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…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
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…
A PBS affiliate television station out of New York has removed educational programs from its archives featuring transgender identities and drag expression. The station in question, WNET removed three educational TV episodes discussing transgender identity and drag. WNET hosts an educational program entitled “Let’s Learn” which was investigated by the House Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency this spring. Episodes that were scrutinized included “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish” in which a drag queen and children’s author Lil Miss Hot Mess sang about drag performances to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.” According to The Intercept, subcommittee chair,…
Officials from all over Europe plan to march in Budapest Pride on June 28 to remind the country’s conservative lawmakers that Pride is a protest. According to LGBTQ Nation, the EU officials are protesting a new law passed in Hungary this spring banning Pride events. The new draconian legislation officially makes holding a public Pride event a criminal offense according to Outright International. The bill was pushed through hastily thanks to an initiative from nationalist-populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that imposes crackdowns on civil rights throughout the country leading up to the 2026 general elections. It passed with a wide…
A Moscow court has fined tech giant Apple for violations of Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda laws in four separate cases. According to LGBTQ Nation, these cases are the first brought against the company under President Vladimir Putin’s harsh anti-LGBTQ+ laws which were expanded in 2023 to prohibit the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations.” In recent years, Putin has claimed the LGBTQ+ movement is evidence of “moral decay in Western countries.” Apple was found guilty of four administrative offenses and fined around $130,483 in four separate cases handled by Moscow’s Tagansky Court. According to Reuters, the root of each case remains unknown…
Under the Trump Administration, trans Americans are fearing for their health and safety more than ever, and some are taking precautions like arming themselves to be prepared for the worst. According to LGBTQ Nation, “Animosity toward trans people in the U.S. is at an all-time high. President Trump has signed a laundry list of executive orders rolling back transgender rights, including one that says, in the eyes of the federal government, trans people don’t exist. Trump has vilified trans people with rhetoric that casts them as a threat to women and children, and during the campaign he made it a…
Delaware legislators have advanced a bill to codify same-sex marriage in their state constitution. It will now move to the Senate chamber to be voted on. Senate Bill 100 was introduced last month by Democratic Sen. Russ Huxtable who represents the sixth district of Delaware. Huxtable gained 21 co-sponsors for the bill that would “establish the right to marry as a fundamental right and that Delaware and its political subdivisions shall recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender.” The state legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, becoming the 11th state in the country to do so. According to…
A new report from GLAAD shows that social media is potentially getting more dangerous for the LGBTQ+ community. The recent GLAAD 2025 Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) revealed that social platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram have implemented rollbacks in their safety policies. Them reports, both Meta and YouTube have rolled back hate speech policies regarding the LGBTQ+ community in their community guidelines. In January, Meta’s hate speech policy update sparked backlash after it confirmed users’ ability to bully members of the LGBTQ+ community, allowing them to refer to members of the community as “abnormal” or “mentally ill.” Also around that…
New research from Northeastern University has found that Fortune 500 companies with LGBTQ+ board members are outperforming their peers in financial and non-financial metrics. “These companies tend to do better in sustainability performance measures, better on financial performance and long-term risk and some organizational outcomes,” said Ruth Aguilera professor of international business and strategy at Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business. She added: “Having diverse points of view can mitigate risk and can offer new solutions, as long as they are integrated in the board.” According to a recent Gallup survey, more than 25 million individuals in the United States…
A new amendment proposed by the Parliament of the U.K. could put the data privacy of trans people at risk. The proposed amendment would alter the way the U.K.’s Data (Use and Access) Bill would allow data on sex and gender to be collected, according to reports from Pink News. If the bill is approved, the new amendment will force public bodies such as the National Health Service (NHS) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), to update sex data to match sex at birth rather than use gender recognition documents like the official Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) which…
