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…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
French President Emmanuel Macron has named Gabriel Attal the country’s newest, youngest, and first openly gay prime minister. Before assuming the PM position, Attal served as education minister along with several other government positions since the election of Macron in 2017. The New York Times reports that many suspect Macron’s choice of Attal is an attempt to bring a fresh and youthful perspective to the forefront for the remainder of his term as political pressure mounts from the right. In a post on X to Attal, Macron wrote: “I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,” when…
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…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is drawing up a proposal to put an end to the rule that bans men who have had sex with other men from donating sperm. The FDA is planning on trading the full ban for a set of carefully curated screening questions that will evaluate an individual’s risk for transiting HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, according to The Wall Street Journal. The current ban on MSM was put into place at the height of the AIDS epidemic, and intended to block high risk sperm donors from spreading diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Since…
A new government funding package signed on Saturday by President Biden includes a provision banning the flying of LGBTQ+ Pride flags over U.S. embassies. The $1.2 trillion package was signed on the same day the White House vowed to work toward repealing the provision, according to CBS News. Though the bill does not explicitly cite Pride flags in its ban, it declares that any flag other than the U.S. flag and other government related flags cannot be flown at any U.S. Department facility. This reverses a 2021 State Department authorization that allowed LGBTQ+ flags at these locations, according to Forbes.…
Elon Musk has recently banned the word “cisgender” on Twitter, deeming it a slur after an anti-trans commentator complained about being called a “cissy” by transgender platform users. Last week, James Esses, a known homophobic and transphobic social media commentator tweeted the following: “Yesterday, after posting a Tweet saying that I reject the word ‘cis’ and don’t wish to be called it, I receive a slew of messages from trans activists calling me “cissy” and telling me that I am ‘cis’ “whether or not I like it.” Just imagine if the roles were reversed.” Esses posts tweets on a daily…
The 2024 GOP presidential lineup is looking dreadful, and prospective Republican candidates are certainly not shy about sharing their transphobic opinions. Though there are a slew of conservative candidates at present, some of the biggest names include Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Chris Christie. It’s been an unfortunately record-breaking year for transgender people in America as laws have been proposed and passed attempting to curtail gender-affirming healthcare, trans participation in sports, LGBTQ+ education, trans events and rituals, and basically activities of everyday life in the trans community. Trans people have been threatened time and time again, under constant…
There are many opinions floating around about the best time of year to travel to Europe. Those who wish to chase the sun may recommend you travel between June and August. Budget travelers will recommend traveling off-season, in the winter or early spring. But many have found the sweet spot or the best time to travel abroad is September. Tour guides and locals alike are often looking forward to September when the heat breaks and the streets are less crowded. Here are some very good reasons why September is considered the best month to travel to Europe Good Weather Depending…
New York House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez paid tribute to the late transgender activist, actress, and author, Cecilia Gentili, on the House floor just after her death last week. During her speech in Gentili’s honor, AOC told of her accomplishments and drive to fight against anti-trans legislation. Gentili was an Argentinian American who immigrated to Florida at the age of 26. From there she launched a career in LGBTQ+ activism working for the LGBT Center’s NYC Anti-Violence Project, managing a trans health center with the Aphica Community Health Center, and becoming Director of Policy at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. “Cecilia…
In a huge win for the trans community, a U.S. District Court has permanently blocked Florida from enforcing bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors as well as some adults. According to LGBTQ Nation, a ruling made on Tuesday from Judge Robert Hinkle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida called the bans “unconstitutional.” These bans throughout the state blocked gender-affirming care in the form of puberty blockers and hormone therapies, and threatened to penalize healthcare providers who offered this care to their patients. The ruling found the bans to be unconstitutional on the basis of curtailing…
Attempts by Ron DeSantis to prevent rainbow Pride displays on state bridges this month have been countered by an out and proud LGBTQ+ community in Florida. The veiled attempt to limit the flying of the Pride colors was announced by Florida Transportation Secretary James Perdue. Instead, the state will display patriotic colors on bridges as part of Florida’s new “Freedom Summer,” between May 27 and September 2. According to The Washington Post, the phrase “Freedom Summer” originates from a civil rights effort to register black voters in Mississippi, DeSantis has completely removed any civil rights notion from the phrase with…
Lake Worth Beach has become Florida’s first sanctuary city for the LGBTQ+ community. Last night, the Commission of Lake Worth Beach declared itself a sanctuary and safe space that is dedicated to protecting the healthcare, education and lives of the queer community. Mayor Betty Resch told CBS News, “Lake Worth Beach is a vibrant and diverse city with a proud history of embracing the gay community. Today we continue that tradition by ensuring our city remains a welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people.” CBS also indicated a similar proposal has been made in Tallahassee, Florida. Lake Worth Beach and the greater…
Get ready to embark on a delectable culinary journey like never before during the highly anticipated Taste of Pride! From now through July 31st, you can enjoy an exquisite celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and dining flavors in the National Capital Region. Talented chefs and amazing restaurants will curate exceptional menus that showcase the best of their culinary artistry. Taste of Pride (ToP) is an annual multi-tiered event series celebrating the rich connection between the LGBTQ+ and culinary communities. This year’s program will feature a multi-month collaboration between DC’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDS) that showcase the distinctive flavors and culinary…
Though New York’s Staten Island has not fully decided to cast aside its antiquated exclusionary rules and welcome LGBTQ+ groups into the borough’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, a separate inclusive parade will now allow these groups. In recent years, one of New York’s most controversial boroughs has sparked a whole lot of debate in maintaining the hateful exclusion of LGBTQ+ groups and people from its biggest parade. According to CBS News, Staten Island parade organizers have been denying applications from groups like Pride Center of Staten Island and the Gay Officers Action League for years. And despite many LGBTQ+…
