A win for trans youth in California and around the country comes after a state judge ruled that Chino Valley Unified School District must comply with the state law that protects trans youth from being forcefully outed in schools. In the court’s 50-page ruling, San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs determined Chino Valley’s policies were “discriminatory” based on prior case law. “The District could have adopted a policy which focused on the existing problems (bullying, mental health, psychological distress, any drastic behavior changes, etc.) instead of focusing on the protected group,” the ruling reads. According to LGBTQ Nation, earlier this…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
State Senator Sarah McBride from Delaware is inching closer to becoming the first trans member of Congress after winning the primary for the only Delaware state seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. McBride won the Democratic primary by a landslide last week beating her competitors, including Earl Cooper and Elias Weir according to NBC. McBride first came onto the scene with her historic November 2020 win, when she became the first transgender state senator, beating out Republican candidate Steve Washington to represent Delaware’s 1st Senate District. This win puts McBride on track to win the general election that will replace…
Though there are many politicians, public figures, and hate groups campaigning against the existence of trans people, few have been as consistent and disappointing as author J.K. Rowling. After writing seven young adult novels called Harry Potter (you may have heard of them), and a few other books under an alias, Rowling is worth a whopping £820 million. After the books became movies throughout the earlier aughts, Rowling’s fantasy world of witchcraft and wizardry blew up, it turned into a theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando and series that children and adults would read and watch for years to…
As states continue to censor any mention of LGBTQ+ identities in educational and public spaces, a teacher who got fired for reading an LGBTQ+ book is receiving help from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 16 states. LGBTQ Nation reported last week that two amicus briefs were filed by the DOJ and 16 different state attorneys general after a Georgia teacher was fired from her post at a public school for reading the book “My Shadow is Purple” by Scott Stuart to her class at Due West Elementary School in March of 2023. The book, which was included in the selection at…
As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues his censorship rampage in schools, public libraries and elsewhere, best-selling author John Green and major publishing houses have filed a lawsuit in return. In August, several authors and publishing houses filed a federal complaint against law HB 1069 that simplifies the process of banning books that contain “sexual conduct” or “pornographic” content. Big five publishers Harper Collins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Hachette, along with SourceBooks, John Green, and author Julia Alvarez all complained that the bill violates their First Amendment rights. The Florida Department of Education told reporters the lawsuit was…
This year, thousands of people gathered in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, for the largest Pride parade the city has seen. The celebrations ensued peacefully with the protection of a heavy police presence, according to Washington Blade. In previous years, the parade had been canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ+ protestors threatened the safety of those in attendance. Those who marched urged the Serbian government to pass new laws to protect LGBTQ+ rights and to also move forward on a “long-promised” same-sex partnership law. The Pride parade journeyed past the Serbian parliament building where a rally was led by parade organizers who read their list…
LGBTQ students in New Hampshire are applauding the state’s Supreme Court ruling that upholds a Manchester School District policy on students’ pronoun preferences and respecting their privacy. The case was brought to court by an anonymous mother of a student in the Manchester School District. The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, brought forth the case claiming that respecting pronouns and students’ rights to privacy had “infringed on her ability to properly parent her child,” according to LGBTQ Nation. The court decided that Doe couldn’t prove that the school’s policy truly infringed upon a fundamental parenting right. The court wrote that…
Kenya’s largest LGBTQ+ organization GALCK+ is partnering with dating app Grindr to provide users with important information about their rights. GALCK+ is Kenya’s coalition of 16 LGBTQ rights groups “built on acceptance, inclusion and empowerment,” according to their website. The team announced their partnership in early August as a part of the Grindr for Equality initiative. Grindr for Equality includes wide-ranging initiatives that impact communities large and small on issues that matter to them the most: safety, sexual health, advocacy, and more. Grindr believes right now is the time to mobilize, inform, and empower queer communities around the world. In July, Grindr…
The weight of the upcoming presidential election seems to loom larger everyday. For many Democrats and social justice advocates, Kamala Harris is the more attractive candidate, but just where does she stand on LGBTQ+ rights? And what can the queer community expect should she take office? The ACLU, a known human rights group, recently published an article entitled “Why a Harris Presidency promises hope for LGBTQ rights.” They argue that during Biden’s term, the Biden-Harris administration has made LGBTQ rights an integral part of its agenda, suing states to block anti-trans laws and policies and making attempts to get the…
Research from Out Leadership indicates that LGBTQ+ employees face a glass ceiling in the workplace, making it harder to climb corporate ladders and set new expectations for representation. The study has found that less than one percent of 5,670 boardroom seats at Fortune 500 companies are filled by LGBTQ+ directors. This is according to an annual list published by Fortune magazine, ranking the largest 500 corporations in the US by total revenue. Pink News brings attention to notable queer corporate leaders such as Tim Cook of Apple, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Tara Bunch of Airbnb. However, beyond these names, there…
