CVS Health is refusing to provide coverage for groundbreaking HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, claiming it’s too expensive. Though the producing drug company, Gilead, claims to still be negotiating the price with CVS, the pharmacy benefit manager claims it will not provide coverage through commercial plans nor the Affordable Care Act, according to reports from Advocate. David Whitrap, a CVS spokesperson, told Reuters that the decision was based on “clinical, financial and regulatory factors.” Despite this, lenacapavir, also known generically as Yeztugo, has been proven nearly 100 percent effective. Advocate reports the cost of the drug for CVS would be around…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
Washington state is supporting LGBTQ+-owned small businesses with a new program that helps proprietors establish contracts with state agencies. The new program, dubbed the LGBTQ Business Enterprise, comes from the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises and Governor Bob Ferguson and offers free certifications to businesses. “It’s a particularly important moment to show our support as a state for the LGBTQ community,” Ferguson said. “Washington state has a thriving, diverse business community,” said Ferguson in a news release. “This program ensures we are recognizing and supporting our LGBTQ business owners.” Tim Kenney, communications director at the Office of Minority…
It’s been ten years since same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S., and though the Trump Administration may try to stop it, the love is only spreading. A new study reveals that LGBTQ+ couples want to get married more than ever before. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that LGBTQ+ people under the age of 50 are more likely to want to get married in the future compared to projections from over a decade ago prior to same-sex marriage being legalized via the Obergefell v. Hodes Supreme Court decision. Pew Research Center published their findings recently and they revealed…
LGBTQ+ owned businesses and bars are suffering in the face of Donald Trump’s federal takeover in Washington, D.C. as customers are staying home. Ever since Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to police Washington, the heavy police and military presence has struck fear in the city’s residents. According to Advocate, residents are bringing their passport and identification documents just to walk to work. Mark Rutstein, co-owner of Crush Dance Bar told the outlet “this whole thing is being billed as a violent crime crackdown, but it’s just an immigration sweep.” Rutstein reports the visible presence of law enforcement not only…
Governor Maura Healey has signed a law that enshrines protections for gender-affirming care and abortion in the state of Massachusetts. The new law dubbed “Shield 2.0” will strengthen protections surrounding reproductive rights and gender-affirming for health care providers and their patients. The law will also protect sensitive data, including doctor or patient names from being disclosed in cases of reproductive and gender-affirming care, and prohibits Massachusetts-based authorities from working with federal and out-of-state health care investigations. It also protects abortions that are medically necessary in emergency cases. In addition, the law directs the Department of Public Health to create a…
The world’s first Gonorrhea vaccine will be administered by the National Health Service in England. The vaccine will be available to those with a history of multiple sexual partners or those with a diagnosed STI in the past 12 months. According to BBC, the vaccine is 30-40% effective, but as the number of infections in the country climbs, the NHS hopes transmission will decrease with more vaccinations. The BBC reports there were over 85,000 cases of gonorrhea in 2023 and that It is one of the most common STI’s. Despite the hopes of the NHS, the choice to get vaccinated…
The mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karacsony, is facing a year in prison for allegedly aiding in the planning of the city’s LGBTQ+ Pride march in late June, following a ban on the event by Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Despite Orbán’s bans, Budapest Pride saw its largest turnout in history this year when between 200,000-300,000 people attended the march, including politicians from other E.U. member states. According to reports from BBC, Karacsony attended the protest wearing a rainbow T-shirt featuring the Budapest coat of arms. On Friday, he told supporters at Hungary’s National Bureau of Investigation “Neither freedom nor love…
Saint Lucia’s ban on homosexuality has been declared unconstitutional by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in a historic ruling for the LGBTQ+ community. The court found Saint Lucia’s “buggery” and “gross indecency,” laws enshrined in sections 132 and133 in the nation’s Criminal Code, unconstitutional. These laws punished consensual male sexual relationships with up to ten years in prison, and those convicted of attempting to “commit buggery” were also in danger of facing a prison sentence of up to five years according to LGBTQ Nation. Though the law wasn’t strictly enforced, the Human Dignity Trust claims the “mere existence of this provision…
London’s Trans+ Pride 2025 saw the largest turnout in its history with over 100,000 people participating. This year’s march theme was “Existence and Resistance,” likely in response to the U.K. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex instead of gender identity in non-discrimination laws. Following the ruling, the country’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued guidance claiming trans women “should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities” in workplaces, or public-facing service buildings including hospitals. LGBTQ Nation reports, Trans+ Solidarity Alliance – a group that participated in the…
A federal judge granted plaintiffs a restraining order temporarily blocking restrictions that the Trump Administration put on grants given to organizations which serve survivors of sexual and domestic violence, LGBTQ+ youth, and unhoused people. The decision was made by Rhode Island District Judge Melissa DuBose as she presided over the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence v. Kennedy case. The case was brought to court by a coalition of national organizations serving these marginalized populations, and challenged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as well as the Department of Housing and…
