Trump cannot vote in his home state of Florida.

The Michigan man who shot and killed Ashia Davis, a 34-year-old transgender woman, has agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and a felony firearm charge. The crimes carry a combined sentence of 17 to 30 years.Carlos Lamar Scotland murdered Davis on June 1, 2023, at a Woodward Inn, and her body was found a day later. Scotland was 17 at the time. Related Gunman kills young Black trans woman on city sidewalk while her friends flee Her family is now demanding that her murder be investigated as a hate crime but her killer remains at large. Scotland was arrested in March 2024, and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged him with first-degree murder as well as several other felony charges. 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 Davis friend Julisa Abad spoke at the sentencing hearing about how she and other members of the local trans community went to the hotel where Davis was murdered and how they saw police bring out the body. Abad is the director of transgender advocacy at the Fair Michigan Justice Project.Most peoples memories of their loved ones are good memories, Abad said. The last memory that I have is seeing my friend on the floor outside of the hotel corner room with black streaming all over the floor.Only two people were in that room that night and will ever know the true events of what happened, she continued. What we will know is that Ashia Davis was shot execution-style in the back of the head and left for dead.Abad called out Scotland for what she described as his rude behavior in court that showed he had no remorse for what he did.The sad reality is, particularly in the Black and brown community, men that are enamored with transwomen cannot be themselves and have to resort to loving us in private and killing us in public, Abad said, noting that her friend was killed on the first day of Pride Month. Shes my only child, Davis mother told local news after her daughters death.She was just getting a job and went to school. I just dont understand why this happened.Ashia Davis was a beautiful human being who deserves at a minimum to be alive today, sharing her cheerful spirit with us, the Human Rights Campaigns Tori Cooper said. During Pride Month and every other month, were faced with yet another tragic reminder that as Black trans women, we are under attack in this country. Anti-trans rhetoric and stigma perpetuate this violence. Its beyond unacceptable that not nearly enough of those in power have spoken out against this inhumanity. We continue to call for justice for Ashia and for all those weve lost without sufficient answers.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend. 1.) Festival favorite documentary Lady Like is available to rent or purchase today! The debut feature from filmmaker Luke Willis tells the fairytale story of RuPauls Drag Race [...]The post The GLAAD Wrap: Lady Like on VOD, Trailers for Companion and Harlem, First-Look at The Last of Us, New Music by Ethel Cain, KiNG MALA, and More! first appeared on GLAAD.

LGBTQ+ activist and former five-term Pennsylvania state legislator Brian Sims and his partner Alex Drakos wed on a frosty afternoon at the Massachusetts state capital in Boston just before Christmas, Sims announced on Instagram this week. The intimate wedding was witnessed by their parents and officiated by a friend.Sims, the current CEO of Agenda PAC, which advocates for LGBTQ+ representation in politics, told Out the couple chose the golden-domed Massachusetts State House for its historic role in the fight for marriage equality. Massachusetts was the first state to recognize same-sex marriages in 2004. Related Trans power couple Zooey Zephyr & Erin Reedgot married & the pictures will melt your heart The pair have spent the days since the wedding celebrating every first together as wives Sims called the day pretty incredible. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today It was around 10 degrees, so everyone was pretty resilient in coming out there and kind to spend the time, said Drakos, a UC Berkeley graduate who works with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.A snowstorm that blanketed Boston the night before and held up Sims parents, who arrived just two hours before the ceremony provided a magical backdrop for the ceremony, held on a balcony overlooking the city.Drakos said their officiant, Julian Cyr, an out Massachusetts state senator, delivered beautifully prepared remarks and then surprised us by bringing us into sort of an antechamber for the governors office and theres a beautiful fireplace, an incredible Christmas tree. Theres pictures of women of color who are civil rights icons plastered all throughout the walls there.Under their gaze in the wood-paneled salon, the wedding party shared a toast for the couple.It was [the] most champagne Ive had in a single day in maybe ever, Drakos added.The couple met a ferry ride away in Provincetown at a Bear Week Tea Dance in 2021. Sims proposed to Drako on the beach there two years later, and the pair planned a big wedding for the summer of 2025. But with the prospect of a second Trump administration looming last summer, the couple began to rethink their plans.Would we be worried that our marriage would no longer be possible on the timeline that we thought it would be? Drakos remembered thinking on Election Day. Sims parents called with the same concerns.We know we want to get married, and its very doable to get it done before Trump takes office and any expected changes start to occur. So why not do it?These are very treacherous times were going into, and having the protections of the law, Sims said, is an assurance that I think everyone deserves.And if youre considering that, you should too, he said of other couples considering tying the knot. While we still have the fruits of what so many advocates fought years for, we should avail ourselves of them while we continue to fight to defend them and expand them, Sims added. In the end, though, family trumped politics when it came to the couples wedding day, which ended with more champagne and a wonderful dinner, Drakos said.It was obviously something we felt like we had to do because of the times and things that could change, and we wanted to make sure we had the opportunity, Sims said of the last-minute change in plans. But I will tell you that as soon as it was done, we both recognized that having the intimate moment with our parents was a lot more special than we had maybe even considered that it would be.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The third season of The Traitors US is finally here, and fans of Bob the Drag Queen are seated after a wild premiere!If you're unfamiliar with the show, the premise involves gathering an assortment of players, some of whom are selected to be "traitors." Those players "murder" other contestants each night as the rest of the group attempts to figure out who among them is a traitor and who is one of the "faithful." The traitors, of course, attempt to keep their identities a secret and lead the others astrayall with a cash prize in play at the end.Viewers know who the traitors are from early on, and watching them manipulate and scheme makes up a lot of the fun. This season, former Survivor contestants Carolyn Wiger and Rob Mariano were chosen as traitors, along with Big Brother's Danielle Reyes and... wait for it... RuPaul's Drag Race icon Bob the Drag Queen.Bob immediately turned out to be a fan-favorite pick in this reality competition, just as he was on RPDR. The fans are losing their minds over this development all over social media. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Admittedly, as the first three episodes played out, there have already been some tough timesas is to be expected. (@) (@) (@) (@) But it's making for entertaining TV, leaving many praising the decision to make Bob one of the traitors. (@) (@) (@) (@) New episodes of The Traitors US drop every Thursday on Peacock.

Lesbian dating is hard at the best of times, but between the severe lack of lesbian bars, navigating countless dating apps, being an awkward flirt, and overcoming your nerves, what is a shy sapphic supposed to do?If youre a shy baby dyke with no clue how to approach queer women, dont worry the lesbians of Reddit have you covered! When newly minted and inexperienced sappicss asked about how to approach women, the older wiser lesbians came out in droves to impart wisdom theyve gleaned from their years of dating fails and wins.So whether youre a shy baby gay wanting to learn how to spot a fellow lesbian out in the wild, or you need to know how to flirt with women, or you want step-by-step instructions on how to pick up queer ladies at the bar, sometimes the OWLs know what theyre talking about!Answers are lightly edited for for spelling and grammar. Advice from lesbians who have been in the game longer"I compliment their outfit or hair and make small talk while throwing in some double entendres." TerraVella"When I was single dancing was my strongest suit. Like its easier to have an understandable form of consent when you ask someone to dance with you in a loud environment (you make eye contact, you do the back and forth hand signal, and mouth wanna dance? And they nod yes or no.) Then depending how you're vibing, you ask if you can buy her a drink at the bar, have a little convo, go back to dancing, ask for her number." pataconconqueso"Big thing, tone of voice. We are taught to raise the pitch of our voice in general, but that doesnt convey lesbian sexual interest. Hit em with the deeper sultry voice. Hit em with the, respectfully, lingering eye contact. Honestly, just take mens techniques, refine it, and do it better. You innately will do it better." Apart_Tumbleweed_948"Move to the city. Find the lesbian bar. Go wild. I literally used to talk to anyone. Now Im like overwhelmed because Im swimming in it." dark_and_scary"I've always just approached with my honest feelings... if she's not interested she'll say no... then wish her a good day and move on, keep a positive attitude." Cautious-Branch-4261What's the worst that could happen?"From personal experience, the worst thing that's happened to me if I hit on a woman that was straight was she just told me "No, I'm sorry. I'm straight" and that was the end of it BUT I would also like to clarify that I live in NYC so people are pretty open and chill out here compared to other places.""Telling if women are w/w is something that will come with time. I'd say trust your gut if you feel like you caught a vibe but just be chill about it ... and just see where it goes.""Rejection isn't as bad as it's built up to be. At first, it can seem a little jarring and deterring but I promise it's not too bad." SapphosRage"I always just go up, introduce myself, give a compliment, and roll from there. The worst thing that happens is they say no. In which case they can F off. :) Im not scared of no. It means nothing about me. Im femme. But I love love love butches. 9/10 I initiate. So I just toss the ball in the butch court and watch what you do with it." Robotron713Looking the part helps"Lesbians have a different look, different type of confidence to straight girls, many (not all) dress slightly differently, certain styles can be a giveaway, we walk differently (we strut) tend to have shorter nails, etc. Theres some tell[ing] signs but its not 100% however once you pick it up the world gets bigger and easier! Trick is, lesbians always want to find and bond with other lesbians. ALWAYS. Even if we are taken, we tend to still want to be friends. Often both people find themselves trying to find a subtle way to bring it into conversation if they think the person theyre talking to maybe gay." Aggravating_Art_4809"Combat boots or Timberlands are also a giveaway." Aggravating_Art_4809"I work as a DJ in various bars and clubs and even though they arent 'queer clubs' on paper a lot of bisexual / lesbian pref girls who hang out there. What I find to be interesting is that theyre just super open about talking about everything. I think thats kind of the first step - you know, just talking to them. Compliments on their outfit (personally I love this myself). Just generally being cool and conversational. I guess its kinda worth saying that I get approached more than I talk. For one thing, Im openly bisexual myself and according to my friends over there I dress 'like a stud.' Somehow denim, leather, and motorcycles are draw factors . Maybe its the hair. Not sure lol. Either way, I find just being myself to be most effective. Talking to other girls is never really the issue as much as finding the right person to talk to at that level ." causeKenzieSometimes what you need isn't advice, but humor"I look at them, hope they look at me, then I look some more and do absolutely nothing. It works every time and I save lots of money." archetyping101"Usually i just walk but if the floor is really slippy I might take off my shoes and slide in my socks like a Sapphic risky business." Thawing-icequeenYou're not the only one with no game!"Always been so bad at this. I'm shy, awkward, and can't read a signal for beans." Huge_Razzmatazz_985"I have zero gaydar. I thought my now wife was straight when she hit on me at a lesbian bar." grandmawaffles

