Crystal meth use, a longtime and still prevalent health concern in the LGBTQ community, started to become an issue in the late 1990s when gay and bisexual men in New York began using the drug as an aphrodisiac. A stimulant which releases dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, Meth is a powerful, addictive drug that […]
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 inFrom Bay Area Reporter
LGBTQ Agenda: Southern groups help LGBTQ kids as schools begin new year
When some LGBTQ kids go back to school in various Southern states this year at the end of their summer breaks, they may find support in a surprisingly intimate little detail. Handwritten notes of encouragement. From strangers.
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Over 100 LGBTQ-themed books in a Florida school district labeled with advisory warning
A southwest Florida district put parental “advisory notice” on over 100 books, many of which are race or LGBTQ-themed. A great number of books in Collier County Public Schools, either digital or physical, now have warning labels writing “Advisory notice to parents,” according to an NBC report, The label, tweeted by nonprofit free-speech-promoting group PEN […]
Posted inFrom Bay Area Reporter
Lesbian author and activist Elana Dykewomon dies
Lesbian author Elana Dykewomon died in her Oakland home August 7, just hours before a staged reading of her first play over Zoom. She was 72.
Posted inFrom Tagg Magazine
Hey Hollywood, what’s up with the sapphic TV cancellations?
As a person who is obsessed with the representation of queer women on television, I am used to being disappointed. Whether it’s the queerbaiting of two characters that are clearly in love (I’m looking at you, Supergirl) or another example of the “bury your gays” trope, it’s not uncommon for me to crave better representation […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Blade, Baltimore Banner explore state of LGBTQ community
The Washington Blade and the Baltimore Banner will join forces to host “State of the Community: LGBTQ+ Edition” on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. at Center Stage, The Head Theater, in Baltimore. The event is a platform for the LGBTQ community to express concerns about recent developments with the Supreme Court, the current political […]
Posted inFrom Bay Area Reporter
Lesbian trailblazer Pat Norman dies
Pat Norman, a trailblazing lesbian in San Francisco who became a “first” in many appointments, died August 5 at an assisted living facility in Las Vegas. She was 82.
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Lesbian activist assaulted with barstool at D.C. lounge
D.C. police say they are actively investigating an Aug. 3 incident in which lesbian activist and Ward 8 community leader Aiyi’nah Ford says she was hit three times in the head with the metal legs of a barstool swung by a man yelling anti-gay names at her. A police report says the incident took place […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Biden on freeing Brittney Griner: ‘I’m hopeful. We’re working very hard.’
President Biden made brief comments on Friday expressing optimism about securing the release of Brittney Griner the day a Russian judge sentenced the lesbian basketball player to nine years in a penal colony. “I’m hopeful. We’re working very hard,” Biden said in response to a shouted question from a reporter following a bill signing at […]
Posted inFrom Q Voice News
Mattachine Society has important role in queer history
An outside staircase near the Silver Lake Reservoir is more than an opportunity to do cardio. The steps also serve as a monument to one of the most influential figures in L.A.’s storied history of LGBTQ+ advocacy. In the early 1940s, Harry Hay lived in a house near the stairway in the 2300 block of […]
Posted inChangemakers, Politics, Top Stories
LGBTQ+ changemakers: Mayor Remy Drabkin
Welcome to the first in our LGBTQ+ Changemakers series. There are LGBTQ+ people all over the country who are making a difference through visibility and ingenuity. Mayor Remy Drabkin is one of those people. Drabkin, a lesbian, is the owner of Remy Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and one of the founders of Wine Country […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Obergefell wins Democratic primary in Ohio legislative race
The lead plaintiff in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples across the country has won his Democratic primary for the Ohio House of Representatives. Following Tuesday’s primary elections in several states across the country, Jim Obergefell has secured the Democratic nomination in his bid to become the next […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Va. students warn against ‘don’t say gay’ policies
More than 600 students from across Virginia signed a letter from the Pride Liberation Project that calls for the Virginia Department of Education to clarify that teaching students about LGBTQ people and events is not “sexually explicit.” Senate Bill 656, which Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed earlier this year, requires parents be notified when instructional […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Senate holds off on marriage bill, may vote in September
A vote in the U.S. Senate on legislation to codify same-sex marriage, following a surprise bipartisan approval in the U.S. House, now appears on track for consideration in September after lawmakers return from summer recess. Questions emerged on when the Senate would take up the Respect for Marriage Act, which was advanced amid fears the […]
Posted inFrom Bay Area Reporter
Russian court convicts Brittney Griner, who's sentenced to 9 years in penal colony
A Russian court on Thursday found WNBA star Brittney Griner guilty of charges that she smuggled drugs into the country.
Posted inNews
Monkeypox: What you need to know
Anyone can get monkeypox, but the virus is currently disproportionately affecting the gay community. Photo: BlurryMe/Shutterstock Monkeypox cases are on the rise. Reported cases of monkeypox have increased to more than 5,100 in the U.S., compared with several hundred in late June, the Centers for Disease Control said. Worldwide, the number of reported cases is […]
Posted inFrom Bay Area Reporter
Advocates say time to update SF LGBTQ cultural strategy
LGBTQ advocates say it is time for San Francisco leaders to revisit and update the citywide LGBTQ+ Cultural Heritage Strategy.
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
New 988 Suicide Lifeline seeks to meet LGBTQ community’s unique needs
LGBTQI+ individuals are more likely than their counterparts to exhibit suicidal behavior. According to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2019, nearly half of students identifying as gay, lesbian or bisexual reported seriously considered suicide. These students experienced a near fourfold increase in suicide attempts compared with heterosexual students. LGBTQI+ […]
Posted inFrom Philadelphia Gay News
Fetterman garners endorsements from LGBTQ organizations
The balance of the U.S. Senate hangs on the result of the November 8 general election, and the race in Pennsylvania, between Lt. Governor John Fetterman and television host Dr. Oz, is among the most closely watched in the country, and whoever wins in Pennsylvania will likely determine which party holds a majority. Democrats have […]
Posted inFrom Washington Blade
Berlin becomes refuge for LGBTQ Ukrainians
BERLIN — Dmitry Shapoval is a 24-year-old gay man from Ukraine who lives with HIV. He was working at an IT company’s call center and studying web and UX design in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, in February when Russia launched its war against his country. Shapoval swam across a river and entered Poland less than […]
