A landmark study on LGBTQ+ identities from 2016 has vanished from the National Park Service’s website following the removal of LGBTQ+ content across government agency websites. The Washington Blade reports that the study was entitled “LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer History” and was commissioned by the National Park Service after they received a grant from the Gill Foundation to include LGBTQ+ historical information on their site in 2014. The Washington Blade reportedly reached out to the NPS for comment and received a response that the agency is implementing Trump’s executive order: “Defending Women…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
A new gender-affirming program from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) Health Plan connects the LGBTQ+ community with vetted health care providers who can provide specialized care. Under this new plan, health care providers would be required to take an online course to be better equipped and educated on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Once the course is completed, these providers are given a special designation which informs patients that the physician is trained. “Health equity is really important to us at UPMC Health Plan, and this is one way we are trying to hit the mark on…
A collection of billboards across major cities in the UK are celebrating Trans+ History Week through Sunday as part of a QueerAF initiative. This week in Britain, Trans+ History Week honors trans and gender fluid representations throughout history. Piloted by QueerAF, the first ever event of its kind explores how transgender people have appeared throughout history. QueerAF is a platform supporting LGBTQIA+ creatives to build a career in media, and their most recent project celebrates the history of trans, non-binary, intersex and gender-diverse people. The colorful Billboards were displayed in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, London, and Newcastle and feature the…
Washington state has mandated that public schools begin teaching LGBTQ+ history. Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington signed a new law last week that will ensure the state’s public schools introduce new curriculum detailing LGBTQ+ history by 2025 In signing this bill into law, Washington joins six other progressive states which have already implemented similar mandates for public schools. These states include: California, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois and New Jersey, according to LGBTQ+ think tank, Movement Advancement Project. The new law seeks to encourage feelings of safety and acceptance at school for students of all races, gender and sexual identities. NBC affiliate…
A recent study from the Cultural Currents Institute found that Google searches for questions surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity have surged over the past 20 years. Searches for questions like “Am I lesbian?” and “Am I gay?” have increased by up to 1300%. Other common searches include “Am I trans?” and “How to come out.” The Cultural Currents Institute, an organization studying trends in public opinion, collected Google Trends data between January 2004 and present day across all 50 states to render its findings. Data by state found that Utah ranks highest for the most number of questions like…
Social media has overtaken our lives, and while science shows there are some downsides to using apps like Instagram and TikTok, possibly one of the most positive aspects are the people who act as prognosticators, spreading activism and acceptance throughout LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. These activists and visionaries often work at the intersections of their queer identities, with some champion environmentalism while others work in psychology, body positivity, or racial issues. The number of up and coming people engaging in this type of activism is innumerable, but here are some of social media’s most inspiring individuals who are creating the…
Art is one of the many forms of self-expression that allows the LGBTQ+ community to convey meaning, communicate emotion, and give power to their experiences and stories. Queer art has existed for centuries through ancient depictions of same-sex love and gender identity, and now LGBTQ+ artists are being celebrated in some of the most prestigious museums around the world. We’ve compiled a list of upcoming and ongoing queer exhibitions that are worth a visit, with some vitual showcases available that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. LGBTQ+ Audio Trail At Museum Of Liverpool Liverpool, England In…
It’s two steps backward and one step forward for Japan’s LGBTQ+ community as a court in Tokyo ruled last week to uphold its ban on same-sex marriage. However, the court also said lack of legal protection for same-sex couples and families is a human rights concern. Japan is the only G7 nation that does not allow same-sex marriage. There has been a tug of war in Japan’s major cities on whether bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional or not. Back in 2021, a court in the city of Sapporo ruled that it was unconstitutional, and earlier this year Osaka ruled…
Republican lawmakers in West Virginia’s state legislature have passed a terrifying bill allowing health care providers to examine children’s genitals to identify their “biological sex” without parental consent. The bill seeks to confine gender within a binary, defining “sex” based on whether a person produces eggs or sperm, and demanding that gender-segregated spaces such as restrooms and locker rooms be used based on an individual’s sex assigned at birth. The bill would also require transgender students to face examinations at school. The West Virginia House of Delegates approved an amendment from Delegate J.B. Akers to officially allow childrens’ health care…
After Georgia’s president Salome Zourabichvili refused to sign anti-LGBTQ+ legislation recently the parliament signed it into law anyway. According to LGBTQ Nation, Georgia’s Georgian Dream party modeled the legislation after Russia’s recent vehemently hateful anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The new laws imposes “draconian curbs on LGBTQ+ rights and provides a legal basis for Georgian authorities to outlaw Pride events, the rainbow flag, and public displays of affection, and also to impose censorship of film and books.” Furthermore, the law also re-certifies the existing ban on same-sex marriage attained abroad and gender-affirming surgeries, bans LGBTQ+ people from adopting or changing their gender on…
