Supreme Court saves marriage equality while Tammy Baldwin stands up for health care
Supreme Court refuses to take Kim Davis appeal to overturn marriage equalityWhat she was asking for: Kim Davis, a county clerk from Kentucky, has been involved in a lawsuit for a decade now after her refusal to issue same-sex couples marriage licenses. This summer, she asked the Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality because, she said, it infringed on her freedom of religion.Why it matters: Marriage equality is safe for another year. Kim Davis tried to get the Supreme Court to stop marriage equality. They just shut her down. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The Olympics will likely completely ban trans women from the 2028 Summer GamesWhat this changes: The International Olympic Committee previously had a stringent policy on trans womens participation in womens sports, so strict that no trans women competed at the 2024 Summer Games. But it appears that the committee is looking towards implementing a total ban, perhaps to comply with the presidents call to ban trans women from the Olympics.Why it matters: A return to sex testing at the Olympics could hurt a lot of people. Olympics expected to introduce ban on trans women athletes by 2028 summer games Expert estimates that the administration has killed 600,000 people since January, just with USAID cutsWho said it: Atul Gawande, the former head of USAID, which administered Americas foreign humanitarian aid, called the current administrations cuts to foreign aid a public man-made death. He was referring to nearly 200,000 adult and over 400,000 child deaths, many of which were due to HIV/AIDS after the U.S. cut off funding for HIV medications.Why it matters: Those deaths were easily preventable. Former USAID chief says Trump responsible for 600,000 dead since January Trans Air Force members sue after they were denied retirement benefitsWhat happened: The Air Force told trans servicemembers that they could get early retirement benefits if they voluntarily left the Air Force. After their retirements were approved and they left, the Air Force denied them retirement benefits.Why it matters: The trans military ban is a costly policy, but the country is supposed to live up to its promises to all service members. The Air Force revoked trans servicemembers retirements. Theyre fighting back. The only LGBTQ+ senator tried to protect health care for Americans until the bitter endWhat she did: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) opposed the small group of Democrats who joined Republicans in reopening the government without securing funding for credits that help working-class people get health care, so she filed an amendment to extend those credits and argued for it.Why it matters: Health care is about to get a lot more expensive for some people because this measure failed. Access to health care has always been one of Sen. Baldwins top issues. Tammy Baldwin tried to save affordable health care subsidies. Republicans stopped her. In picturesPalm Springs, California, celebrated Pride last weekend, making it one of the last cities in the U.S. to host Pride festivities this year. Here are some pictures from the event.Crowds of people walk along Palm Canyon Drive during Pride Festival in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., on Sunday, November 9, 2025. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK Desert Winds Freedom Band Drum Major Rory Slikker marches in the annual Palm Springs Pride Parade in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., on Sunday, November 9, 2025.Scenes from the annual Palm Springs Pride Parade along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., on Sunday, November 9, 2025. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK Kaziah Strickland walks in the annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., on Sunday, November 9, 2025. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORKDanity Zann walks in the annual Palm Springs Pride Parade along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., on Sunday, November 9, 2025. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK And here are some interesting queer and trans readsLGBTQ Nation columnist Faefyx Collington explains how last weeks elections were less a repudiation of anti-trans politics and more a sign of the president losing his grip on the electorate. Anti-trans Republicans lost last week. Donald Trump doesnt care. LGBTQ Nation contributor Drew Sitton talked to a trans man about how his mother was a fierce advocate for him getting the care he needed growing up. You said that to the wrong damn mama: How one moms fight for her trans son became a movement LGBTQ Nation editor-in-chief Alex Bollinger explains how the right hasnt just diluted the term groomer but often doesnt even care about children who are abused. Everything is grooming now except for actually grooming children Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.