Florida invalidated the drivers license of a nonbinary transgender TikTok user who claimed that they changed the gender marker on the document even though the state has laws forbidding it.James Rose, who goes by@jamesissmiling on TikTok and uses she/they pronouns, posted a now-deleted video on the platform in which she claimed that she obtained a driving license that listed her gender as female even though shes assigned male at birth. Related Trans advocates stage die-ins at Florida DMVs to protest rule erasing their identities A DeSantis rule change now criminalizes accurate drivers licenses. My God, [Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis would be screaming right now if he knew this, Rose said in the video, according to Newsweek. Youre not even supposed to be able to do this in this state. Heres the loophole: listen up if youre replacing your drivers license, not renewing it because you [sarcastic finger quotes] lost it, they have to take all of your information from what they consider a primary document. A passport is considered a primary document and you can self-identify on your passport. 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 Rose also advised viewers to change the gender on her drivers licenses before President-elect Donald Trump becomes president. Trump has promised to roll back trans civil rights nationwide.The anti-LGBTQ+ social media accountLibs of TikTok X account, which is run by ChayaRaichik, reposted Roses video alongside a January 6 letter addressed to Rose from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV). SCOOP: A trans activist boasted about a loophole which allowed him to change his gender marker on his Florida license.The FLHSMV responded by sending him a letter thanking him for bringing attention to this error and promise action to address it.Florida doesnt allow an pic.twitter.com/RHVdJ5p0N0 Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 7, 2025The FHSMV said the gender on the license had been improperly changed from male to female and, citing state law, wrote, The term sex in section 322.17, Florida Statutes, does not refer to a persons internal sense of his or her gender role or identity but is determined by innate and immutable biological and genetic characteristics.The FLHSMV said it included a valid replacement license with the proper sex identifier of male with the letter and added that it was investigating whether Rose knowingly made a false statement about whether you truly lost your original license which could result in the cancellation, suspension or revocation of their license.The letter also thanked Rose for bringing the issue to their attention and noted that they could face legal charges for allegedly making false statements regarding their gender. However, its unclear how courts might rule on the issue, especially if it rose to the federal or appellate level. DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern shared the Libs of TikToks post on X and repeatedly misgendered Rose, writing, FLHSMV cancelled his license and sent him a corrected one that says male. Thats some dedicated service. He should thank them.Florida has threatened to jail any transgender person who tries to change the gender listed on their state-issued drivers licenses. Such individuals would be charged with trying to make a false ID and face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.In a January 26, 2024 letter, FHSMV deputy executive director Robert Kynoch told state county tax collectors offices that the FHSMV would rescind its previous policy that allowed individuals to correct their licenses gender markers after transitioning. The previous policy didnt require individuals to show any proof of having undergone gender-affirming surgeries. Nadine Smith, executive director of the statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Equality Florida, said the law threatens the estimated 94,900 trans-identifying adults currently living in Florida.This cruel policy threatens transgender Floridians with civil and criminal penalties and blocks them from obtaining the critical government-issued identification necessary to continue their daily lives, shewrote in a statement. [Trans Floridians] carefully followed the rules to ensure their identification accurately reflects who they are, and they trusted this process. Now, an abrupt policy reversal has thrown their lives into chaos. The cruelty of this kind of government overreach and intrusion should alarm every Floridian.Incorrect drivers licenses also leave trans people subject to misunderstandings, harassment, denied social services, discrimination and violence by effectively outing them as trans.In July 2024, Florida began denying trans people updated birth certificates in defiance of its own laws. Democrats have urged the Biden administration to block the hateful ID policy, saying it will sow tension and confusion in the state.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In case you thought you were too old for Sesame Street, the beloved educational childrens show is about to put a Sapphic twist on its 55th season.The trailer for the upcoming season was released today with a very special guest star befriending Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby.Joining the Sesame Street crew is lesbian pop star Rene Rapp, who sings in the clip, Everybody has feelings, feelings inside them. Feelings are real so let them show. Its okay, theres a way to show your feelings. To really feel your feelings, every day.Music can help when you have all kinds of feelings, Elmo says later in the trailer.The 25-year-old Mean Girls actress is making her guest appearance on a season that will focus on expressing emotions, mindfulness, and resiliency.Rapp isnt the only LGBTQ+ star who will be featured on the show. Tennis pro Billie Jean King, Queer Eyes Jonathan Van Ness, and singer-songwriter SZA are also making guest appearances on the new season, alongside Michael B. Jordan, Noah Kahan, Samara Joy, and Chris Stapleton. Fans are thrilled that Rapp is going to be part of their nostalgic fave, with one writing, Rene Rapp singing on Sesame Street. This is everything to me. (@) (@) Elmo is also excited about learning more about music from the Poison Poison singer. Theres a lot to learn from music yeah, timing and harmonies and melody and different styles and different cultures, he told The Associated Press. Its really cool! Weve got a lot of wonderful people come and do some music with us on Sesame Street, like Miss Rene Rapp and SZA! Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Samara Joy lots of great people!The upcoming season will begin airing on Max on January 16, but it is unclear where the show will end up next. Warner Bros. Discovery which owns the streaming service Max didnt renew the agreement to finance the show for a 56th season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Sesame Street season 55 premieres on Thursday, January 16, and will release episodes weekly on Max.

DragCon UK 2025 kicked off Friday at ExCeL London. And in the wake of the death of RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 1 winner The Vivienne, RuPaul gave a heartfelt tribute to the queen.The Queen of Drag said a few words about The Vivienne on the pink carpet of DragCon's opening ceremony. "We want to focus on love and we are going to remember our dear The Vivienne with love, life, and happiness because thats what she was all about," said RuPaul. "She would love for you to live your lives, to be free, to have a lot of fun and to spread it around." (@) Organizers also set up a memorial space for DragCon attendees to pay their respects for The Vivienne, and fans are writing touching messages on the wall. "The world was better with you in it! RIP you legend!" reads one. (@) The Vivienne died suddenly Sunday at an address in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester. The drag performer's publicist announced the news later that day."It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams The Vivienne, has passed this weekend," the statement reads. "James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted, and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother, and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career."RuPaul shared a tribute to All Stars 8 competitor then, alongside a slew of Drag Race performers and fans all over the world. "With a broken heart, I join the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of The Vivienne an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being," RuPaul wrote on social media. Ariana Grande, Yvie Oddly, and Jinkx Monsoon were just a few more to share their condolences. "I dont entirely have words," wrote Monsoon. "She has made her mark in our hearts and on her stages. Its too soon for a curtain call but I know its a standing ovation. I love you Viv."

The Vatican announced new guidelines for gay men considering the priesthood on Friday, defining the most important goal for aspiring priests as an orientation towards celibate life.The guidelines announced by the Italian Bishops Conference (CIE) mark a change from views previously expressed by Pope Francis that gay men serving in the priesthood risked leading a double life. Related Vatican makes history by planning its first ever LGBTQ+ pilgrimage The event will occur during Jubilee, a Holy Year that occurs only once every 50 years. In the formative process, when reference is made to homosexual tendencies, it is appropriate not to reduce discernment to this aspect alone, the CIE said. The objective of the training for priesthood in the emotional-sexual sphere is the ability [to] welcome chastity in celibacy as a gift, to freely choose and to responsibly live it. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today While the Catholic church deeply respects the people in question, the guidance stated, sexually active gay men will continue to be denied admittance to seminaries or any other holy orders.The announcement follows controversy the pope inspired last May when he told a group of bishops that frociaggine or f**gotry, loosely translated was a problem in the Churchs seminaries. The comment elicited incredulous laughter from the bishops, according to two Italian newspapers. Francis later apologized for the poor word choice.The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, the Vatican said in a statement.Following that incident,Il Messaggeropublished a letter from a prospective seminarian who said he was denied admission because he was gay. The man, 22-year-old Lorenzo Michele No Caruso, described a culture of toxic and elective clericalism in the church. The pope reportedly responded, inviting the young man to go forward with his vocational research, The Guardian reported. While the slur was a rare blemish on Francis progressive reign, he has been a champion of respect for the LGBTQ+ community, spreading a message of tolerance during his time as leader of the Catholic Church.Francis famously asked, Who am I to judge? when asked about gay priests at the beginning of his papacy. Hes called anti-queer conservatism a suicidal attitude, denounced Ugandas draconian Kill the Gays law as unacceptable, and hosted transwomen for lunch at the Vatican.In 2023, Francis approved blessings for same-sex couples, while maintaining marriage remains an institution reserved for one man and one woman.In 2025, the Vatican is organizing an unprecedented pilgrimage for LGBTQ+ Christians, their relatives and allies during the holy Jubilee Year. The pilgrimage, called Church: Home for All, LGBT+ Christians and Other Existential Frontiers, takes place in September and includes a visit to the seat of the Catholic church at St. Peters Basilica in Rome.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

For Gen Z and younger Millennial queer people, The Apps are as ubiquitous with dating as "dinner and a movie." As the market has grown, we've also seen way more dating apps for the LGBTQ+ community, and for queer women specifically. So why does it still feel so hard to create a profile that actually gets matches?If you're on Tinder, Lex, Bumble, Hinge, Feeld, Taimi, and HER and are still struggling to match with hot singles in your area, it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of fish in the sea, you might just need a different lure. Which is to say: it's not you, it's your profile.Your profile is only takes a few minutes to tweak! We asked three experts Sofie Roos, licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at Passionerad; Meg TenEyck, lesbian content creator and owner of travel media company EveryQueer; Barbara Rowlandson, author and dating and coming out coach at Anne-Marie Zanzal Coaching for their lists of dating app "dos and don'ts" advice. With their pointers, you'll have all the ladies swiping right in no time.Don't: Include photos that distort your face.Your profile is about you, so your pictures should be too! "Any profile pic that distorts your face, either with a filter, a contorted expression, or accessories, is a big no-no and it always puts me on guard," says Rowlandson. Heavily altered photos just don't exude confidence. "These are folks who either have something to hide or who are not comfortable just being themselves." Even if that's something you're working on, fake it until you make it!This also goes for pics that cover or hide your face like, "Only black and white photos" or "only having pictures with sunglasses," says Roos. "Hey, everyone looks badass in shades and I know its appealing to use pictures where you look as a movie star to add some coolness to yourself, but dont only use pictures with you wearing sunglasses because that can make people think you have something to hide." One is fine, but all shades seems shady.Do: Show off your face!A first impression is everything, and physical attraction is an important part of a relationship. It's not shallow or vain to want to show people that you're trying to date that you're stunning. People want to see your face! So make sure that you have a stellar profile picture. Roos advises using one where you look your happiest! "A big smile is just like showing your beautiful eyes - its one of the things that people notice first and something that makes you attract others, so find pics of you smiling or laughing."Don't: Include statements that give people nowhere to go.The other people on dating apps, just like you, are looking for connection. They want to talk to you! The more you can do to open yourself up to connection and set people up with a solid in to message you with, the better. Things like your name, age, occupation, and astrological sign if you swing that way are all great to include in your bio, but that can't be all there is. Just a bulleted list of fast facts about you doesn't give anywhere to go, and it might be a huge factor in not getting matches.People might be looking at your profile and thinking you're funny, sexy, and smart, but they're not messaging you because they don't have a good opening.Do: Phrase fun facts about yourself in a way that helps strike up a conversation!Rowlandson says, "I love statements that hook other app users into playful debates! So for example, instead of saying something like 'I love Fleetwood Mac' say 'Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is the greatest album of all time, prove me wrong!' With this little tweak, you're inviting playful conversation about a shared interest (music) that invites deeper connection."If you aren't sure where to start rephrasing your bio, try Hinge. The app is built to set up in a way where you have to respond to a specific part of someone's bio in order to match. This means you get more practice striking up a conversation with others, and it'll be easier for you because all their prompts are phrased in a way to help you make your bio more conversation started friendly! It's a win-win.Don't: Post pictures with kids, or random men.TenEyck says, "There is usually the assumption that they are your children regardless if theyre nieces/nephews or friends kids. Its also a bit weird and exploitative to showcase children who cant consent to being posted on a dating website." If you have kids that are important in your life nieces, nephews, cousins, siblings, or even your own kids that's fantastic! That's something to share once you match and are getting to know someone. If you are a parent, you can let people know that in the text of your profile, it's really best not to share their pictures on a dating app where anyone can see them.You should also steer clear of scaring away potential paramours with pics of random men. Well, they're not random to you, but the immediate thought from women you're trying to romance is that this is your boyfriend. "A lot of queer women read profiles that have pictures of men in them as being secretly 'looking for a third'. While you might be standing next to your male bestie, brother, or cousin unless you disclose that relationship some may assume that is a male partner," says TenEyck.If you are indeed looking for a third, more power to you. There are even apps, like Feeld and #Open, for people practicing all different forms of non-monogamy! But whatever you're doing, you don't want to make people play "siblings or dating" when they should be focused on trying to woo you. Be clear, be specific, or maybe just leave the picture from your brother's birthday out of your profile.Do: Post pictures with friends, but don't forget, you're the real star!It's all a delicate balance. But in 2025, kids and men are out, friends and glamour shots are IN. Pictures of you in a group show that you are a well-rounded individual with friends, hobbies, and a life. Roos says, "If its only you in all pictures, you might think that's something good because hey, its you they should focus on! But people can instead actually easily think that you dont have any friends or other people around you in your life. Show that others have already chosen to have you in their life and that will make you more appealing!"However, warns TenEyck, you don't want to make people play Where's Waldo. She says it's a red flag if someone "Only has group photos. Some people post so many photos with groups that its hard to tell whos the person in the profile. Not having any clear portrait shots can read to the audience like a lack of confidence."Pro tip: Post a couple great pics of yourself solo first, then your group ones. That was people know who they're looking at in the group picture and there's no guessing!Don't: Overdo it with jokes.Being funny is sexy! It's a good trait to have! But if you're funny, that will come across if you let it. If you're writing a profile trying too hard to be funny, says TenEyck, "this usually comes off as either cringe or lacking the confidence to show themselves." Dating app profiles are a limited space, and you should use every photo slot and character allotment given to showcase who you really are.It doesn't have to be overly earnest. No one wants a Bumble profile that reads like a Hallmark card, but let's save the memes for your Finsta.Do: Overdo it with gayness.A lot of queer women on dating apps worry about starting something serious with someone who might only be looking to experiment. If you're looking for something longterm, queer references are a great way to give off the right vibe. "Many queer women want to date someone who is culturally queer regardless of how they identify (lesbian/queer/bi/pan etc)," says Teneyck. "Referencing queer culture in your profile shows that youre here and queer for a long time not just a good time."Don't: Waste your time on the wrong app.If you take all this advice and you're still not getting the results you want, it might be time to try some different apps. Tinder and Bumble are fine, but you might get more results the more niche you go, or from apps that are queer exclusive. Rowlandson says, "Personally, I think HER is the preferred app for queer women, trans, and non-binary individuals as it was designed specifically for queer community." Similar to HER is Lex, a queer dating app with an old-school personal ad design, or Taimi, a more traditional dating app that's 100% LGBTQ+.Do: Know what you're looking for and communicate it clearly.Just a fling? Looking for your soulmates? Friends to lovers? Whatever it is you're after, people respond well to those who know what they're after. It saves everyone time in the long run, and sets you up to match with people who are looking for the same things. This is true for choosing pictures, writing your bio, and picking what platform to use. "Consider what you want out of dating before picking an app," says Rowlandson.To be communicate what you're looking for and to understand the same from others, TenEycks suggests giving yourself a quick vocabulary lesson. She says "Youre going to see a lot of acronyms and queer terms. The mistake many newly out queer folks make is assuming that queer people have no other preferences or attractions beyond gender. Knowing what terms mean like top, bottom, verse, femme, enby, masc, amab, afab, tft, femme4femme etc will help you understand what people are looking for and if you fit that description."Experts citedSofie Roos, licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at PassioneradMeg TenEyck, lesbian content creator and owner of travel media company EveryQueer.Barbara Rowlandson, author and dating and coming out coach at Anne-Marie Zanzal Coaching.