A new state policy in Texas has barred transgender residents from changing the sex listed on their driver’s licenses. An internal email from the Department of Public Safety found that if a trans person presented the state of Texas with a certified court order or an amended birth certificate, the gender marker on their license still cannot be altered with the exception of a clerical error. The new policy, according to investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy, was instituted, quietly last week and is currently in effect. McGaughy posted the news to X last week, and received comments from transgender residents claiming the…
Two Democratic U.S. Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently asking that the STI treatment doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) be free on insurance plans. California Reps. Robert Garcia and Barbara Lee’s request asked that doxy PEP be designated under the same ranking as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, an HIV treatment taken ahead of potential exposure to HIV. After making PrEP essential free on insurance plans for Americans, a significant reduction in HIV rates was seen, according to LGBTQ Nation. Garcia said in a statement, “Surging STIs are disproportionately impacting LGBTQ+ individuals. We must ensure…
Pope Francis denounced Uganda’s oppressive “Kill the Gays” law in meeting with African gay rights activists recently.Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), has been called the “Kill the Gays” law because of the severity of its punitive actions for those accused of homosexuality. Pope Francis met with activist Clare Byarugaba, and can be seen in a video posted to X greeting her with a broad smile and shaking her hand as the two prepared to engage in a discussion about LGBTQ+ rights in her country. According to LGBTQ Nation, Byarugaba acts as the equality and non-discrimination program officer for the civil liberties group…
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has all the makings to be a great Vice President of the United States of America. He served a total of 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring in 2005, and has since advocated for veterans after being elected to the U.S. House. He also worked as a school teacher and football coach at a public school in Minnesota before he became a Congressman and governor. Though Walz holds plenty of progressive stances, he also plays both sides of the fence, being a gun owner, football fan, and military vet, traits that will undoubtedly…
The 2024 Paris Olympics highlighted the contributions and achievements of many outstanding LGBTQ Athletes from around the world. LGBTQ athletes competed across various categories and represented and panoply of countries. Some showed their swag competing in track and field events, some cut it up on the dance floor during the break dance finals, some took the gold in fencing, judo, rugby or BMX, but all brought their best. Here are some queer athletes who took home medals this summer. Let’s start with rugby. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and her New Zealand team won gold for the second time, beating Canada. Meanwhile, Canada’s…
New research published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that twice-yearly injections of the drug Lenacapavir could offer complete protection from HIV. According to reports from Them, the research provides findings from a randomized trial of more than 5,000 cisgender women in South Africa and Uganda, conducted by drug developer, Gilead Sciences. The study found that 2,134 participants who took Lenacapavir every 26 weeks had avoided acquiring HIV by the end of the trial period. Contrastingly, 55 infections were reported by other groups who used PrEP as an alternative preventive measure. “The injection has been hailed as…
The newest Miss USA was crowned this past weekend, and though a trans woman competed for the title and didn’t win, her participation in the contest marks a huge win for trans representation. Winning the competition was Alma Cooper, who competed under her former title of Miss Michigan USA. She will now move on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. Cooper is a 22-year-old U.S. Army officer https://youtu.be/j_VdMOElFXk?feature=shared Though she didn’t win the Miss USA contest, the trans contestant Bailey Anne Kennedy made history with her Miss Maryland USA win in June. Not only was she one of the first…
A record number of LGBTQ athletes are competing in the current summer Olympics in Paris, however, one boxer from Algeria is being hated for being trans…but she’s not even trans. Yes, it’s another ridiculous ploy by conservatives to troll the LGBTQ+ community gone wrong, because pro-boxer Imane Khelif has been in a swath of media controversy over her gender eligibility criteria ahead of the games. Talk about Khelif’s gender identity has been swirling in a constant spur of hate on social media, an issue which has also affected Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, according to USA Today. Debate over whether or not…
As conservative lawmakers around the country call for divestment from diversity, equity and inclusion programs, some companies are making cuts to their DEI teams. DEI has been a hot button topic as the 2024 presidential race unfolds. New Republican VP elect, JD Vance has openly opposed DEI, proposing bills to deconstruct federal DEI programs just last month. What’s the driving force? State legislatures, including those in Utah, Florida and Texas have given the OK to DEI bans in high education. Working in tandem is the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action programs in college admissions. Corporate giants rushed to…
This year’s London Trans+ Pride saw tens of thousands of people take to the city streets to celebrate trans life and advocate for trans rights. With an attendance of around 60,000 people, the parade was a huge success. According to Pink News, Trans+ Pride co-founder Lewis G Burton said they were immeasurably proud of the turnout, calling the event “powerful and poignant” at this moment of strife for the trans community. The event was a beacon of hope for the U.K.’s trans community considering it was just last year when a Trans Rights Map published by Transgender Europe analyzed policies…