In a win for Poland’s LGBTQ+ community, the country has abolished the last of its draconian LGBT-Free zones which have excluded gay people from public life in local communities for years. In 2020, over 100 of Poland’s municipalities were designated ‘LGBT-free zones,’ which essentially meant these areas were to be void of LGBTQ+ education, culture and “ideology.” Most of these municipalities were located in Poland’s southeastern region. Polish youth pushed back on the zones, a few even founded an organization called The Atlas of Hate which documented all the Polish municipalities where LGBT free zones were adopted. They faced multiple lawsuits…
After a leaked budget draft was released late last month, organizations like The Trevor Project have issued warnings about budget cuts to programs like 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services. According to the leaked budget proposal, the federal program that offers emergency crisis support to LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide would lose funding effective Oct. 1, 2025. The program was implemented during the Biden-Harris Administration in 2022, and was funded through the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Since then, it has provided over 1.2 million crisis contacts with life-saving, LGBTQ+-inclusive services. Since then LGBTQ+ advocates and…
As Pride celebrations around the world begin, the highly anticipated WorldPride Washington DC 2025 is also gearing up. WorldPride is packing an impressive schedule, and if you’re heading to Washington, DC between May 17 and June 8 you’re sure to already have some Pride events on your itinerary. Here’s a recap of the not-to-miss WorldPride events. May 23-June 8 – International Choral Festival: This event is presented by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and will feature daily hour-long pop-up performances from singers from around the world at different venues throughout the city. This festival is free and open to…
Chief executive of Co-op food stores, Shirine Khoury-Haq, has vowed to “protect trans people to the end” following a recent rise in anti-trans sentiments in the U.K. Co-op operates over 4000 food stores all across England, according to Pink News, and in a recent letter to staff, Khoury-Haq claimed she would “continue to advocate” for trans people following the U.K.’s recent anti-trans Supreme Court ruling. Just last month, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman does not include trans women. On April 16, the court ruled unanimously claiming that the act only referred…
Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will serve as grand marshal at this year’s New York City Pride. Jean-Pierre served as press secretary during President Joe Biden’s term in office, and has been revered for her “trail-blazing career” representing the LGBTQ+ community “at the highest microphone that exists” said NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont in a statement. Jean-Pierre’s resume speaks for itself. In 2020, she served as Kamala Harris’ campaign chief of staff, becoming the first Black person to hold the position and one of the highest-ranking LGBTQ+ people in the Biden-Harris campaign, according to LGBTQ Nation. She also…
Though LGBTQ+ history is being erased from government-run websites, The History Project in Boston is rescuing information erased by the National Park Service. The campaign to erase LGBTQ+ history from broader American historical documentation began in January when Trump’s executive orders asked the diversity, equity and inclusivity efforts be scrubbed from government agency websites. According to LGBTQ Nation, one of the most “egregious” examples of this is the removal from the NPS website of the names of trans women who sparked the Stonewall uprising of 1969. These occurrences have erased or muted LGBTQ+ history in every corner of the country,…
Artists competing in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will only be allowed to display flags from the country they are representing while performing. This year, participants who also identify as LGBTQ+ will be barred from supporting the community during their performance, and will only be able to bring flags provided by Swiss television station SRG SSR. Participants are also barred from holding flags to express solidarity with other countries such as Ukraine, Palestine, or Israel. Eurovision is an original song competition in which each member of the European Union sends an artist to represent their country with a new song…
Massachusetts’ Senate introduced a bill recently to better allow healthcare professionals and lawyers to work safely with people accessing gender-affirming and reproductive care. The bill was first introduced by Sen. Cindy Friedman (D) who cited Trump’s latest attacks on healthcare as a motivating force. Friedman included the bill as part of a larger legislative effort called “Response 2025,” which reportedly is meant to counter alt-right Project 2025, NBC 10 Boston reports. If approved, the bill would prevent state agencies from providing information to, or working with, federal or out-of-state investigators who may seek to prosecute a healthcare provider or lawyer…
Angela Giampolo’s Caravan of Hope is an RV that tours around rural red towns in conservative states to provide queer-related legal services like gender marker and name changes, basic estate planning, uncontested divorces, and general legal guidance according to LGBTQ Nation. Giampolo, who has been practicing LGBTQ+-focused law in Philadelphia since 2008, hatched the idea after she received an influx of calls and inquiries from scared locals following Donald Trump’s 2016 election win. Though Giampolo had a good handle on providing help and resources to her urban community, she wondered how people in rural areas and red states were getting…