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has changed athlete eligibility rules to ban transgender women from sporting events. The committee updated its “Athlete Safety Policy” to read “The USOPC is committed to protecting opportunities for athletes participating in sport. The USOPC will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities, e.g., IOC, IPC, NGBs, to ensure that women have fair and safe competition environments consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act.” The executive order referenced is also known as the “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports” order. It was issued…
Germany’s pride month celebrations were accompanied by alt-right backlash and lack of support from the country’s leaders this year. In late June, German parliament president Julia Klöckner banned rainbow flags from being raised atop the legislature’s building during pride. Lawmakers have also been directed to remove rainbow flags and stickers from office doors. Klöckner has also banned parliamentary public servants from attending Pride in any official capacity, according to reports from NPR. She has justified her policy changes with her goal of remaining “neutral” even “if that sometimes hurts,” Tagesschau reports. Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed Klöckner’s decision not to raise…
As Americans age, many consider moving to retirement homes where they can have easy access to resources they need such as cleaning services, cafeteria’s, clubhouses, and more. But for aging LGBTQ+ Americans, feeling safe in these communities can make or break the experience. As a result, in recent years senior living communities and retirement homes for aging LGBTQ+ individuals have been on the rise. According to SAGE – an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ elders – senior members of the LGBTQ+ community still face threats of discrimination in these environments that are meant to be safe. The organization estimates that…
A new mandate from the Trump administration requires that all federal agencies in the executive branch eliminate gender identity recognition and alter policies and practices to reinforce a rigid binary definition of gender by mid-August. On July 10, in a memorandum to executive branch department heads, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) instructed agencies to apply the beliefs of Trump’s draconian Executive Order 14168, or “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” The memorandum ordered these departments to abandon gender-inclusive policies and DEI programs, and to adopt a binary-based definition of sex.…
Boynton Beach, Florida has painted over an LGBTQ+ rainbow crosswalk after receiving orders from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Trump Administration. The South Florida city’s LGBTQ+ friendly intersection at East Ocean Avenue and Southeast First Street, which was unveiled in June 2021 according to Pink News, was recorded being painted-over by a road crew last week, but reappeared almost immediately in an act of protest from the city’s queer community. The state and federal government didn’t just target Boynton Beach’s rainbow crosswalks, but all rainbow crosswalks statewide. In a statement, city officials said the act of erasure was “to ensure…
The government-run Stonewall National Monument website has erased mentions of bisexuality, inciting backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. The erasure of bisexuality from the site follows changes made earlier this year that wiped all mentions of trans people from the site, despite the fact that the famous Stonewall Riots were led by trans women. According to Them, as of late last week the page dedicated to the monument on the National Park Service reads: “Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a gay or lesbian person was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the…
A same-sex couple in Ukraine has been officially recognized as a family in a historic court decision. The plaintiffs Zoryan Kis, secretary of Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel, and his partner Tymur Levchuk were married in the U.S. in 2021 and have lived together since 2013, according to LGBTQ Nation. Kis and Lechuk have made multiple attempts to be officially recognized as a family. Last year, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry refused to acknowledge them as family and denied Levchuk spousal rights to accompany Kis on a diplomatic posting in Tel Aviv. This led the couple to file a legal complaint. The couple…
LGBTQ+ families pack your bags for Provincetown’s annual Family Week hosted by Family Equality from July 26 to August 2. This fun-filled week unites families from across the country and beyond for story-telling, community-building, educational sessions, beachside fun, and a Family Pride Parade. Family Equality, a nonprofit advocating for LGBTQ+ families collaborates with COLAGE for this special event, the largest celebration of queer families in the world. This Ptown tradition began over 30 years ago and has grown from just a few participating families to more than 600 expected in 2025. “In a world that can feel heavy, Family Week…
North Carolina’s Democratic governor has vetoed multiple anti-diversity bills, including those that would block gender affirming care for some citizens. Governor Josh Stein has recently blocked bill H.B. 805, which would ban the state from funding gender-affirming care for transgender prison inmates. It would also require that the state retain a copy of a trans person’s original birth certificate, even if they have their gender marker changed. According to LGBTQ Nation, the bill included language suggesting there are only two genders. The bill was introduced as a bipartisan measure to require age verification for adult website use. However, WPDE reported…
Students in Texas are protesting the state’s latest “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, which bans discussion of LGBTQ+ identity in classrooms and student clubs, as well as preventing school employees from acknowledging student identities. After being sponsored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation on Friday. The package, dubbed “Bill of Parental Rights,” will cut back DEI discussions and initiatives in schools and classrooms, and will provide “opt-out” options for students in everything from health education to library access and bilingual education, according to LGBTQ Nation. The bill essentially curtails students’ access to a full education, under the…