Our parents are fighting!For the Love of DILFs gives fans spicy content every year and the current third season is bringing no shortage of juicy drama.David is the latest daddy to potentially be eliminated from the competition by Victor, but the controversial contestant isn't going down without a fight.The star rubbed a few of his competitors the wrong way after he was unapologetic about kissing two himbos Timmy Hilton and Steff which eventually led to the end of his time in the DILF mansion."On the third night in DILF mansion, [Victor] spent all night cuddling in someone else's bed other than Dani's. Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. People aren't really being genuine or authentic. I was very honest about my feelings. Not everyone can say the same," David tells PRIDE. See on Instagram While many fans will be gagged over David's latest dig at Victor, some may be wondering why he didn't call out the behind the scenes drama while cameras were rolling."I'm already involved in so much drama. At that point, I was really trying to diminish all of that and I didn't want to cause more. That said, Im not the one being super sex negative and coming after someone for kissing two people while theyre sleeping in someone elses bed.The tea is hot! For the Love of DILFs is streaming now on OUTtv. To see the full interview with David, check out the video at the top of the page.

Metas recent policy change, which allows users to make statements calling LGBTQ+ people mentally ill based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, has sparked a wave of backlash from the companys LGBTQ+ employees. Several workers have reportedly taken time off to care for their mental health, expressing frustration over the decision, which they say fosters a toxic environment for marginalized communities.On Tuesday, January 7, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced significant changes to the companys content moderation policies, including the removal of independent fact-checkers. These changes allow users to express opinions, including harmful and discriminatory views, without the same level of moderation that was previously in place. Under the new guidelines, its now acceptable for users to label LGBTQ+ people as mentally ill or make similar claims, particularly in the context of political and religious discussions about issues like transgender rights and homosexuality.The new policy shift, according to a statement from Metas updated hate speech guidelines, allows such terms to be used in what they call common non-serious ways. Specifically, it permits allegations of mental illness or abnormality tied to discussions about gender and sexual orientation, as long as these comments are framed within broader political or religious discourse. The updated guidelines state that terms like weird or mentally ill can be used to describe LGBTQ+ individuals due to the political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality.The backlash among Metas LGBTQ+ employees has been swift. According to reporting from 404 Media, many employees are taking time off from work in protest of the changes, citing the emotional and psychological toll the new policy has on their mental health. One employee posted on Metas internal platform, Workplace, expressing their distress: I am LGBT and mentally ill. Just to let you know that Ill be taking time out to look after my mental health.The controversy has also drawn criticism from high-ranking Meta figures. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Metas Oversight Board, publicly voiced concerns about the policy change, particularly its potential impact on vulnerable groups like LGBTQ+ and transgender people. In an interview with BBCs Today program, Thorning-Schmidt said she and others on the board were very concerned about the policys implications, especially in light of its timing ahead of President-elect Donald Trumps anticipated return to the White House.Were very concerned about gender rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and trans peoples rights on the platforms because we are seeing many instances where hate speech can lead to real-life harm, Thorning-Schmidt said. We will be watching that space very carefully.Metas decision to drop independent fact-checkers and content moderation has raised alarms among critics, who argue that it opens the door for more harmful content and less accountability for those who spread hate speech. LGBTQ+ advocates, including current and former Meta employees, have voiced worries that the policy change could lead to a more hostile online environment, particularly for vulnerable groups already at risk of discrimination and violence.Mark Zuckerberg, however, defended the new policies, stating that they were designed to get back to our roots and prioritize free expression on the platform. In a statement, he explained that the changes were part of a broader effort to reduce mistakes, simplify policies, and restore what he described as the freedom of expression that the platforms were originally intended to uphold.Critics have pointed out that the timing of the policy revision is concerning, particularly as it comes just weeks before Trumps second term in office. With the political landscape shifting, many fear that the policy change is part of a broader trend to accommodate far-right rhetoric and divisive political views.The decision has sparked intense debate across social media platforms, with many calling on Meta to reconsider its new policy. LGBTQ+ advocates argue that the company is failing to prioritize the safety and well-being of its most vulnerable users. In contrast, supporters of the change argue that it is necessary to allow for more open discourse, even if that means tolerating controversial or offensive opinions.As the situation continues to unfold, Meta employees, LGBTQ+ activists, and policymakers are closely watching how the company will respond to the growing backlash. For now, many employees within the company are left grappling with the impact of the policy change, both personally and professionally, and questioning whether the company can balance free expression with the need to protect its users from harm.LGBTQ+ Meta Employees Take Time Off for Mental Health After Controversial Hate Speech Policy ChangeBrian Sims and Alex Drakos Wed in Historic Ceremony, Urge Action Amid Growing Uncertainty for LGBTQ+ RightsTransgender People Banned from Using Gender-Aligned Bathrooms Near House Chamber Under New PolicyBiden Administrations Title IX Protections for LGBTQ+ Students Struck Down by Federal JudgeRuPaul Posts Drag Race Clip of Slapping Tyra Sanchez After Season 2 Winner Mocks The Viviennes DeathThe post LGBTQ+ Meta Employees Take Time Off for Mental Health After Controversial Hate Speech Policy Change appeared first on Gayety.

When Brian Sims proposed to his now-husband Alex Drakos in 2023, the couple had planned to marry in September 2025. However, by June 2024, a shifting political landscape forced them to reconsider their timeline. The catalyst was President Joe Bidens faltering performance in the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, which left the nation with more questions than answers about the future of LGBTQ+ rights.The day after the disastrous debate, we had a serious conversation about what we would do if Trump won again, Drakos recalls speaking to OUT. We feared that many of the LGBTQ+ rights we hold dear, including marriage equality, could be rolled back under a second Trump administration.The couple, both politically active and deeply committed to the LGBTQ+ community, had hoped for a secure future under Bidens leadership, particularly after his historic 2020 victory and his nomination of Kamala Harris as Vice President. However, Trumps eventual victory in the 2024 election prompted a reevaluation of their plans.After Election Day, we realized that if we wanted to get married before potential legal changes, we needed to act quickly, Drakos says. We decided, Why wait? Lets do it now. The support of both their familieswho urged them to marry sooner rather than laterreinforced their decision.The couple chose a modest but meaningful ceremony in Massachusetts, where their wedding took place on December 21, 2024, just days before Christmas. The locationMassachusetts State Househeld special significance. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage, years before the Supreme Courts landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling in 2015. For Sims and Drakos, it was both a symbolic and strategic choice, as they feared the potential erosion of marriage equality.Massachusetts was a natural choice for us. It was a place where marriage equality began in the U.S., and we wanted our marriage to be protected in case of a reversal of those protections, says Sims, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and current CEO of Agenda PAC, an organization advocating for LGBTQ+ political representation.Brian Sims and Alex Drakos wed before Trump takes office. Photo: Ryan StranzThe ceremony, officiated by Julian Cyr, an openly gay Massachusetts state senator, was intimate yet powerful. Only their immediate families were present as witnesses. Despite a snowstorm the previous day that delayed Simss parents flight, the couple says the event was deeply meaningful. It was incredibly moving to have our families there, says Drakos, who works for Pfizer and graduated from UC Berkeley. It was a small, personal moment, but it felt monumental given everything thats at stake right now.The ceremony itself took place in the State House, with the Boston skyline providing a stunning backdrop. Following the vows, the couple and their families gathered in a cozy antechamber, where a fireplace and a Christmas tree adorned the room. It was a quiet, beautiful moment, and afterward, the couple celebrated with champagne and a dinner in the city.It was one of the most special days of our lives, Sims reflects. What we didnt expect was how meaningful it would feel to be surrounded by our parents in such a historic setting. It was more than we could have hoped for.Though they married in a small, private ceremony, Sims and Drakos still plan to host a larger celebration in September 2025 in Connecticut, Drakoss home state. Well have the big celebration with all our friends and family then, Sims promises. This was just the start.The couple has a message for other LGBTQ+ couples who may be uncertain about their futures. Given the growing political climate and fears of setbacks in LGBTQ+ rights, they encourage others to consider marrying now.Right now, the legal protections for LGBTQ+ couples are better than they might be in the future, Sims warns. We have hard-won rights that could be under threat, and if youre thinking about marriage, dont wait. Take advantage of the protections we still have while we fight to defend them.Sims and Drakos also emphasize the importance of planning for the future, especially for families with transgender children. Its not just about marriage. We encourage LGBTQ+ families to look at their financial and legal protectionswills, insurance, and other mattersto ensure theyre safeguarded, Sims advises. Its a time to think ahead and make sure your rights are protected.In addition to legal protections, Sims and Drakos stress the need for continued activism. They urge allies to do more than just offer congratulations on social media. Our marriage is under attack, and so is our very identity, says Sims. Supporting us means more than wordsit means action. We need people to stand up and fight for our rights, not just celebrate our victories.With their intimate wedding as a backdrop, Sims and Drakos reflect on the importance of love, advocacy, and resilience in uncertain times. As they look ahead to their larger celebration and future together, their message is clear: now is the time for LGBTQ+ couples to act, protect their rights, and continue fighting for a more inclusive future.The post Brian Sims and Alex Drakos Wed in Historic Ceremony, Urge Action Amid Growing Uncertainty for LGBTQ+ Rights appeared first on Gayety.

Idaho Republican legislators have introduced a resolution on Tuesday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision that established marriage equality nationwide.The measure, House Joint Memorial 1, claims the Supreme Court overstepped its authority by requiring states to recognize same-sex marriages. It also calls for a return to the so-called natural definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, a concept supporters insist is rooted in tradition.The non-binding resolution, spearheaded by the State Affairs Committee, asserts that states and not federal courts should decide marriage laws. While the resolution carries no legal weight, its introduction sends a clear signal about the state GOPs priorities.The Idaho Legislature insists on restoring the issue of marriage and enforcement of all laws pertaining to marriage back to the several states and the people, the resolution reads.The move comes even as a majority of Americansincluding majorities of Democrats and independents and nearly half of Republicanssupport marriage equality. A 2024 Gallup survey found that 69 percent of Americans favor the legality of same-sex marriages, a figure that has remained consistently high since the Obergefell ruling.LGBTQ+ advocates and civil rights organizations have denounced the resolution as a blatant attack on equality.Extremist attacks have become de rigueur, and LGBTQ+ Americans are right to be concerned about their escalation, said Sarah Warbelow, the Human Rights Campaigns vice president for legal affairs. This cruel action by Idaho Republicans amounts to nothing more than shouting at the wind. A majority of Americans of all political affiliations support marriage equality. Resolutions are not laws, and state legislatures lack the power to dismantle marriage equality. They cannot touch the guaranteed federal protections for same-sex couples under the Respect for Marriage Act.The Respect for Marriage Act passed in 2022 and signed by President Joe Biden that December, requires federal recognition of same-sex marriages and provides additional safeguards, even if a future Supreme Court revisits Obergefell.Idahos resolution echoes a growing movement among conservative lawmakers to challenge LGBTQ+ rights at the state level. Across the country, Republican-led legislatures have introduced bills targeting everything from transgender health care to drag performances.The resolution also aligns with Justice Clarence Thomass recent remarks in his concurring opinion in the Dobbs case that overturned Roe v. Wade, which in 2022 called for reconsidering cases like Obergefell as part of a broader critique of substantive due processthe legal principle underpinning marriage equality and other rights, such as access to contraception.