Same-sex couples around the world have been seeking to adopt children for decades, but the road hasn’t always been easy, and many roadblocks prevent LGBTQ+ couples from providing safe and loving homes to children who need them. A Barron’s report indicates that less than 40 countries allow same-sex couples to adopt children. These countries are most often the same countries that allow same-sex marriage or civil partnerships. The Netherlands made history in 2001 as the first country in the world to allow same-sex couples to adopt. Now around 22 European countries have done so, along with nine countries in the…
What teams are you cheering on at The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris? According to OutSports, at least 155 out athletes from 25 countries around the world are competing in many categories, including basketball, field hockey, gymnastics, tennis, volleyball, and more. Big names competing this year include track star Sha’Carri Richardson, trans nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz, and British diver Tom Daley. Hiltz made history as she qualified for the games this year, finishing in record time for a 1500m race in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials. “I wanted to run this one for my community,” they told OutSports. “All…
The 76th annual Emmy Awards nominees were announced recently and this year’s list includes many LGBTQ actors in a diverse range of categories and shows. Actors nominated include Jodie Foster for her lead role in True Detective: Night Country, Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer for Fellow Travelers, Nava Mau for Baby Reindeer, Bowen Yang for SNL and Holland Taylor for The Morning Show. Fan favorites include Andrew Scott, nominated for his role in Ripley, and nonbinary and indigenous actor Lily Gladstone for Under the Bridge. Another indigenous and two-spirit nominee Kali Reis was acknowledge for her role in True Detective:…
New findings from Booking.com have found that LGBTQ+ travelers seek inclusivity and acceptance when traveling. Data shows that around 59% of LGBTQ+ travelers experience discrimination during their travels, and an additional 50% agree that identifying as LGBTQ+ has made them “more insecure and self-conscious as a traveler” according to TravelPulse. The same data finds that around 56% of LGBTQ travelers are considering their destination’s local legislation on marriage equality prior to booking, with 53% considering whether that destination is more or less accepting of queer people than their home country. With the release of this data, Booking.com also announces a…
While life for trans people in places like the U.K. and U.S. is fraught with many challenges, some places in the world offer better quality of life for trans residents. According to Pink News, Britain has seen near constant attacks on trans people “whether it’s politicians not letting up on their attacks against trans people or the Cass Report spelling uncertainty for the future, the transgender community in Britain has had it tough over the past decade.” Luckily, there are some shining alternatives to the U.K. and U.S. around the world where trans people can live out and proud, but…
Netflix has debuted their first ever gay romance reality television series called “The Boyfriend.” The LGBTQ+ inclusive show is set in a beach house on Tateyama, Japan, which the show dubs the “Green Room.” Here, cameras follow nine men from different career and life backgrounds on a month-long journey to find love and develop new friendships. The trailer reveals that the nine men are housed together on a beach for one month and given the task of managing a coffee truck to help bond them as they get to know one another. It also reveals relationships and friendships unfolding between…
People all across the USA want to know who J.D. Vance is after Donald Trump announced him as his pick to be Vice President. According to the Human Rights Campaign, the US Senator of Ohio has stated he “strongly disagreed” that LGBTQ+ people should be protected from discrimination. He also spoke out against Biden’s Marriage Equality Act, and has voice support on barring victims of rape and incest from access to abortion care. Throughout his term as a Senator, Vance has voted against progressive bills including one that would codify access to IVF, and he has said that he would back…
A new study has found that in spite of popular conservative belief, gender-affirming surgeries for minors are extremely rare. The study published on Thursday by the online Journal of the American Medical Association pulled U.S. medical data from 2019 to assess the rates of gender-affirming surgeries consistent with a gender dysphoria diagnosis as well as those without. Intersex individuals who underwent surgery, and all other surgeries conducted due to illness or injury were excluded from the final data, which found only 150 cases of a minor receiving a “gender-affirming surgery” in 2019. However, of the 150 discovered, 146 (or 97%)…
Keir Starmer became the newest prime minister of the U.K. after a recent general election that brought the social democratic Labour party into prominence. But where does Starmer stand on LGBTQ+ rights? The U.K. has received a lot of flack recently for being one of the worst places for LGBTQ+, particularly trans people, to live. After the election, the Labour party officially holds 411 of 650 seats in the House of Commons. This means Starmer and the Labour party are taking their place as the majority in the U.K. for the first time in 14 years, but what does this…
Though a majority of the U.S.’s most popular Pride celebrations took place in June, the fun continues both domestically and abroad. If you’re still looking to celebrate Pride this year, head to sunny California to attend Pride in San Diego on July 20-21, or pack your bags for Silicon Valley Pride August 24-25. Also yet to occur is the ever-colorful New Orleans Pride, which is set for August 29 – September 2. In Phoenix, Arizona, Pride is on October 19th and 20th. Fun also awaits across the pond in Europe with Amsterdam Pride, slated for July 27 through August 4.…