A high court in India ruled that Indian law cannot deny transgender women recognition as women solely based on their inability to bear children. The Andhra Pradesh High Court issued the landmark ruling on June 16, in a historic win for India’s trans community. Presiding over the case was Justice Venkata Jyothirmai Pratapa, who rejected arguments that tied womanhood to ability to reproduce. Pratapa declared these views as “legally unsustainable” according to the Washington Blade. She also argued that this idea does not align with the Indian constitution guarantees of dignity, equality, and identity. “A trans woman, born male and later transitioning…
Idaho has passed a new bill that bars school teachers from displaying signs with messages like “Everyone is Welcome Here” in their classrooms. Last week, H.B. 41, a bill which bans school employees from displaying flags or banners that reflect “opinions, emotions, beliefs or thoughts about politics, economics, society, faith or religion,” went into effect. The bill reflected a phenomenon happening in school districts throughout the state. In March, various outlets reported on West Ada School District’s decision to ask teacher Sarah Inama to remove signs in her classroom that read “Everyone is Welcome Here,” and showed a drawing of…
A federal judge ruled that transgender and intersex people can acquire passports marked with their preferred gender identity despite the Trump administration’s policy banning citizens from using “X” as a gender marker or changing their gender. The district judge – Julia Kobick – expanded upon an order she issued in April, preventing Trump’s executive order from being enforced. Initially, the ruling barred the enforcement of the passport policy only for six plaintiffs involved in the case. This mandated that the State Department issue passports to participating plaintiffs with their chosen gender marker. Now, her new ruling extends the right to…
Researchers in Australia have discovered technology to make viruses visible in white blood cells using mRNA, a breakthrough that could lead to a cure for HIV. Researchers at Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne figured out how to get HIV-detecting forms of mRNA into cells donated by HIV patients, according to LGBTQ Nation. Scientists wrapped the mRNA in a coat of lipid nanoparticles, a technique that was first used to create COVID-19 vaccines. Today, almost 40 million people with HIV must take medication for the rest of their lives. Statistics from UNAids suggested that in 2023, one…
This year, Budapest, Hungary saw the largest turnout for Pride in its history, all in the face of a 2025 ban on Pride celebrations by the country’s conservative prime minister Viktor Orbán. Budapest Pride saw over 200,000 participants this year marking 30 years of pride celebrations in the European city. Each participant attended in spite of potential police intervention, heavy fines, and a year in prison, according to AP. Earlier this year, Hungary’s lawmaking bodies passed a draconian law making holding a public Pride event a criminal offense, according to Outright International. The bill got pushed through quickly thanks to initiatives…
Oregon’s House of Representatives passed a bill last week meant to protect books authored by LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized groups from being banned for discriminatory reasons. Senate Bill 1098, passed by a 34-21 vote and now heads to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk where it’s predicted she will sign it. When enacted, the law will prohibit school libraries from removing or banning books or other materials because they “include a perspective, study or story of, or are created by, any individual or group against whom discrimination is prohibited under” the state’s anti-discrimination in education law, according to the Oregon Capital…
A lesbian military vet has been elected mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Gina Ortiz Jones, who served as United States Under Secretary of the Air Force during President Joe Biden’s administration will be San Antonio’s new mayor. A Filipina American, she became the first lesbian and first woman of color to hold the position. In a recent runoff election Jones beat Rolando Pablos, former Texas secretary of state with 54.3% to Pablos’ 45.7%. Ortiz Jones’ career was an upward spiral. In the Air Force, she served as an intelligence officer in Iraq under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Leaving the Air…
Universities in Ohio have announced that they are shutting down their LGBTQ+ centers to comply with a recent state ban on DEI initiatives. Ohio’s Senate Bill 1 will go into effect on June 27 and according to Advocate it imposes not only DEI ban in higher education, but also limits ability to “endorse or oppose, as an institution, any controversial belief or policy, except on matters that directly impact the institution’s funding or mission of discovery, improvement, and dissemination of knowledge.” It would also prohibit faculty strikes and limit classroom discussions, according to AP News. The bill was signed by…
As Pride month kicked into high gear throughout the nation, the Texas state legislature passed a bill to ban school clubs meant to support LGBTQ+ students. The new bill will prohibit schools from authorizing or sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Those who supported the bill claim it puts control back into the hands of parents. Senate Bill 12, introduced by Sen. Brandon Creighton also targets DEI policies in schools. If it is signed by the governor, it will become law starting on Sept. 1. According to Newsweek, the bill’s passage “marks a significant escalation in…
Paris has unveiled a memorial in the city’s public gardens near the Bastille recognizing the long-ignored LGBTQ+ victims of the Nazi regime. The monument, a massive steel star created by French artist Jean-Luc Verna (hopes to ignite reflection on the public’s duty to remember the past and continue to fight discrimination, according to Paris’ Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Verna described the star’s symbolism saying: “There’s a black side in front of us, forcing us to remember…at certain times of the day, it casts a long shadow on the ground, evoking the dangers looming over [us], sadly.” On the opposite side of…