New policies from tech giant Meta are enabling bigots to claim that LGBTQ+ people have a mental illness. Concurrently, the company announced on Friday that it is ending its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments, sparking backlash from queer employees.The first set of policy changes came on Tuesday, after CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be removing content moderators and fact-checkers and loosening restrictions on their hate speech policies. Related Black trans lawmaker asks UN to investigate Meta for new hate speech policies Facebook and Instagram will soon explicitly allow homophobia and transphobia. Metas new guidelines state, We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like weird. 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 guidelines also provide a list of frequently asked questions for these policies. One asks, Do insults about mental illness and abnormality violate when targeting people on the basis of gender or sexual orientation? Meta now sides against queer rights pointing to statements like Trans people arent real. Theyre mentally ill, Gays are not normal, Trans people are freaks, and Women are crazy, as being allowed, as per Platformer.Other authorized statements include, Theres no such thing as trans children, God created two genders, transgender people are not a real thing, and A trans woman isnt a woman, its a pathetic confused man. Meta announces end to its DEI programsThen, on Friday, Meta announced that it would end DEI practices in hiring, training and picking suppliers, Axios reported.The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing, wroteJanelle Gale, Metas vice president of human resources, in an internal memo to employees. The term DEI has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.She announced that Meta would be ending its DEI team, its programs, end efforts to source business suppliers from diverse-owned businesses, and end its practices ensures that a diverse pool of candidates is considered for every open position and for representation in the companys public imaging.Gale said Meta would focus on supporting small- and medium-sized businesses and focus on fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background. We believe there are other ways to build an industry-leading workforce and leverage teams made up of world-class people from all types of backgrounds, Gale wrote.Numerous companies have rolled back their DEI commitments recently, including Walmart, Stanley Black & Decker,Molson Coors,Jack Daniels, Ford Motor Company,John Deere,Lowes Hardware, Target andHarley-Davidson.Meta employees push back against new content, DEI changesOne Meta criticized the new content policies on the companys internal messaging platform, writing, I am LGBT and mentally ill. Just to let you know that Ill be taking time out to look after my mental health, according to 404 Media. This internal dissent was later deleted.Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the co-chair of Metas Oversight Board, said to BBC, Were very concerned about gender rights, LGBTQ+ rights, trans peoples rights on the platforms because we are seeing many instances where hate speech can lead to real-life harm, so we will be watching that space very carefully, adding that she is very concerned by this decision.The changes to our Hateful Conduct policy seek to undo the mission creep that has made our rules too restrictive and too prone to over enforcement, a member of the policy team said to employees in a thread. Reaffirming our core value of free expression means that we might see content on our platforms that people find offensive yesterdays changes not only open up conversation about these subjects, but allow for counterspeech on what matters to users. A separate employee told 404 Media, No one is excited or happy about these changes. And obviously the employees who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community are especially unhappy and feel the most unsupported in this. A small number of people are taking time off and are sharing that they are considering leaving the company due to this change.Another one told the same outlet, I find it very hard to understand how explicitly carving out which groups of marginalized people can have what we otherwise classify hate speech directed at them will be beneficial for the communities we hope to build on our platforms.An additional commenter said, When I first joined this company, people would criticize me for working here all the time. I defended yall time and time again, always anchoring that in the end we do try our best even if it doesnt work out sometimes but this? appalling.Responding to the DEI changes, one employee, according to Business Insider, wrote on the internal messaging platform, This isunfortunate dishearteningupsetting to read. Another wrote, Wow, we really capitulated on a lot of our supposed values this week. A third commented, What happened to the company I joined all those years ago.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The cast of Goosebumps: The Vanishing is ready to redefine horror with heart. Ahead of the series January 10 debut on Disney+ and Hulu, the actors sat down to chat about representation, character evolution, and their love of spooky stories.About GoosebumpsGoosebumps: The Vanishing begins when twins Cece and Devin Brewer are sent to spend a summer in Gravesend, Brooklyn, with their divorced dad. A threat is stirring, and they quickly realize that dark secrets are among them, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. As they delve into the unknown, Cece, Devin and their friends Alex, CJ and Frankie find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994.Breaking Boundaries in HorrorAna Ortiz, who plays Detective Jen, spoke passionately about her excitement to bring Latinx representation to the horror genre.I never get to see Latin people, let alone Latin women, in horror, Ortiz said. It was really exciting to get to play this role. If any little brown girls out therequeer or notcan relate, Im thrilled.Ortizs co-star Francesca Noel, who portrays Alex, echoed her sentiments, emphasizing how her characters layered identity resonates with viewers.For me, I was playing a queer character and that meant so much to me, Noel explained. Sometimes we get these tragic lesbian stories and Alex gets that and she really fights to speak up for herself, and we see her go through that triumphantly I dont know, but it felt really good to me to be able to kind of give her that power. But she felt like a very powerful character to be playingOrtiz added that Goosebumps: The Vanishing pushes past stereotypes.Its not like were just Latina or were just queer, she said. Were people first, and they really gave us that.Scares with SubstanceJayden Bartels and Sam McCarthy also offered insights into their characters emotional arcs. Bartels, who plays Cece, described her as a driven young woman who challenges societal expectations.She is this stereotypical a plus perfect student, but there are things about her that people maybe wouldnt put with that stereotype, Bartels revealed. And I love Cece because she breaks those bounds and she really doesnt even think twice about them. I dont want to give any spoilers, but Cece is finding her own path and what she wants and likes in life throughout this season. And I think, I know I personally related to her journey and I think a lot of other people will, and Im really, really happy for that.Meanwhile McCarthys character, Devin, grapples with family turmoil and self-identity.My parents are divorced, the actor started. I went back and forth growing up and that you sometimes dont really know where you land or where your home base really is. You also see Devin at a point in his life when he doesnt necessarily have that stability of a rock at home and he doesnt have in himself, he is getting to the point where hes getting ready to go out in the world and he is starting to become a bit restless that like, Hey, maybe I dont have this solidity in myself either. And so I think we find him at a point where he is beginning to go on a journey of finding that strength and that kind of oneness in a community and in himself and that I think he embarks on without really realizing it.Full Circle MomentMcCarthy also revealed a personal connection to the Goosebumps franchise: His mom narrated some of the books! I remember I was talking to my mom about auditioning for this job and shes like, oh yeah, I narrated that and I was like, yeah, you did the Night of the Living Dummy. Which as we all know, is arguable THE Goosebumps story. Theres a real icon among us! Bringing Horror Fans TogetherElijah M. Cooper, Stony Blyden, and Galilea La Salvia also weighed in on how the show blends classic horror with modern representation.Our showrunners, Hilary and Rob, did an incredible job of reflecting real-life issues, Cooper said. The story balances teenage struggles with supernatural thrills.La Salvia, who plays Frankie, highlighted how the series resonates across generations.Im Latina and first-generation American, so I connect with Frankies journey, she said. The show tackles love, friendship, and independence while delivering major scares.Blyden praised how the show handles complex emotions.Trey starts off angry and isolated but grows into someone brave and loyal, Blyden said. His arc shows how you can overcome your inner demons.When and Where to WatchGoosebumps: The Vanishing promises a thrilling blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling. With a talented cast and gripping plotlines, its set to be a must-watch series for fans old and new. The entire eight-episode season premieres Friday, January 10, 2025, on Disney+ and Hulu.Watch the casts full interviews with Gayety below. The post Goosebumps Cast Shares How the New Series Elevates Diversity and Scares appeared first on Gayety.

