GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics celebrated the finest achievements in theater with the second annual Dorian Theater Awards, honoring Broadway and Off-Broadway productions of the 2023-24 season. The awards, presented by the theater wing’s 39 members, highlighted an array of productions from mainstream hits to LGBTQ+ narratives. The standout winners of the night […]
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 inSports
First WNBA expansion since 2008: Golden State Valkyries unveil brand
There’s a new WNBA team in town. The Bay Area’s Golden State Valkyries have officially unveiled their brand, drawing inspiration from Norse mythology. The Valkyries, known as a band of fearless warrior women, embody strength, boldness, and fierceness—qualities that the new franchise aims to represent, according to a press release by the WNBA. https://twitter.com/wnbagoldenstate/status/1790360287725674855 This […]
Posted inCulture
As Target pulls back on its Pride line, here are 5 places to get Pride merchandise instead
After the viral backlash last year against its Pride line, Target announced late last week that its Pride line would only be available in select stores and online. Also, only adult apparel will be available this year. Which stores will carry Target’s Pride line has not yet been announced. According to a media response received […]
Posted inCommunity
Give Out Day 2024: A nationwide push to support LGBTQ+ organizations
Give Out Day kicks off this week and is the only national event specifically focused on raising funds for LGBTQ+ nonprofits across the United States. Organized by California-based LGBTQ+ organization Horizons Foundation, the month-long event provides an opportunity for LGBTQ+ organizations to engage with their supporters and gain visibility. This is especially crucial for smaller […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Diversionary Theatre: San Diego’s sanctuary for queer expression and community engagement
Located in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood, Diversionary Theatre has been centering the stories of the LGBTQ+ community for nearly 40 years. Founded in 1986, it opened in part as a response to the AIDS crisis, offering a place for the community to gather during a frightening time in our history. “It gave the LGBTQ+ community a […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
GLAAD’s annual “Where We Are On TV” report shows a troubling trend in LGBTQ+ representation
GLAAD, the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, has released its annual “Where We Are On TV” report and confirmed what many television viewers had suspected: there were fewer LGBTQ+ characters and storylines on broadcast television and streaming in 2023 than in 2022. Last year at News is Out, we covered the trend of “Cancel Your Gays” in […]
Posted inTravel
Report reveals how anti-LGBTQ+ state policies are influencing tourism
The IGLTA Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association and Community Marketing and Insights, has released a new report on the state of LGBTQ+ travel. The report, made with the input of over 2,300 community members, examines the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ policies on LGBTQ+ travel, with a particular focus on Florida. It […]
Posted inChangemakers
The impact of The Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents: Championing LGBTQ+ voices with Sue Kerr
You don’t get the title “Unofficial Lesbian Correspondent of Pittsburgh” for nothing. If you ask Sue Kerr where the nickname came from, the Founder and Publisher of The Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents says the title started as a joke but has evolved into something special. “That name was given to me by a local radio host […]
Posted inNews
Biden administration announces changes to Title IX and protections for LGBTQ+ students
On Friday, April 19, the Biden administration and the U.S. Department of Education issued its final rule revising Title IX, a federal civil rights law originally passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. While Title IX is often associated with high school and collegiate athletics, its reach is much broader. It influences any […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Tribeca Film Festival 2024: Spotlight on LGBTQ+ films and TV shows in this year’s lineup
The Tribeca Film Festival has revealed its lineup for the 2024 festival, and there is considerable LGBTQ+ representation. Started in 2022 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, the film festival is one of the country’s most prestigious and provides opportunities for independent films to find distribution. This year’s lineup includes screenings of […]
Posted inBooks, News, Top Stories
Top 5 banned books in U.S. have LGBTQ+ content, ALA report shows
This week, the American Library Association released its “2024 State of America’s Libraries” report. This year’s report heavily focuses on censorship, book bans and book challenges libraries across the country have been facing. In the report’s introduction, titled “These Are Not Ordinary Times,” ALA president Emily Drabinski shared the challenges facing U.S. libraries. “The unprecedented wave of organized censorship […]
Posted inTop Stories
Additional ways Project 2025’s plan could affect the LGBTQ+ community
In November, we wrote about Project 2025, a playbook written by the conservative policy think tank Heritage Foundation. If put into action, the playbook could have dire effects on countless Americans, particularly women and the LGBTQ+ community. That article has consistently been one of the most-read pieces on the News is Out site. We want […]
Posted inTop Stories
Everywhere is Queer connects LGBTQ+ businesses and customers
You’re standing in the middle of downtown Madison, Wisconsin and wondering if there are any LGBTQ+-owned businesses to support. Maybe you’re planning a trip across the South and want to visit LGBTQ+-owned restaurants along your way. Or you’re in your town looking for an LGBTQ+ doctor or service person. Everywhere is Queer can help. The […]
Posted inNews
J.P. Morgan & StartOut Growth Lab empowers LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs
J.P. Morgan and StartOut have announced the inclusion of nine new early-stage companies into the 2024 Growth Lab Accelerator program. An organization focused on LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, StartOut works to accelerate “the growth of the LGBTQ+ community to drive its economic empowerment, building a world where every LGBTQ+ entrepreneur has equal access to lead, succeed and […]
Posted inNews
No charges in Nex Benedict’s death, says Oklahoma DA
On Thursday, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler issued a statement announcing that no criminal charges would be filed in the death of Nex Benedict. Benedict, a trans nonbinary teen, died Feb. 8, the day after being involved in a fight with fellow Owasso High School students. On March 13, the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office […]
Posted inNews
Can Biden surpass Obama’s record for the most LGBTQ+ judges appointed to the federal bench?
President Joe Biden has officially tied former President Barack Obama’s record of appointing the most LGBTQ+ judges to federal courts. Biden appointed judges Melissa DuBose and Nicole Berner to the federal court this year. Both judges were confirmed by the U.S. Senate this March. DuBose made history with her appointment, making her the first Black […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Queer Liberation Library: A new chapter in literary LGBTQ+ access and representation
For queer literature lovers, there’s good news. The Queer Liberation Library is open and ready to share LGBTQ+-focused content nationwide. Started by librarian Kieran Hickey and a group of like-minded friends, including fellow librarian Amber Dierking, the QLL debuted in the fall of 2023 and has already captured media attention and a long list of […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
From near extinction to flourishing: The resurgence of lesbian bars explored in ‘Cruising’ podcast
Over the last few years, articles have been highlighting the loss of physical spaces for lesbians and queer women. With headlines like “Why Do Lesbian Bars Keep Disappearing” and “There Are Only 14 Lesbian Bars in the Country. Here’s Why,” it has become clear that the crumbling cultural bedrock of the lesbian bar universe is […]
Posted inNews
Oklahoma medical examiner has determined cause of death for Nex Benedict
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office has released the cause of death of Owasso teenager Nex Benedict, a little over a month after Nex’s death. The probably cause of death was suicide, according to the office. The examiner has determined that Nex died from diphenhydramine and fluoxetine toxicity. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, commonly sold as Benadryl. […]
Posted inNews
Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law is dealt a serious blow after settlement agreement with LGBTQ+ advocates
This week, a settlement was reached between Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, National Center for Lesbian Rights and various departments within the state of Florida, including the Florida State Board of Education and Florida Department of Education. The settlement of the suit, brought by parents, educators and nonprofits Equality Florida and Family Equality, will greatly […]