Tinder has been taking strides to increase LGBTQ+ representation, and despite recent controversy about LGBTQ+ positive ad campaigns, the company is standing its ground. Tinder has recently onboarded new CMO, Melissa Hobley, who has over the past year been making efforts to make the app more inclusive. The most recent of these was the ‘It Starts With a Swipe’ campaign, which presents various video ads showcasing both hetero and LGBTQ+ couples through various stages of dating. According to The Drum, Hobley said the campaign offered “an opportunity to use marketing to chip away at homophobia and continue to show all…
The fall season is the perfect time to up your fashion game, and this year you can get intentional about your clothing consumption and shop with a sustainable LGBTQ+ owned brand. Not only do these brands work to support queer communities, but many of their pieces cater specifically to queer experiences. Many designers have developed genderless clothing lines, gender-affirming products, and apparel that will help you to feel your most authentic confident self. Nicole Zïzi Studio Join the mission to make fashion genderless with this brand focused on sustainably made and worn streetwear and home essentials. Zïzi Studio knows the…
The Provincetown Pride Center has recently celebrated the opening of their new location on Bradford Street next to Town Hall and the base of the Pilgrim Monument. The relocation, which occurred over the winter months, saw the center move from a tiny cramped space to a bigger property with the help of the Palette Fund, a local civil rights foundation that owns the building. The center celebrated their opening on Provincetown’s annual Pride weekend, and for the month of June on Fridays and Saturdays visitors can enjoy an exhibition entitled “Flag in the Map,” a collection of photographs and stories…
Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has reaffirmed his stance on LGBTQ rights during a recent guest appearance on the podcast We Can Do Hard Things. Minnesota Gov. and now Democratic running mate to Kamala Harris, Walz has been revered for his support for the LGBTQ+ community not just in his political career, but also in his profession as a teacher. Former students of Walz remember him as kind and accepting and recalled that he even helped form his school’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) in the 90s. During his guest appearance on the podcast with co-hosts Abby Wambach, Glennon Doyle, and Amanda…
A recent court settlement in favor of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) will require Georgia to pay state employees’ gender-affirming care. According to Them, “the Georgia State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) will now cover gender-affirming care for all state employees, their spouses, and any dependents, effective immediately.” Under this settlement, insurance companies like United and Anthem can no longer exclude “sex-change” or “sex transformation” surgeries from their covered care. The plaintiffs involved in the case also received a settlement of $365,000 along with partial coverage of their legal fees. Three transgender state employees, Micha Rich, Benjamin Johnson…
One of the most homophobic and transphobic practices that is still legal around the world today is conversion therapy, a dangerous intervention that attempts to curtail the exploration and implementation of sexual and gender identity in one’s life. The practices associated with conversion therapy, which are often harmful to physical and mental health, have been condemned by mental health and medical practitioners for years. The practice is used as an attempt to force heterosexuality on queer-identifying people, but primarily queer youth. According to a 2023 report from Statista, conversion therapy has thus far been outlawed in many countries around the…
In recent remarks made to a delegation of bishops in Ghana, new president John Mahama announced that a bill targeting LGBTQ+ citizens was “effectively dead.” A bill entitled “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill” was introduced by Ghana’s parliament in 2021. In effect, the bill would require a prison sentence of up to to three years for LGBTQ+ identifying Ghanaians, and five years for those who organized and/or funded LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, according to LGBTQ Nation. Mahama won Ghana’s most recent presidential election in a landslide victory, and officially took office on Jan. 7.…
California’s State Assembly made history when it declared August their official Transgender History Month. House Resolution 57 reads: “Supporting the transgender community by designating August as Transgender History Month will create a culture led by research, education, and scholarly recognition of the contributions of transgender Californians to our great state’s history, and will educate future generations of Californians on the importance of this history.” The resolution was announced on Wednesday, Sept. 6, outside the California State Capitol by Assembly member Matt Haney and activists Honey Mahogany and Jupiter Peraza who according to Them, are the co-founder and program associate of…
Nearly twenty Republican legislators in Montana’s state house helped reject a bill that would have charged adults with “endangering child welfare” if they obtained gender-affirming medical care for children under the age of 16. Seventeen Republicans joined Montana Democrats to take down the bill which had already been approved by the state’s Republican majority Senate. S.B. 164 sought to penalize any adult who “knowingly procures or provides” gender-affirming care to minors, with fines up to $10,000 or imprisonment up to five years. The harsh bill didn’t just target doctors or health care providers, but any adult in the state, even those…
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,…