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Belated Happy New Year, everyone! I was out for the holidays and family matters, but were back with a lovely potpourri of upfliting stories. Lets not waste a second and jump right in!Fall into the new year with some surprises! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daily Dose Of Artist (@dailydoseofartist) Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today New French guidelines show doctors overwhelmingly support gender-affirming careThe medical guidelines unequivocally support gender-affirming care for trans minors. Even better: It challenges objections from opponents of the life-saving care.This seems like a good time to remember:Americans dont trust politicians on trans issues they trust doctors & parents. And talking about parents,rememberthe awesome dad who slammed a school board in defense of LGBTQ+ kids? And how aboutthe time when Il Papa Pope Francisfired an anti-LGBTQ+ bishop?Good times, good times Legendary drag king Murray Hill will host first-ever drag king reality competition showIts long overdue for the kings to take center stage, the long-time New York nightlife fixture said. The surprisingly queer story behind Glinda the Good WitchThe actress behind the iconic film character had a relationship with another woman.Plucky elder easily removes snow using this one weird trick! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ross Smith (@rosssmith) Married pro lesbian hockey players featured in adorable SUV adWatch until the end for a sweet twist. Pete Buttigieg hands out snacks to stranded airline passengersIt was another frustrating experience with air travel but Secretary Buttigieg did what he could to help the situation, one passenger said.Trans influencer dad radiates happiness as he documents life with newborn twinsJesse Sullivan is now a father of three, and his 3.1 million followers are celebrating along with him. Bring this energy onto the ice during 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by S H I A D A N N I (@shiadanni) Joe Biden honors two LGBTQ+ activists with Presidential Citizens MedalThis is the second-highest honor the president can award civilians.Gay Democrat introduces bill to protect trans peoples privacy as Donald Trump takes officeCalifornia must have our trans community members backs. The newest LGBTQ+ members of Congress are fired up & ready to serveThe 119th Congress has begun, and three LGBTQ+ freshmen have officially made history. Some compassionate advice for transphobes in 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elle Deran (@elle.deran)From our sibling sites:OUTSPORTS:Volleyball team stands up to their transphobic Christian competitorsGAYCITIES:The votes are in! Here are the winners of the Best of GayCities AwardsQUEERTY:A straight mans account of visiting his first gay club goes viralINTO:This gay couples meet-cute is making TikTok believe in loveSubscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Video by: E E OliverSubscribe nowHeadlines have been swirling all week in regard to Metas new rules. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the tech giant is eliminating its fact-checkers less than two weeks ahead of Trumps inauguration. In addition, theyve introduced guidelines that allow users to accuse LGBTQ people of being mentally ill because they are gay or transgender. So why exactly is the companywhich boasts more than 3.3 billion daily usersdoing this now? To find out, I called up , Founder of Popular Information, a newsletter that focuses on accountability journalism. In 2020, it won the Online News Associations Excellence in Journalism award in part for its reporting on Facebook and online misinformation. Watch the full interview above or read the transcript here:Spencer Macnaughton: Hello, everyone. I'm here with Judd Legum, an American journalist and lawyer. He's also the founder and author of the very successful Substack, Popular Information, which is an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism. Judd, thank you so much for coming on with Uncloseted Media.Judd Legum: Thanks for having me.SM: We reached out to you because we wanted to have somebody give us more context on what Mark Zuckerberg announced this week in terms of changes over at Meta. For someone who hasn't read the news at all this week, can you give us the broad strokes on what he announced, what he's doing and what will be changing at the company as it relates to fact-checkers and beyond?JL: Overall, I think it represents a cultural shift in the whole company to align himself more closely with the right, quite frankly. And it appears that each of the individual components of the announcement had that purpose. One of the announcements, probably the one that got the biggest headlines thus far, was to eliminate the fact-checking program. This is something I have done a lot of reporting on, dating back to 2018, 2019, when the program was first launching and it is a deeply flawed program. They didn't put much investment into it, so they put very little money into it and so very few people saw any fact-checks of any content. There's so much content put on Facebook, on Instagram, all of those things. Secondly, they signed up a lot of publications to do fact-checks, who themselves have a very checkered record as far as producing factual information, like The Daily Caller, which was founded by Tucker Carlson, was one of their fact-checkers. And in fact, Joel Kaplan, who has been with Meta for many years and is a Republican operative and became famous because he's one of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's close associates and friends. He was there to support [Kavanaugh] during the confirmation hearings and was just promoted to be [Metas] chief policy officer. He was the one who pushed to have The Daily Caller as part of their fact-checking program. He also was the one who just appeared on Fox and Friends to announce this slate of changes. So all this goes by way of saying this wasn't a great program. It wasn't doing a ton of good. Fact-checking itself is important in my view but this fact-checking program was more about insulating the company from blame for the widespread misinformation that spread on the platform and they started getting criticism for that, of course, after the 2016 election. But the way in which Zuckerberg announced this was to say, well, the problem is that these fact-checkers, who are, by the way, hand-selected by Meta, were just too political, eroded trust, were using it kind of as a political cudgel and basically adopting the language of Trump, whose campaign really went on and declared war against fact-checkers during his 2024 campaign. So I think that in that case, the move probably isn't as important as the way that he framed it and sort of adopting this kind of anti-journalism posture and really incorporating this critique of the media [and how they are] really biased against Republicans and the right.Subscribe for LGBTQ-focused, accountability journalism.SM: I found it interesting that Zuckerberg, in the video he released, talked about how we want to move back towards free speech and then I also found it interesting that they decided to have Joel Kaplan go on Fox and Friends, of all places, to kind of make this announcement. What do you think's behind those decisions? Because, of course, all of that is strategic and preplanned.JL: Well, I think they're looking at the relationship that Elon Musk has with Donald Trump, and they are wanting to develop a similar relationship and that is really a thread that pulls through all of these announcements. So they've eliminated the fact-checking program, but they're replacing it with this Community Notes-style system, which they explicitly said was modeled after what Elon Musk has put into place on X, and it's really about aligning themselves more in the Musk mold to try to get and cement that relationship.The other part of this announcement that really stuck out and underscores that, was Zuckerberg saying that they're going to continue some content moderation about certain topics, but they're moving their content moderation team to Texas because Zuckerberg says that Texas is a place where people have less concern about bias, which is also something that Musk talks about a lot, that Texas is the greatest place. He's moved the headquarters of Tesla to Texas. He moved the headquarters of X to Texas. And that somehow is this neutral place and California is just full of biased people. And so all of that is pretty ridiculous on its face. The only way that it's preferable is if you are trying to pander to the right.SM: It seems like they are just trying to pander to the incoming Trump administration. Is that the key reason or is there more to the story?JL: There's more to it, in that I think that Zuckerberg has always blown with the wind somewhat and even references this. He says that this is now a new cultural moment, so it's not so much, I believe in free speech. This is what I am doing. Because if you did believe in free speech, this wouldn't be the slate of changes that you would implement. It's more like, Here's my sense of where I think we are culturally. I'm not sure his analysis is correct, but that's his analysis, and [Zuckerberg] is going to then align [him]self with that.SM: One of the things that was frankly really alarming to me as somebody who runs an LGBTQ-focused news publication is in their revised guidelines they say a lot of hate speech isn't going to be allowed but they [caveated that with], We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation. Given political or religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common nonserious usage of words like weird. I'm curious what you thought when you saw that.JL: Yeah, I think it kind of gives away the game a bit when you kind of dig into this document. Zuckerberg has framed this up as supporting free speech and a simplification. [But] if you compare the documents, the new document isn't any simpler. It's not any shorter. It's not any clearer than the old document. In fact, in many cases they've added complexity, just like the portion you just read, where they're now saying, in general, you can't dehumanize people, we're going to keep that in. But here are some exceptions where we think it's okay for you to dehumanize people. That's not a defense of free speech. That's just saying, Well, Trump and the MAGA base like to disparage trans people or LGBTQ people in these specific ways and so we're now saying that we are going to allow those, while kind of halfheartedly maintaining [their] general prohibitions against dehumanizing language in other ways.It's no simpler, it's not free speech, but it is going to essentially allowand kind of green lightthis kind of hateful discourse. And I think framing this as, This is mainstream political discourse, is really kind of gross. It's one thing to say, Hey, look, we're a free speech platform. There's going to be things that I disagree with. It's another thing to say, Well, claiming that this whole group of people who do not have a mental illness actually have a mental illness and disparage it in that way, that's just mainstream. And we're going to allow that because it's just common sense that we should allow that. That's a far different thing to say.SM: It's essentially like saying if the mainstream, if the majority of Americans want to just start bullying Black people, we should allow discrimination against Black people on our platform. It's analogous, is it not?JL: Yeah, I think it kind of goes back to what I was saying before, it's not about principle, it's about putting your finger to the wind and seeing what you think is okay at this moment. And that could change at any time and it should be disturbing not just to the people that are targeted. The two main groups, I think, that are targeted are the LGBTQ community and then also immigrants, because there were carveouts for them as well. But it really should be, even if you're not one of those two groups, disturbing to everyone because it shows that all of this is conditional. For instance, Zuckerberg a couple of years ago got into some trouble by saying that Holocaust denial was not something that he would restrict on Facebook or any of his other platforms because he didn't think that restricting that kind of debate would really be useful, it's better to let people call it out. So [restricting Holocaust denial is] still in there for now. But what if Zuckerberg decides, well, that's okay again now because Musk actually is trying to mainstream a political party in Germany that many people consider to be a neo-Nazi party. So that's becoming more mainstream. There are no principles involved. It's all just sort of up to wherever Mark Zuckerberg happens to think that the culture is at the moment.SM: I think a lot of Americans will see this news and might think, who cares? Let [Zuckerberg] do what he wants, it's a free country. But what do you think when these announcements are made are the bottom line implications for the LGBTQ community? Why does this matter?JL: I think it matters because these platforms are so enormous and they really exist to replace the open web. You have to realize that, X is like this and Meta is like this now, if you try to post a link to some other site, to a Substack for instance, where we both have publications, it downranks you. It's not going to let that move around its network. So the kind of discourse that occurs on these large social platforms has a huge impact on the overall political discourse. So the decisions they make are important. I think you could make an argument and say it's just too complicated. We can't figure it out. When we tried to restrict this kind of hateful speech, we end up restricting people who are criticizing that speech and we can't figure it out. And so we're just going to take a more of a hands-off approach or we're going to have a community-driven approach. But that's different than carving out these little exceptions and saying these really horrendous, dehumanizing insults against a group of people, often vulnerable people, is okay and this one's still not okay. I mean, the fact that a couple of billionaires have the power to make fine determinations, I think everyone should be disturbed about.Uncloseted Media is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.SM: Is there anything that can be done legally, policy-wise that would change the amount of power that the Zuckerberg's, the Musks, these monstrous tech companies have?JD: I think there are a lot of things that can be done and probably a lot of the reason why you see these tech CEOs and moguls lining themselves up with Trump is to prevent that.One of the reasons why [they]'re able to do this and not suffer repercussions is because there's very little competition among these social media platforms. One of the reasons why there's very little competition is because Meta bought Instagram. So now there's not Instagram competing with Facebook, it's all under one umbrella, and also WhatsApp, which is an extremely important, messaging system and social network all across the world, where they have control over what kind of discourse is allowed on there. Would we be in a better position if independently, Instagram and Facebook were able to make their own kinds of rules and see which ones users liked more? I think even the absence of that, because we have four years of the Trump administration coming, I don't think you're going to see a lot of antitrust enforcement against any of these companies, certainly less than we've seen, you know, there are alternatives. I think Bluesky is growing fairly rapidly. Using and growing these alternative platforms helps start a counterbalance.SM: One of the stats that keeps me up at night is 41% of LGBTQ kids in America seriously considered suicide in the last year. So when you now have an America who doesn't have the fact-checkers on Meta and where you greenlight this type of behavior, what are your concerns for Americans perceptions of LGBTQ people, with these new rules, on a platform where 3.3 billion people are using it every day?JD: I'm concerned and I think I'm concerned particularly for the LGBTQ community. This is downstream from the election and I think we have to understand these moves and the very specific moves in Metas community standards in the context of the election, but there was a perception at the very least that a lot of these anti-trans ads that were run extensively targeting Harris were effective. Now, my business isn't to analyze the effectiveness of ads. I don't know if they were effective or not. They might have been. They may not have been, but I don't think that we should make determinations about what kind of discourse is socially acceptable and that we think reflects our values, based on the political result of one election. But that's what's happened, and if that's the way in which we're going to make our decisions, that's a really disturbing path.SM: In your article Meta goes MAGA, you said it is now permissible based on the new rules to describe people as feces or filth, based on their immigration status or gender identity. A lot of news outlets would not go so far and use that extreme language. Why do you in your writing decide to do that?JL: I think it's important for people to understand exactly what is going on. The media in general has sanitized a lot of what is going on culturally and politically in order to meet their own standards, they don't want to print this stuff in their newspaper because it kind of makes them feel gross. But people need to know. So that's why I do it. I don't star out the curse words or do anything like that because I want people to really see it and feel what's happening and it's not always pleasant.Subscribe for accountability journalism.SM: What do you think these decisions say about who Zuckerberg is as a leader and as a person?JL: I thought it was interesting, I saw a story in Bloomberg, he's making this speech, supposedly about his commitment to free speech, and he's wearing a $900,000 custom-made watch as he delivers the speech. So to me it shows that the priority is profits. In 2021, right after January 6th, when he kicked Trump off of the platform, it seemed like profits required him to distance himself from the MAGA movement, to distance himself from Trump. So that's what he did. But then when Trump won re-election anyway all of that was put into the memory hole, and we were now aligning ourselves with Trump. So what does it say about him as a person? I think it shows where his priorities are. He doesn't appear to really oppose Trump or support Trump. He's willing to do both when it suits his economic interests.This is someone who created an entire organization called FWD.us, that was devoted to protecting undocumented immigrants in the United States. Now, [hes] making pilgrimages to Mar-a-Lago, wrapping himself up in MAGA rhetoric, appointing one of Trump's best friends, Dana White, onto the Meta board, one of the most anti-immigrant candidates in modern history. So it's an amazing sort of shapeshifting that we've seen in just a few years and I think it's very revealing about where his priorities are.SM: I was just at my boyfriend's family's home in Virginia and I asked one of them, What's your favorite source of news? And he said, Jordan Peterson: accurate, accurate, accurate, factual. So I think a big problem in this country is media literacy, where folks really don't know the difference between a Jordan Peterson and an Associated Press. Do you have any tips or tricks for average Americans who might not have gone to journalism school? How can they really understand, in a world where fact-checkers are gone from Meta, the difference between something that's perhaps bulletproof journalism versus just thirsty influencers trying to get content clicks?JL: Yeah, it's very tough. It's very, very difficult. So I don't have any silver bullet, but I do think, especially in an era where you do have folks like Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, who are really more entertainers, kind of posing as sources of news, and then add on a layer of AI and automated news that's presenting what could be hallucinations and kind of slop, as fact, it's more important than ever to work to identify a handful of sources that you can trust and to rely on those sources. Then when you add anything outside of that realm, you really need to determine whether it can be verified. If someone makes a claim, what's the basis for that claim? Where can I go? Where can they link me to? Can I read that study? Can I see that report? Can I see that data? All of these statistics, especially if it's coming from someone who you haven't determined over a period of time is reliable, you need to view skeptically and you need to essentially take with a grain of salt until you can verify it. And unfortunately, that's the reality that we are living in. Is that reasonable to expect someone who maybe has a couple of kids or a couple of jobs or other types of obligations? Not really. But that's what it takes right now in order to be informed.SM: Anything else to say on these tech CEOs pandering to Trump at a time when he's suing CBS News, when he's suing ABC News, when he's suing The Des Moines Register, continuing to call the press the enemy of the people? It's an alarming time to be a journalist in certain ways, isn't it?JL: It is. It is an alarming time to be a journalist. I hope everything works out okay for me, it's more incentive for me to double-check all my facts and make sure that I have everything triple-sourced and so I'll be taking extra care to do that. But I will say that, and this is something that Zuckerberg did in this announcement, it's something that Elon Musk does constantly, its something that Trump does, it's really part of wrapping this up in free expression. But as you point out, this is a group of people who care very little about free expression. I mean, between Trump and Musk, they sue more journalists than anyone. Also the places like Texas and Florida that they hold out as bastions of free speech, have the most draconian restrictions on speech, unconstitutional restrictions in many cases, taking books out of libraries because they happen to have LGBTQ characters, banning certain conversations about race and gender in the workplace. There is just a sustained attack on free speech. As a progressive, I think it is important for myself and other progressives to reclaim this idea of free speech. The powerful will always have free speech. Billionaires will always have free speech. It doesn't matter. They have plenty of ways to get their message out. The people who need these protections are the people who are the most vulnerable.SM: Judd, thank you so much. This has been fantastic. Where can viewers and readers find your work? Plug yourself.JL: The place to go is popular.info. That's where you can sign up. Get the newsletter, it comes out four times a week, so plenty of information there. You can also follow me on Bluesky if you'd like, I'm there: JuddLegum.SM: Fantastic. Thank you so much. This has been great. JL: Thanks a lot for having me.If 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