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…
In celebration of Pride Month, gay congressman for California’s 42nd congressional district, Robert Garcia, took to the house floor last week to give a speech honoring drag icon, Ru Paul. Garcia told The Advocate that the purpose of his presentation was to honor pride month and to take a stand against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and threats of violence from lawmakers and far-right extremists and bigots.“Drag is an art form, and it’s also a uniquely LGBTQ+, queer art form,” Garcia said. On the house floor, Garcia brought a poster board photo of RuPaul to display as he spoke. “RuPaul Charles has become…
The Gay Games XI are slated to take place this year in Hong Kong and Guadalajara, but after backlash from LGBTQ+ activists there is growing concern about Hong Kong’s safety for LGBTQ people. Five human rights activists who formerly lived in Hong Kong voiced their concern through an opinion piece published with OutSports, calling on organizers to cancel the games. Their statement reads “We believe that the GGHK leadership team has betrayed the values and principles of the Gay Games, which purport to celebrate inclusion and promote human rights. Instead, they have aligned themselves with pro-authoritarian figures responsible for widespread persecution…
Two of the USA’s largest transgender rights organizations are merging in a step to unify against conservative politicians attempting to repeal trans rights. The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) will come together as Advocates for Trans Equality or A4TE, indicated in a press release published last week. According to NBC News, the NCTE centers its work around federal policy reform and TLDEF works to strengthen trans rights through litigation. Both organizations were founded in 2003. Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of NCTE said “At a time when states are considering a…
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…
Trans citizens in the U.K. have been turned away when seeking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) over the past year, according to reports from Trans Actual. Around 215 individuals have been refused these gender affirming treatments, and around 26% of those cases had recommendations from National Health Service (NHS) gender clinics. Individuals facing this issue were seen across the U.K.’s territories including Scotland and Wales. According to Pink News, 27% of those seeking medication were using a new prescription, 73% had previously been treated with HRT, and 38% had been discharged by a NHS gender clinic. Almost half of those reporting difficulties…
Following Trump’s win, various organizations have put out messages of hope and plans for moving forward to help guide LGBTQ+ Americans into the next presidential term. According to the Washington Blade, executive director Erin Whelan of SMYAL, a nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth in D.C. said in a message “Remember this: No decision, no law, no societal judgment can change who you are or the incredible strength you carry within you.” She expressed anger and sadness at the country’s decision to re-elect a convicted felon. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) also answered the call. President Kelley Robinson released a statement on…
Thailand has passed a landmark bill legalizing same-sex marriage, being the first Southeast Asian country to do so. According to CBS News, lawmakers in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament approved the marriage bill on March 27. In its final reading, the bill received the approval of 400 out of 415 members of the House of Representatives – 10 voted against, two abstained and three did not vote. The bill amends the current Civil and Commercial code to alter the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners.” This gives LGBTQ+ couples full access to legal,…
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…
As much of Africa remains staunchly opposed to allowing same-sex couples the rights afforded to straight couples, Namibia has recently decriminalized same-sex relationships. The case brought to court involved a gay Namibian man named Friedel Dausab, who argued that the country’s Immigration Control and Defense Acts which prohibited “sodomy” and other “unnatural sexual offenses” constituted unfair discrimination, infringing upon citizens’ fundamental rights, according to Time magazine. Court judges found that the laws unfairly discriminated between straight men, women and gay men. “This is good for young LGBTQ people to know that their love is not a crime,” Dausab said following…
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.…
Luxembourg’s prime minister, Xavier Bettel, made a stand for LGBTQ rights at the European Union’s parliament by calling out Hungary for implementing anti-LGBTQ laws. According to AP, Bettel has been prime minister of Luxembourg since 2013 and has championed LGBTQ+ rights during his term as one of the first openly gay prime ministers in Europe. At the EU Parliament meeting, Bettel said “If there’s anyone in this house who thinks that you’ve become a homosexual by watching the television or listening to a song, then you’ve not understood anything.” He also expressed his disdain for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s…
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…
Though same-sex marriage has been legal across the nation since the Supreme’s Courts landmark ruling with Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, LGBTQ+ people still fear a potential overturn of the ruling, especially following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022, which made it legal for states to ban abortion, and limit reproductive rights. What’s more, Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have signaled that they would be open to reversing the same-sex marriage ruling. Mary Bonauto, who defended same-sex couples during the Obergefell case and now serves as civil rights project director at GLBTQ Legal Advocates &…
New York State will celebrate the Capital Region’s first-ever Pride Ski Weekend running Jan. 20 – 21 at Belleayre Mountain in Highmount. The Pride Center of the Capital Region is partnering with Belleayre Mountain, the Ulster County Tourism Office of Film, SKI NY and I LOVE NY LGBTQ+ for two days of slope-side fun. Special lift ticket packages will be available to registering guests which includes access to amazing events like an Après Ski Tea Dance with DJ RVMBA on Saturday from 4 – 7 p.m. Dust off your skis or borrow some from the mountain’s equipment rentals and take…
If you’re feeling lucky, you might just be the winner of a three-night stay at Santiago Resort in Palm Springs, which has over one thousand 5-star reviews on Google and Tripadvisor. The winner will receive lodging for three nights, dinner for two at a local hotspot, and tickets to the aerial tram. Santiago Resort is a lush and luxurious retreat for gay men in the heart of Palm Springs where guests can enjoy stylishly decorated rooms, pillow-top King beds, elegant bathrooms equipped with walk-in rain showers, and fast wifi. Wake up each morning and take a swim just steps away…