Out in the Vineyard has officially announced the 2023 dates for its annual Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma County, California. From July 14 through 16, there will be a weekend full of LGBTQ+ events, including: world class wine and food, wine tastings and auctions, a drag queen brunch, and the signature Twilight T-Dance, which will be sponsored by La Crema Estate & Winery and feature a selection of their wines at the stunning Richard’s Grove. Out in the Vineyard is a renowned supporter of LGBTQ+ causes and organizations. In 2023, the weekend-long event will benefit Sonoma County’s Face to Face…
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has announced that a record 1,400 hundred companies are participating in this year’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI). That represents more than 21 million employees across the U.S. according to HRC president Kelley Robinson. The Human Rights Campaign is an organization that has been working for 40 years to support marginalized Americans who suffer from violence, discrimination and fear based target hate, legislation and bigotry. The HRC launched the CEI in 2002, and since then they have been cultivating the index to survey whether or not U.S. corporations are protecting their employees by evaluating company policies,…
Though the list of LGBTQ+ authors is constantly expanding, and new iconic and groundbreaking literary works are being published every year, here are five classic writers every LGBTQ+ person and ally should be aware of. Virginia Wolfe Not only was Woolfe an incredible literary talent, penning bestsellers that included Mrs. Dalloway, To The Lighthouse, and Orlando, she also was an advocate for women’s rights and mental health visibility. She published many works that are still studied today, and in 1922, Woolfe met and began a romantic relationship with Vita Sackville-West. Both Woolfe and Sackville-West were married to men while their…
Popular gay men’s dating app Grindr has introduced a new travel feature that might help you meet other people when traveling. Grindr’s official travel mode, titled “Roam,” allows users to change their location settings to talk and text with people in other destinations before they travel there. While in Roam travel mode, Grindr users can pick a new location and swipe for up to an hour. This is meant to provide an opportunity to meet new people and get an idea of the best places to eat, drink, stay, and explore. It also give users the opportunity to arrange a…
Taiwan has asserted its status as one of Asia’s most progressive countries after granting same-sex couples the right to adopt earlier this month. The Same-Sex Marriage Act, which was passed in 2019, made Taiwan the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. The new section allowing same-sex couples to jointly adopt, comes in the form of an extension upon the 2019 legislation. According to Pink News, up until this point, if same-sex couples wanted to adopt, only one of them could register as a child’s legal parent. The current legislation was introduced after a court ruling in late 2021 granted…
As the nation’s LGBTQ+ community brace for yet another Trump term, good news hails from Hawaii as the island state passes a pro same-sex marriage amendment to their constitution. Though Donald Trump won the presidential election, various states included back-of-ballot referendums to pass protections for their residents. In Hawaii, a ballot initiative to protect marriage equality passed with approximately 52% of voters in favor and 40% opposed. The referendum officially asked residents to repeal a state constitution amendment passed in 1998 which allowed state legislature to ban same-sex marriage. The 1998 decision followed a challenge to the state by same-sex…
A new report has found that the U.K. is one of the most transphobic countries in the world. The results come from advocacy group Transgender Europe’s (TGEU) 2023 edition of the Trans Rights Map, which analyzes the policies impacting trans people across 49 countries in Europe and Central Asia on a color coded map. According to Them, the rankings use 30 indicators across six categories including legal gender recognition, asylum, hate speech/crime, non-discrimination, health, and family. Out of thirty points, the U.K. received just 14.25. The highest ranking country, Iceland, received 26 points. Though the U.K. has a large population…
The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has expressed concern for the increasingly prevalent anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the United States. The UNHRC is responsible for the review of human rights records of countries that signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), an international human rights treaty. Participating countries in the ICCPR opt to submit themselves for review of human rights policies and practices every four years. According to the ACLU, “The ICCPR obligates countries that have ratified the treaty to protect and preserve basic human rights, such as: the right to life and human dignity; equality before…
President Joe Biden has used some of his remaining time as president to honor two LGBTQ+ activists with Presidential Citizens Medals. Biden honored two marriage equality activists Evan Wolfson and Mary Bonauto with the medal, the second highest honor that can be awarded to civilians. The Presidential Citizens Medal dates back to President Richard Nixon’s era. In 1969, Nixon created the honor to award to U.S. citizens who had “performed exemplary deeds or services for his or her country or fellow citizens,” according to LGBTQ Nation. Both Bonauto and Wolfson made great contributions to LGBTQ+ activism. Bonauto acts as senior…
Edomex, the most populus state in the country of Mexico legalized same-sex marriage last Tuesday with a vote by its congress. Following this vote, there are only three remaining Mexican states that have not yet legalized same-sex marriage including: Tamaulipas, Tabasco, and Guerrero. Though a majority of the country has mobilized to accept LGBTQ unions, the rate of violence against women and LGBTQ communities remains high. However, this marks a significant victory for Latin America on a broader scale. According to an article from Reuters, “same-sex marriage remains illegal or not recognized in Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, most of Central America…