Transgender patients in Nottinghamshire, England, are blasting a local general practitioners (GP) recent decision to stop prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the purposes of gender-affirming care.Late last month, Jubilee Park Medical Partnership announced it would cease prescribing the medication to transgender patients, according to U.K. LGBTQ+ outlet PinkNews. Trans people who were already receiving HRT from practices run by the partnership say theyve been told their prescriptions will be withdrawn. Related New French guidelines show doctors overwhelmingly support gender-affirming care The medical guidelines contradict numerous conclusions from the UKs infamous Cass Review. In a December 27 post on Instagram, Nottingham Against Transphobia criticized the decision and Jubilee Parks lack of a safety net for patients whose access to HRT may be cut off. The group also blasted the partnership for its lack of any meaningful co-operation with the local gender identity clinic (GIC) and for continuing to prescribe HRT to cisgender patients. 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 The discrimination and lack of concern for trans patients is clear, the groups post declared.During a December 31 protest organized by Nottingham Against Transphobia outside Jubilee Park Medical Centre in Carlton, 29-year-old Samathy Barratt told Nottinghamshire Live that she has been stressed and upset about how Im going to access healthcare following the decision.If I werent to receive testosterone blocking meds I would experience a reversal of the transitioning effects, said Barratt, who has been receiving medication through a Jubilee Park-run practice. That would be devastating for my mental health to be forced to detransition. Barratt added that shes particularly worried about the significant health risks patients who have had gender-affirming surgery may face should they lose access to HRT.According to Nottinghamshire Live, Jubilee Park said that the decision to stop prescribing HRT to trans patients was made due to lack of funding and that the service was not part of the GP contract. A spokesperson for the partnership said that while Jubilee Park continues to be very supportive of our transgender patients This work is more appropriately provided by a specialist as it is beyond the clinical expertise and knowledge of the GPs to provide this service in the way that it should be provided.A spokesperson for NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire explained, Specialist gender dysphoria services are commissioned by [Englands National Health Service] and delivered through specialist Gender Identity Clinics (GICs), including the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health. But, they told Nottinghamshire Live, the service does not include the prescribing, supply, and related monitoring of any medications. Instead, the GIC will request the GP carry out this element of the patients care with guidance and a management plan from gender specialists. There has been no change to the commissioning arrangements, and we continue to work with local GPs to support patient services. This is a failing GP group which is financially struggling and think they can cut this to save money, Sophie England, who organized the December 31 protest, said of Jubilee Park. If I was a cisgender woman getting the same hormones it would carry on, transgender people should get the same level of care.In its December 27 post, Nottingham Against Transphobia compared denying trans people access to HRT to denying access to abortions. If the practice managers had learned a SINGLE thing from backstreet abortions, the danger that Jubilee Medical Partnership are pushing their patients into would be completely blindingly obvious, but apparently they have learned absolutely nothing, and practice managers like the ones at Jubilee Medical Partnership are happy to watch their patients suffer and die because of their actions, the post reads.Barratt told Nottinghamshire Live that trans people who lose access to HRT through their GPs will be left with the choice of either accessing the medication privately, which she described as extortionately expensive, or buying it online. I may end up having to DIY my medication if I cant find an NHS GP to help. Id much rather enjoy being treated for my NHS-diagnosed medical condition by an NHS doctor, Barratt told PinkNews. As history shows us, removing peoples access to healthcare does not remove the need for it. People will get what they need outside of safe channels.But as Nottingham Against Transphobia notes, getting HRT meds online and taking them without medical supervision can be risky. People who do so, the group said, dont get dosage advice from medical professionals, they dont get proper training about how to keep a needle sterile, and they dont have their bloods monitored.Still, England said, If I have to do that to preserve my mental health and stay alive then Im going to do that.Editors Note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at988lifeline.org. TheTrans Lifeline(1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for youth viachat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

We always remember our firstexperiences. In 1976, I had my first experience casting a ballot for the president of the United States.James EarlJimmyCarter Jr. (1924- 2024) an engineer, a former naval officer, a humble peanut farmer, and a born-again Christian was a welcome candidate after the disgraceful fall and resignation ofPresident Richard M. Nixon for the lying and covering- up of the Watergate scandal.Carter got my vote when he told the American people,Ill never tell a lie. Ill never make a misleading statement. Ill never betray the confidence that any of you had in me. Here are just some of the stunning biographical details that illustrate why I supported him then and why his spirit still matters to me and so many others today. Related Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. He invited the first gay activists to the White House He was the first president to take positive and concrete steps toward acknowledging the importance of gay rights. Jimmy was a Baptist who balanced democracy and personal belief Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Carter grew up as a Southern Baptist and was the first U. S. president to announce unabashedly he was a born again Christian. Heproselytized his ideas with folksinger Bob Dylan. He also applied his ideals across religious lines in 1978 when brokering peacebetweenIsraeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadatin the Camp David Accords.In 1976, Carter owed his presidentialvictory to White evangelical Christian voters. They lauded Carter because he didnt play down his Christianity but lived out loudhis meaning of being a born-again Christianentering American politics. During his presidential run, Carter unapologetically told The New York Times, If there are those who dont want to vote for me because Im a deeply committed Christian, I believe they should vote for someone else.Carter taught Sunday School for decades, andCartersfavorite Bible verse was from Micah 6:8. Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. He lived by it! Carter upheldthe total separation of church and state. He opposedpublic money andtax exemptions for religious schools and institutions. He discontinued the tradition of inviting evangelicals to conduct White House prayer services, aonce cozy niche for prominent evangelicals likeRev. Billy Graham, who he admired.However, if Jimmy Carter were running for president today, they would consider him a heretic and excommunicate him for his stances on Christian nationalism, white supremacy, reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, Palestine, and interpretation of scripture, among others. Jimmy Carter was an enlightened son of a segregationistCarter, a Georgian like many of the civil rights leaders of his era, wasnt involved in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, never confronted his fatherspro-Confederateviews nor hisdenominations support of slavery, normet with Martin Luther King Jr.Carter never did anything racist himself. But he didnt participate, Carters biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. And King was right there.However, to the shock of his white evangelical base and the awe of the black voters, Carter,at his inauguration, issued an edict: The time for racial discrimination is over.Carter appointed the first Black woman to serve in a presidential Cabinetand the first Black man to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Andrew Young, a Civil Rights Movement icon. He also formed a relationship with Kings family during his presidency. Jimmy Carter was an LGBTQ+ ally who grew with the timesDuring Carters administration, he was concerned aboutLGBTQ+ issues, like employment discrimination. After his presidency, he advocated abolishing Dont Ask, Dont Tell, the militarys ban on out LGBTQ+ service members.As an honest man, Carter was candid about his struggle with marriage equality. But he leaned into his faith to guide him. In 2005, an Advocate reporter asked him why he had no problem with gays and lesbians like many Christians.Im a worshipper of Jesus Christ, who never mentioned homosexuals in any way certainly not in a [damaging] fashion, Carter replied.In 2015, in response to the Supreme CourtsObergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, Carter publicly gave a shoutout of approval.I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, he toldHuffPost Live. I believe Jesus would approve of gay marriage. Jimmy Carter walked the talkFaith was foundational to Carters politics. However, his faith-driven public service bloomed after his presidency; he became the quintessential statesman and the nations greatest ex-president.Like many Americans, I hold Carter in high regard. I liked his calm demeanor and balanced approach in difficult conversations and heated debates. He was not an alarmist but a measured man, thoughtful in his actions and responses. I admired the type of man he walked in the world.Im glad President Jimmy Carter was my first.May he rest in peace.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Anti-LGBTQ+ persecution has intensified in Russia since the government strengthened its anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda law and outlawed the so-called international LGBT movement.Russian President Vladimir Putin has instituted successively broader anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda laws since 2013, and raids and arrests at LGBTQ+ clubshave become commonplaceacross the country. Related Owner of gay travel agency in Russia dies from suicide in police custody Andrei Kotov was arrested for organizing extremist activity under Putins vicious anti-LGBTQ law. In October, for example, Police in Moscow raided two gay clubs, detaining over 50 people. Photos and video from the raids was posted on pro-Russia Telegram channelsMSK1andSHOTon October 12 showing masked police storming into downtown Moscow club Central Station, forcing shouting at patrons and forcing them to lie on the ground. One clip shows officers searching people, with one cop violently kicking a detainees leg. 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 In December, as many as a dozen individuals rounded up at gay clubs in Moscow were found guilty of hooliganism by a Russian court and sentenced to administrative detention.A report from Voice of America found that 12 criminal cases were brought against LGBTQ+ Russians in 2024 based on the newest propaganda laws, in addition to the first arrests and fines for extremist symbols and LGBT propaganda. Eleven of the 12 criminal defendants were employees of raided clubs or other LGBTQ+ service providers. That is, these are not directly activists who, for example, post some information on social networks and, in the opinion of the authorities, are engaged in propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations,' explained Dmitry Anisimov, press secretary of the OVD-Info project, which released a year-end review of Russian repression in December. None of the cases have yet begun trial, but the defendants could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. 2024 also saw a myriad of Russian citizens arrested and fined for online posts that included rainbow flags, some of which were posted years earlier. And unsurprisingly, the LGBTQ+ community is terrified as experts predict the arrests and raids will only worsen in 2025. People are closing themselves off more and more, LGBT rights lawyer Max Olenichev told Voice of America. They dont go to such places. But I always say that it is important to maintain social connections on a horizontal level. No law can prohibit people from going to the cinema together, having parties at home, and somehow communicating with each other on any topic.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Two men were brutally attacked by a homophobic mob while walking hand in hand in Rome on New Years Eve. The couple Stephano and Matteo was reportedly attacked around 1 a.m. in the citys Malatesta area, after which they had to walk to the nearest hospital because no ambulances were available. Related Court rejects Italian governments attempt to remove lesbian moms from birth certificates Its a small victory in the face of Prime Minister Georgia Melonis ongoing assault on LGBTQ+ parental rights. I managed to defend myself somehow, but I was attacked by 10 people in such a way that other boys wouldnt have survived, one of the victims told Italian LGBTQ+ media group Gaynet, according to a Google translation. 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 We have reported it and want our story to be an example. We want all of this to end; holding hands or exchanging a romantic look should be a normal gesture for everyone. We want to react to fear because living in fear of being yourself is not living.Gaynet president Roasrio Coco said the incident is the result of all those equality laws that are still missing, as Italy ranks a shameful 36th place on LGBTQIA+ equality in Ilga Europes Rainbow Map, as well as the worst parliamentary majority on civil rights that Italy remembers, from the disaster in family planning centers to the persecution of rainbow families and trans people.Solidarity is no longer enough, Coco added, and its never too late to admit having been wrong, or not having done enough. Italys conservative government has spent years stirring up homophobic hatred in the nation. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party and Italys first woman prime minister, was elected in late 2022 after making anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric a cornerstone of her campaign, opposing adoption by same-sex couples as well as marriage equality. She has called civil unions good enough for LGBTQ+ couples. The government has also been cracking down on the rights of LGBTQ+ parents and hasbegun strippingthose who are not genetically related of their legal rights.In October, the Italian Senate pushed forward the Wests most restrictive ban on international surrogacy, making it a crime punishable by prison time for Italians to use surrogates in another country. The move closed the door on same-sex couples last, best option to start a family in the country (Meloni had already banned both surrogacy and domestic or international adoption by same-sex couples in Italy).Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this week that the companys social media platforms will no longer have independent fact-checkers, a fact that internet trolls ran with to hilarious results. In a video posted on Tuesday, not only did Zuckerberg announce that he is rolling back fact-checking that kept Instagram, Facebook, and Threads from becoming a haven for hate speech and misinformation, but he said that he was planning to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump to oppose international regulations of social media companies after meeting with the MAGA leader at Mar-a-Lago and donating $1 million to his inauguration. Bluesky is look better everyday!Were going to simplify our content policies and get rid of a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse, he said. What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and its gone too far.Because Zuckerberg moral fortitude appears to be the equivalent of a used piece of gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe, this week Meta also announced that the social media juggernaut was making sweeping changes to its content moderation policies, granting users the ability to post hate speech about race, nationalities, ethnic groups, and of course, sexual orientation and gender identity, claiming that its doing this because these topics are often part of the political discourse. To the delight of Zuckerberg haters everywhere, people on the internet decided to troll the Meta founder and his newly fact-checking free social media platforms by posting the most outrageous and bonkers facts about him. These included outrageously hilarious lies about him and faux obituaries with fun facts like Zuckerberg having his head surgically removed, flown to an undisclosed location in Germany and Cryogenically frozen and dying after a longtime battle with werewolf gonorrhea. Yep, that checks out!Keep scrolling to see the funniest fake obituaries and facts clowning on Mark Zuckerberg. (@) "Now I don't know who to believe." (@) "Is it true, Mark? No fact checkers in place!" (@) "Important News: Mark Zuckerberg was found dead yesterday. Despite rumors that he had Corona and was dying of syphilis, I have it on good authority that he was mauled to death by an escaped albino tiger with only three legs & a bad eye. Do NOT fact check me. I have free speech." (@) "Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who died of a drug overdose in his Californian home today says it is not Facebooks role to be the arbiter of truth for everything people post online." (@) "BREAKING: shortly after announcing that he would eliminate fact-checking on his social media platform, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promptly divorced his wife of 13 years, Priscilla Chan, and married Emmy Award winner Jonathan Van Ness." (@) "Putting things to the test on instagram." (@) "Meta CEO and dog fucker Mark Zuckerberg has said that his platforms dont need fact-checkers. So to celebrate this win for free speech, we wanted to relive his best quotes." (@) 'At press time, Zuckerberg had reportedly died after a longtime battle with werewolf gonorrhea.' It was always going to bite him in the end."See on Instagram (@) "Shortly after announcing he would eliminate fact-checking on his social media platform, Mark Zuckerberg was found deceased in an under-aged Thailand brothel, where his head was then surgically removed, flown to an undisclosed location in Germany and Cryogenically frozen." (@) This is an updated version of the article: Mark Zuckerberg Dead at 36 Says Social Media Sites Should Not Fact Check Posts (@) "Just saw the news that Mark Zuckerberg Will Stop Fact Checking on his platforms. The response has been pretty funny lol" (@) "No more fact-checking, promises horse-f**ker Mark Zuckerberg." (@) "Fact check: Mark Zuckerberg is a doppelganger for my middle-aged lesbian neighbor." (@) "Someone told me they read on Meta that he had a large number of goats with him, many of them underaged. I think he will regret ending fact checking. It will backfire in his face."

