Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Philadelphia Gay News celebrates 48 years of publishing. Founded by LGBTQ+ rights […]
Author Archives: Dana Piccoli
Dana Piccoli is an award winning writer, critic and the managing director of News is Out, a queer media collaborative.
Dana was named one of The Advocate Magazine’s 2019 Champions of Pride. She was also one of Curve Magazine’s 2017 Pridelist for her work in LGBTQ media. Dana is an inaugural recipient of the Curve Award for Excellence in Lesbian Coverage.
Posted inTravel
Where do LGBTQ+ adults live? The results may surprise you
According to a new study done by Williams Institute, the leading research center on sexual orientation and public policy, there are nearly 14 million LGBTQ+ adults living in the United States. The institute used data from the 2020 and 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System report to estimate the […]
Posted inTop Stories
What Pope Francis’ new declaration means for LGBTQ+ Catholics
Pope Francis released a declaration Monday regarding the blessing of same-sex couples. In “Declaration Fiducia Supplicans On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings,” Francis addresses the act of performing blessings on same-sex couples, a practice that the Catholic Church has not previously sanctioned. Francis, who has addressed LGBTQ+ issues in unprecedented ways, has taken a path […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
News is Good: Wisconsin LGBTQ+ caucus looks to update constitution, a grant for Whitman-Walker and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Wisconsin LGBTQ+ caucus looks to update language in the state constitution. Members of […]
Posted inTop Stories
2023 to end with record number of bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community and plans for more in 2024
The new year may only be a couple of weeks away, but that hasn’t stopped state legislatures from pushing through their remaining anti-LGBTQ+ proposed bills and legislation. This week in Ohio, lawmakers passed HB 68, also known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, which would deny gender-affirming care from transgender youth and ban […]
Posted inTop Stories
Ali Liebert and Humberly Gonzalez talk groundbreaking roles in Hallmark’s first lesbian holiday romance, “Friends and Family Christmas”
Hallmark Channel is about to embark on a first for the network: A lesbian Christmas romantic comedy. Following on the success of last year’s first gay holiday film, “The Holiday Sitter,” out queer actors Ali Liebert and Humberly Gonzalez star in “Friends and Family Christmas” premiering Dec. 17. Liebert (“Bomb Girls” “One of Us is […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
News is Good: WI governor vetoes anti-trans health bill, Sundance unveils 2024 slate and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoes bill banning gender-affirming care. After Assembly Bill […]
Posted inTop Stories
Shop LGBTQ+-owned home decor: perfect holiday gift ideas
Gift giving can be an art. When buying gifts for someone’s home, you have to have the right balance of style, charm and function. From the sweet-smelling warmth of an artisan candle to the functionality and fun of a vase or textile, these LGBTQ+-owned businesses offer something for every home design lover (and homebody) on […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
News is Good: Gay musical “Jack and Aiden” premieres, Kate McKinnon to host SNL and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Callen-Lorde is seeking applicants for LGBTQ+ fellowship. LGBTQ+ health care pioneer Callen-Lorde Community […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
15 queer holiday films and where to find them
Queer holiday films used to be few and far between, but the past 10 years have shown a lot of progress in representation. Even holiday film stalwarts like Hallmark Channel and Lifetime have started making more diverse and inclusive offerings to make viewers’ holidays merry and gay. From Sapphic road trips, fake romances that turn […]
Posted inNews
The international landscape of same-sex marriage acceptance: Insights from Pew Research
Pew Research Center has collected data over the past two years from several studies about attitudes regarding LGBTQ+ people worldwide. Their research gathered from 32 countries has revealed what populations have the most and least support, generational differences, gender divides in opinion and more. According to Pew, Sweden has the highest support level for same-sex […]
Posted inCulture
Holiday gifts for the queer foodie and spirits lover in your life
The holiday season is the perfect time to spoil the foodies and spirits lovers in your life. From tasty treats to imbibe-able gifts, you can check off your list with these fabulous options. A special bonus? All these gifts come from LGBTQ+-owned businesses or creators. Tasty Treats The Chaga Company’s umami-rich Mycosalt. The Chaga Company […]
Posted inNews
News is Good: PGN receives journalism grant, a queer holiday film and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Philadelphia Gay News receives news sustainability initiative grant. PGN, a member of […]
Posted inTop Stories
How conservative playbook Project 2025 could affect LGBTQ+ people if it comes to pass
Project 2025: Presidential Transition Project is a creation of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy think tank whose “mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.” Associated Press journalist Lisa Mascaro recently summed up Project 2025 […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
News is Good: “Queer to Stay” recipients, an LGBTQ+ district for Oakland and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. Human Rights Campaign and Showtime announce 2023 winners of the “Queer to […]
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ candidates break barriers in 2023 off-year elections across the U.S.
This off-year election brought out over 500 LGBTQ+ candidates for political offices around the country, according to LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s “Out on the Trail Report 2023.” There were increases in candidates who identify as bisexual, pansexual and queer, including an over 600% increase in genderqueer/nonbinary candidates and a 50% increase in transgender women candidates. LGBTQ+ […]
Posted inNews
What we know about the outing and suicide of Alabama Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland
Please note we are using he/him pronouns for Bubba Copeland as that is what he used publicly. On Nov. 3, F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, the Republican mayor of Smiths Station, Alabama, took his life in front of Lee County Sheriff’s deputies after they attempted to do a wellness check on Copeland. Copeland, 49, mayor of the […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
News is Good: “Nyad” premieres on Netflix, a Sapphic art collection in Philly and more
Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYks_-fPmaE Diana Nyad biopic premieres on Netflix. After spending time on the festival […]
Posted inNews
PragerU detransition documentary campaign promoted on X’s “What’s Happening”
PragerU, also known as Prager University Foundation, is a conservative advocacy and media group that has made headlines in 2023 for its controversial educational curriculum. Videos and lessons that downplay the effects of racism and slavery, the mistreatment of Indigenous populations and how LGBTQ+ issues should not be taught in school under the guise of […]
Posted inTop Stories
Exploring 70 years of lesbian publications: From 1940s zines to modern glossy magazines
Since the 1940s, lesbians have created a vibrant history of publications. From the exploration of daily lesbian life to literary and feminist pursuits, to the modern age of glossy magazines, for over 70 years, lesbians have been finding a way to connect and share their stories in periodicals, newsletters and beyond. An image from the […]