The lawyer representing a Black transgender high school student who was stabbed while getting off a Houston, Texas, bus last month is calling for his clients assailant to be charged with a hate crime.According to KHOU, on December 22, 18-year-old Rue, who has been identified only by her first name, was getting off a METRO bus when a man, later identified as Joseph Fuerborn, asked to use her phone to make a call. Rue obliged, but when she asked of her phone back, Fuerborn reportedly refused and stabbed her three times, puncturing her lung. Related Police charge three teenagers in brutal beating of trans classmate. No hate crime charges. The victim said he was certain transphobia was involved, but police could not find enough evidence to support it. Fuerborn fled the scene, but was soon apprehended by police with the knife allegedly used to stab Rue still on him. 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 Rue spent the holidays in the hospital recovering from her injuries. She spoke to the media for the first time on January 3 outside the Harris County Criminal Courts Building.I thought I was gonna become one of those like my worst fears ever come true, the teen, who dreams of becoming a fashion designer, said. I thought my life was going to end before I even got to start it.Houston LGBTQ+ outlet OutSmart reported that police linked Fuerborn to another armed robbery, and he has been charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.According to KHOU, Rues attorney, Kevin Murray, wants Fuerborns charges upgraded to a hate crime. She didnt do anything in any way to have this attacker violate her person and stab her three times, Murray said. But as the station notes, incoming Harris County District Attorney Sean Teares office will ultimately determine whether Fuerborns intent and mindset warrant a hate crime upgrade. At the January 3 press conference, Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus Austin Ruiz told reporters that violence against trans people is all too common. As OutSmart noted, Black trans women are particularly at risk, with the Transgender Law Center reporting that 57 percent of all reported victims of fatal anti-trans violence in Texas between 2017 and 2020 were Black.In its November 2024 report on violence against transgender and gender-expansive people in the U.S., the Human Rights Campaign described a national state of emergency for the countrys trans community. According to the report, over 60 percent of all victims of fatal anti-trans violence identified since 2013 have been Black trans women, and Texas has seen more incidents of fatal anti-trans violence than any other U.S. state. As the report notes, the state has one of the most extensive slates of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the country.At a January 4 rally to raise awareness of violence against the trans community, Rue told KHOU that she hopes to be more involved following her ordeal.I just hope to be more safe, she said. Just for people to know that we arent here to harm anyone, I guess, and for people not to harm us.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Photo by Canva.Subscribe nowIn 2022, the highly effective HIV prevention drug regimen known as PrEP (short for preexposure prophylaxis) was dealt a narrow blow. In Texas, Reed OConnor, a federal judge known to rule conservatively, decreed that a handful of employers did not have to follow an Affordable Care Act (ACA) rule mandating 100% insurance coverage for preventive HIV measures like PrEP. The employers had argued that because PrEP was widely used by men who have sex with men (MSM), it violated the employers beliefs under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.One of the employers, Braidwood Management, is being represented by Gene Hamilton, who worked for the Trump administrations Justice Department and is now Vice President of America First Legal, a conservative public interest organization headed by Stephen Miller, who will serve as Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff for policy. On behalf of the employer, Hamilton argued that covering PrEP promoted homosexual behavior and violated his religious beliefs by making him complicit in encouraging those behaviors. After hearing the arguments, OConnor wrote in his decision that the employer has shown that the PrEP mandate substantially burdens its religious exercise.While the ruling only applies to the respondents in question, the Supreme Court announced last week that they will review part of the case that challenges the structure of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services that issues recommendations for preventive medical services. SCOTUS will determine whether the government, via the ACA, has the right to mandate 100% insurance coverage of recommended services like PrEP, along with a variety of other preventive services like cancer screenings and heart statins, at no cost to patients.Photo by Tony WebsterAs SCOTUS gets set to hear the case, advocates wait with bated breath, compounded by an incoming Trump administration and a GOP-led Congress packed with figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has spoken of the GOPs intention to cut numerous healthcare programs and has compared gay marriage to giving people the right to marry their pets or pedophiles the right to marry children.In November, Trump picked Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which comprises crucial agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Federal Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.Photo by Gage SkidmoreKennedy has not only spoken of massive cuts, dismissals, and changes across HHS agencies, but he has also called for an eight-year break in infectious disease research and has questioned the proven truth that HIV causes AIDS.In addition, he has also supported the views of notorious deniers that HIV causes AIDS, including Peter Duesberg, and wrote a glowing quote for Rebecca V. Culshaws book The Real AIDS Epidemic. Culshaws book is a denialist tract. In the introduction, she calls HIV drugs, which have saved millions of lives worldwide, toxic drugs being foisted on the Black and gay communities that constitute one of the worst medical violations of human rights since the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment.Subscribe for accountability journalism.These recent political developments have PrEP advocates concerned. "If we lose funding across various programs, we're not going to get anything done with continuing to advance PrEP access," says Jeremiah Johnson, executive director of PrEP4All, a group formed in 2018 that has been advocating for a federal government-run program that would make PrEP both free and accessible. "And now that we have a Republican trifecta in D.C., I'm fearful that all these funding streams are going to be targets."The PowerfulAnd UnevenPromise of PrEPSince its first daily oral version was approved in 2012, PrEPwhich, when adhered to, prevents one getting HIV by roughly 99%has played a key role in decreasing new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Diagnoses have dropped the most in states with the highest usage of PrEP, such as New York, California and Illinois. PrEP now comes in both branded and cheaper generic oral versions, as well as an every-other-month injectable, and it is seen as the tool most capable of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S."PrEP has been a game-changer," says John Meade, a senior program manager for policy at AVAC, an HIV prevention advocacy group, and a member of PrEP in Black America, a group of HIV experts and advocates devoted to increasing PrEP use among African Americans.Photo by Jeffrey BeallDespite these groups efforts, PrEP uptake has been starkly unequal. A 2022 CDC analysis found that 94% of white people in the U.S. who could benefit from PrEP (mostly MSM, HIV's largest risk group) have been prescribed it compared to 13% of Black people and 24% of Hispanic people who could benefit from the medication. These disparities exist even as Black and Hispanic MSM remain the groups with the highest rates of new HIV infections.There are geographic disparities as well: Liberal and affluent states have high rates of PrEP usage, whereas conservative and low-resource states, particularly in the Deep South, have far lower rates. A 2024 study found that usage ranged from 22% in New York to 4% in West Virginia.Parker Michels-Boyce for Uncloseted Media.In a recent Uncloseted Media investigation that looked at racial disparities and access to PrEP, the story of Dorian McCullera young gay Black man in Virginia who, having never heard of PrEP, was diagnosed with HIV on his 19th birthdayspoke to the dearth of awareness and understanding of PrEP among those who could most benefit from it. If I had known [about it], I wouldve gotten on PrEP, he said.That knowledge and readiness gap troubles Meade. "We not only have two branded versions, Truvada and Descovy, we also have generics and injectablesall the tools we need to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S., he says. The only challenge is getting it to the communities that need it mostthat's the missing piece of the puzzle.Its precisely due to the struggle to get PrEP to those who could most benefit from it that advocates nationwide are nervous about the incoming Trump administration, GOP-led Congress and right-majority Supreme Court. If we lose funding, were not going to get anything done, says Meade.Hard to Read the Tea Leaves At This PointCurrently, Meade says its difficult to know whats going to happen. The incoming Trump administration may stand behind PrEP and other prevention methods, such as expanded HIV testing. After all, it was the first Trump administration that initiated the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) effort, which Trump shouted out in his 2019 State of the Union address: My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years. Together, we will defeat AIDS in America.In addition, Trumps first administration rolled out some modest but not terribly effective measures to increase PrEP access. Although Trump scapegoated transgender people during his 2024 campaign and bragged about appointing the Supreme Court justices that brought down Roe v. Wade, hes never said anything indicating opposition to HIV prevention. With the exception of the case heading to SCOTUS, PrEP has not yet come under the intense right-wing backlash that has dealt various blows to reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare for trans minors, which has already been banned in 26 states.On the flip side, the incoming administration and Congress have also signaled clear intentions to cut or alter a variety of healthcare programs that deliver not only PrEP but a wide range of medical care, including Medicaid and the ACA, to countless Americans. And last year, the House of Representatives proposed $770 million in cuts to HIV-specific programs.The funding cuts were blocked by the Democratic-led Senate; however, as of this year, the Senate majority flips to the GOP. This time around, Republicans are talking about measures such as putting hard caps on Medicaid funding to states. This cutback would mean that many states that have already been lifting income caps for Medicaid in the past decade, increasing national Medicaid coverage for millions of people, may have to stop doing so.Such cuts would be a bitter comedown for HIV advocates from Bidens White House years. Supported by a Democratic-led Senate, the Biden administration made no substantial gains on HIV but still upheld most of the HIV advocacy communitys wishes, including awarding $17 million from HHS to 46 health centers nationwide to increase access to PrEP and other preventative measures. Perhaps most importantly, the Biden administration amplified and promoted core scientific knowledge that PrEP for HIV-negative people and medical viral suppression for HIV-positive people were key ways of ending the epidemic in the U.S.Uncloseted Media is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.But with the impending Republican trifecta, that status quo is on the line. Meade says that he hopes to avoid the worst cuts and changes by showing Republican lawmakers the direct impact HIV funding has on their districts. The GOP has to be 100% united to get cuts through, he says. So, I'm hoping that there are some reasonable folks on the [Republican] side of the aisle that will listen to constituents who say, 'I'm representing Georgia, or Alabama, that has some of the biggest HIV clinics and research institutions in the country, and those bring jobs to my state or district.' Maybe that will make some reps think twice before cutting these programs."Johnson says this current moment is particularly nerve-wracking. "It's difficult for us, right now, to fully prepare for what we could face because we don't know exactly what will happen this year. But we've seen bipartisan support for PrEP scale-up, so I'm hopeful that will continueand that we'll avoid any mis- or disinformation around PrEP."As for SCOTUS review of the ruling, it goes beyond PrEP to the larger question of whether the ACA has the right to make insurers fully cover an array of preventive services, such as: screenings for cancers, depression and other illnesses; immunizations; preventive medication for chronic conditions like heart disease; counseling on health behaviors related to weight management, alcohol and drug use; and prenatal testing."A pillar of the ACA is at risk here," says Jose Abrigo, HIV Project Director for the LGBTQ law nonprofit Lambda Legal, which is following the case closely but is not involved in it. "Preventative services are crucial to the nation's health," he says, adding that if SCOTUS rules broadly against full-coverage mandates within the ACA, "almost half the nation's healthcare is at risk."On the Eve of a BreakthroughNervousness about the future of PrEP funding is occurring on the eve of a massive breakthrough. Last year, drugmaker Gilead, whose drug Truvada was the first to be approved for PrEP in 2012, announced data showing that another of its drugs, an injectable called lenacapavir, was capable in large trials of completely preventing HIV with just two shots a year. The development was hailed as a bombshell breakthroughthe closest science has ever come to an HIV vaccine. It is widely believed that the FDA will allow the drug to come to market this year.However, if Gilead prices the drug exorbitantly, and if SCOTUS rules that the government doesn't have the power to mandate health plans with full coverage of PrEP, another blow would be dealt to HIV prevention.With all these potential forces arrayed against PrEP, advocates say that they will have to fight hard on both the federal and state level to retain as much government funding and support as possible. In D.C., Meade says advocates are waiting to see which lawmaker will step up to fill the HIV leadership vacuum created by the departure of longtime HIV-funding champion Rep. Barbara Lee as well as of Rep. Jenniffer Gonzlez-Clon, both of whom chaired the bipartisan Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, which advocates for HIV funding and programs in Congress."We also need someone on the Appropriations Committees to fight against cuts, Meade added, referencing the powerful subsections of the House and Senate that determine how much money is spent on what. Meade also urged anyone concerned with the future of PrEP funding, and healthcare funding in general, to consider joining a state or local healthcare advocacy group that conducts visits to lawmakers both in D.C. and in their district offices.Johnson says that the stakes are dire. "If we lose the funding we have, which is already insufficient, there's likely to be significant disruption to taking PrEP for a great many individuals, whether they're insured or not. And that will lead to more HIV infections, which will lead to additional healthcare costs for the American healthcare system. We're not going to be able to replicate this federal government infrastructure elsewhere if it's lost."At the same time, Johnson urges advocates to stay strong. "The sexual health needs of marginalized communities are always under attack. So, we need to continue doing what we always do, which is to put one foot in front of the other, assess the situation and come up with strategies that really work. We can't afford to let up on the gas now."If 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

South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon is opening up about his approach to his transgender character in the second season Squid Game.Netflixs hit thriller series drew criticism last month when it was revealed that the cisgender Park had been cast in the role of Hyun-ju, a former special forces soldier and transgender woman. Critics have long argued that apart from denying trans actresses work, casting cisgender men to play trans women reinforces the anti-trans perception that trans women are really men. That insidious belief is not only at the heart of efforts to deny trans women access to public bathrooms, changing rooms, and shelters, but can also lead to violence against them. Related Squid Game creator says it was impossible to cast a trans actor as season twos trans character Despite the problematic casting, a trans character in the South Korean show is considered monumental. While Park did not directly address the backlash, he noted in a January 8 interview with local reporters that he approached the role with caution, and consulted with actual trans people in an effort to make sure Hyun-ju would not come off as a caricature, according to Korea JoongAng Daily, the English language edition of South Korean daily newspaper JoongAng Ilbo. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today I never wanted to overdo the voice or exaggerate my gestures, and [Squid Game creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk] fully agreed with me on that, Park said. Since my natural voice is quite deep, I felt that altering it too much would undermine the emotional authenticity.Park went on to explain that he worked closely with Hwang and the shows costume and makeup teams to develop the characters look. But, he said, Hyun-jus short bangs were my idea.He also noted that in a particular scene, Hwang asked him to think about how Hyun-jus mother would have felt when she first learned about his characters sexuality.Hwang wanted that emotion to come through, but at the same time, didnt want to overdo it, Park said.Park also explained that Hwang had spotted his feminine side and saw the character in him in his performance as a grieving father in a 2021 episode of the South Korean anthology series KBS Drama Special. I was raised with two older sisters, so it was difficult not to be influenced by them growing up, Park said. But I had kept this feminine side of me hidden.Hwang, meanwhile, addressed criticism of his casting of Park late last month, telling TVGuide.com that while he initially intended to cast a transgender actress, there are close to no actors that are openly trans, let alone openly gay, because unfortunately in the Korean society currently the LGBTQ community is rather still marginalized and more neglected, which is heartbreaking.In a subsequent interview with Decider, Hwang explained why he felt it was important to include a trans character in the shows second season.I saw the people who come to join the games in Squid Game as people who are usually marginalized or neglected from society, and not just financially speaking, he said. Today, unfortunately, in Korean society, the gender minority is a group that is not as accepted widely within society. Which is why I created the character Hyun-ju as a male to female transgender woman.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

During times of national tragedy, our leaders (especially our presidents) attempt to bring together people of all backgrounds and political ideologies. They stand in front of a frightened and grieving nation to support the process of recovery, healing, and moving forward.We experienced the strong and unifying words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt throughout his tenure in the depths of the Great Depression and in the days leading up to World War II following a day that will live in infamy. Related Donald Trumps endless assault on our nation is exhausting. But complacency is not an option. We must learn from the past and imagine new waysofdefending our rights and our power. President George W. Bush strove to model a comforting reassurance and resolve directly following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, working to unify people of all political parties in mobilizing against the perpetrators. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Following the police shooting death of an unarmed Black boy, Treyvon Martin, PresidentBarack Obamashowed us a rare glimpse into his own pain as an opportunity to inform the nation of the realities of the Black experience in the United States.You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot. I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago, he said as he wiped away a tear.And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, theres a lot of pain around what happened here. I think its important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesnt go away.Throughout Bill Clintons presidency, he stood with self-assurance and poise in front of cameras in the White House press room so often following gun violence that many of us lost count. The role of Consoler-in-Chief has been virtually inscribed into the job description of the modern presidency. Only a few hours into 2025, a suspected terrorist plowed over scores of innocent and joyous New Years revelers down several blocks of Bourbon Street, a famous street in the New Orleans French Quarter. 14 individuals were killed, dozens more were injured, and two police officers were shot by the perpetrator, who was himself killed by additional officers at the scene.President Joe Biden, who has suffered several personal tragedies, showed his typical compassion in his initial statements after the carnage: I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury, Biden said. I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind.In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday, he continued. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nations communities. In his remarks on Truth Social, President-elect Donald Trump, gave a few appropriate remarks: Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!Unsurprisingly, Trump went on to exploit this tragedy to further divide the nation with xenophobic vitriol and blatant lies long before the facts of the case were released: When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before.FBI officials havedeterminedthat the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was a former member of the U.S. military from Texas, born and raised in the United States. The suspect was not an immigrant, and according to theFBI2024 Quarterly Crime Rates and Use-of-Force data report, crime rates have fallen: January through June 2023 and 2024 indicates reported violent crime decreased by 10.3%. Murder decreased by 22.7%, rape decreased by 17.7%, robbery decreased by 13.6%, and aggravated assault decreased by 8.1%. Reported property crime also decreased by 13.1%.Rather than stepping into the role of Consoler-in-Chief-elect, Donald Trump has continued in his ever-expanding role of Liar-in-Chief and Blamer-in-Chief.The president-elect continued on Truth Social (which, by the way, is neither truthful nor social): With the Biden Open Borders Policy I said, many times during Rallies, and elsewhere, that Radical Islamic Terrorism, and other forms of violent crime, will become so bad in America that it will become hard to even imagine or believe. Then his tone turned extremely nasty: That time has come, only worse than ever imagined. Joe Biden is the WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA, A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DISASTER. What he and his group of Election Interfering thugs have done to our Country will not soon be forgotten! MAGATrumpalso calledthe US a laughingstock all over the World!He claimed, The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself. While Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously announced that The only thing to fear is fear itself, Donald Trump has apparently turned this quote around to, During the next four years, the only thing we have to fear is Donald Trump himself in his words and actions.His threats of mass deportations (one of two of his major agenda proposals throughout his first presidential campaign, first term in office, and throughout his second and third campaigns) can more properly be called nasty-portations since they are based on a xenophobic, racist, and white nationalist platform.Trumps other primary agenda item of villainizing and dehumanizing Muslims has certainly gained steam with the latest apparent terrorist attacks in New Orleans and at his international hotel in Las Vegas. But to stereotype and scapegoat all followers of Islam for the events of 9/11 or the recent attacks is as invalid as blaming all Christians for the despicable actions perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber who was involved in the so-called Christian Identity movement. By contrast, our nation and world recently lost one of our greatest humanitarians, who spread love, compassion, and empathy in his work to establish peace and end suffering during his presidency and his 44 years after leaving the Oval Office.Jimmy Carter showed us what committed and effective public service truly can be. Though Carter was unique, he was not one-of-a-kind. Hopefully, his work will inspire others, inside and outside of public office, to follow his lead.Regretfully, the oldorangedog, Donald Trump, is incapable of learning the new tricks of developing compassion and empathy and repairing a severely divided nation.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A gay couple in Spain have sparked queer joy with their fairy tale engagement.Jose Casanova proposed to his fianc, actor, director, dancer, and Zumba instructor Cristian Brocal, during a Three Kings Day event in Beniel, a town in Spains Murcia region, while they were both dressed as Disney princes. Related The Little Mermaid was originally a love letter to the authors male crush The author of the original The Little Mermaid was bisexual and he wrote it after his male crush rejected him. On Monday, January 6, feminist LGBTQ+ collective Epntica Beniel shared a video on Instagram of the heartwarming moment, which came at the tail end of what appeared to be a flashmob style performance featuring participants dressed as classic Disney characters. As the performers take their bows, a woman dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast can be seen handing a red cushion to Casanova, who was dressed as the Beasts human counterpart, Prince Adam (Did anyone else know that character had an actual name?). Casanova then turns and approaches Brocal, dressed as Aladdin in his Prince Ali finery. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Brocal is visibly taken aback, halting mid bow as he realizes whats happening. After fumbling with a box on the cushion, Casanova kneels as Brocal nods. The two princes kiss and embrace as the crowd, including performers dressed as Princess Jasmine, Snow White, Ursula the Sea Witch, and the Queen of Hearts cheer and shower them with confetti.Because every boy and girl deserves to grow up with LGBTQ+ references in their stories, learning that love, in all its forms, is as real and brave as fairytales, the caption to Epntica Beniels post reads, according to Instagrams translation. Today we not only celebrate our commitment to a world where equal marriage is an unquestionable right, but also the fight for all public spaces, narratives, festivities, expression of desire and sexual liberation to belong to all people.May [children] grow up knowing that love and desire in all its forms is worthy of fairy tales with a happy ending but above all reality.Brocal responded to the post with a comment thanking the collective for sharing the moment.From this kid who always dreamed of his own fairytale ending, but always thought the story wasnt written for him, he wrote. I mean we ALL deserve a happy ending. And that its time to rewrite the tale.On Tuesday, Brocal reposted the clip to his own Instagram. We all deserve a fairytale ending, he wrote. But this is just the beginning.He went on to describe the proposal as the most magical moment I have ever experienced.I have no words, Brocal added. Just thanks to life, and thanks to you @josecasanova_1988. I couldnt be happier. All I can say is IM GETTING MARRIED!Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In a video interview with W magazine, actress Zoe Saldaa revealed that her first kiss was with a girl, along with her belief that girls are such better kissers.I think I must have been like 13, 14, the Emilia Prez star told the interviewer. I was that girl, like, lets play house, I was always telling my friends that, and thats why I wasnt invited to play at peoples houses. Related Karla Sofa Gascn becomes the first trans woman to win award for Best Actress at Cannes The Spanish actress dedicated the award to all trans people who suffer so much and must keep faith that changing is possible. So that was like, I was already kissing a whole bunch of girls by the time I was 13, 14, she continued. My first kiss though on an official relationship, I was almost 15. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She also opened up about her celebrity crushes growing up, which included Prince and Annie Lennox because there was just something androgynous about them. I love a woman thats masculine and a man that is feminine. I find that to be really sexy, she said. Saldaa has been married to her husband Marco Perego for over a decade. In 2013, she told Hollyscoop that as of today, Ive been attracted to the male species, but if one day I wake up and want to be with a woman, I will do that because it is my life, therefore it is my decision. The comments were a response to an interview with Allure from earlier that year in which Saldaa said she might end up with a woman raising my children thats how androgynous I am.When asked in that conversation if shes been in a relationship with another woman, she replied: Promise me one thing: Youre going to ask this question [in the article]if you choose to, just put three dots as my response. Thats it.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.