“I decided to join my school’s GSA for support, for community,” Esmée Silverman, co-founder of the nonprofit Queer Youth Assemble, told EdWeek in 2023. “I undoubtedly made a decision that shaped my entire life by going to that group. They gave me hope. It gave me solidarity, gave me confidence and made me feel like […]
Category: Top Stories
Posted inCommunity
Fad2Fresh vintage shop provides space for LGBTQ+ community connections
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal. Fad2Fresh is more than a vintage store—it’s a community third space. Alex Jones (pictured) and Abigail Millner have been part of the vintage community for years. Photo courtesy of […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Queer Tours France explores the hidden LGBTQ+ histories of Paris
“I’m sorry for the rain!” is the first thing my tour guide, Doina Craciun, says when we meet just steps away from the Place de la Concorde in Paris. It’s been raining nonstop since arriving in the French capital, and I look and feel like a wet chien. However, my mood changes quickly upon meeting […]
Posted inTravel
LGBTQ+ travelers navigate unique challenges, Booking.com study highlights
Booking.com recently surveyed over 11,000 LGBTQ+ travelers from 27 different countries and created a report about the habits and preferences of queer and transgender tourists. The research highlights challenges faced by LGBTQ+ travelers and measures taken to ensure safe and enjoyable travel experiences. Despite increasing inclusivity within the travel industry, the survey reveals that hurdles […]
Posted inPolitics
Project 2025 prompts creation of congressional task force
U.S. Representative Jared Huffman has announced the creation of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force, which aims to counter the controversial Project 2025 initiative. According to a statement by Huffman’s office, this initiative is crafted by the far-right to grant Donald Trump extensive powers and to erode key democratic institutions and freedoms, such as reproductive […]
Posted inNews
Bill to honor Stonewall with NYC subway stop is in the works
Just in time for Pride month, the New York Senate has approved Bill S7974, which would rename a famous West Village subway station in honor of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. The proposed new name, “Christopher Street-Stonewall National Monument Station,” would replace the “Christopher Street-Sheridan Square” stop. The bill has passed through the New York Senate and […]
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ advocate Eboné Bell on the importance of allyship
LGBTQ+ advocate Eboné Bell recently appeared on Comcast Newsmakers to discuss the importance of allies in the continuing fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Bell is the founder of Tagg Magazine and also a founding member of News is Out. Bell travels the country speaking on college campuses and to companies about LGBTQ+ issues, including how allies […]
Posted inTop Stories
Planning your perfect Pride weekend
It’s Pride month, meaning cities nationwide have their parades, festivals and celebrations. Here’s a handy guide on preparing, dancing the day and night away and decompressing after the festivities. Gear up The “Leather Daddy Tee” by Hey Beefcake 2024 has been another complicated year for Pride. After the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash in 2023 to companies like […]
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ ally Cyndi Lauper’s life story soars in “Let the Canary Sing”
The ’80s became a lot more unusual, and wonderful, when singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper came on the scene. The new Paramount+ documentary, “Let the Canary Sing” explores the life and continuing legacy of one of pop music’s greatest artists. Born Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper in 1953, Lauper grew up in a tumultuous household, finding an escape […]
Posted inTop Stories
From IDs to credit reports: Navigating financial legalities as a transgender person
This article originally appeared in Dallas Voice. Personal wealth management can be complicated even in the simplest of circumstances. But for people in the LGBTQ community, the complexities are often multiplied. For the trust lawyers and CPAs and other professionals who make up the Wealth Planning and Advice Team at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, the […]
Posted inCommunity
Queer doulas make childbirth safer for Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ people, but barriers remain
“You’re pretty much the plaster that goes over the cracks of the medical system.” That’s how Bonnie Silva, a full-spectrum doula based in New York City, describes the role of doulas and birth workers. For many people who are pregnant or have just given birth, the landscape of unknowns—the changes to one’s body, what the […]
Posted inNews
Target shrinks nonbinary artist’s Pride 2024 products
This article first appeared in the Bay Area Reporter. As Target unveiled its 2024 Pride collection this week, one nonbinary designer is disappointed that the retail giant drastically reduced the number of pieces they were to have provided. En Tze Loh, who is based in Toronto, Canada, runs their small business GRRRL Spells on Etsy, […]
Posted inNews
myGwork marks 10 years of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion at WorkPride 2024
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, myGwork, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ business platform, is extending a special opportunity to attendees of this year’s WorkPride Conference. According to a press release by the company, the first 500 registrants for WorkPride 2024 will receive complimentary access to myGwork’s award-winning allyship course, underscoring the event’s commitment to fostering […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
How the mental health of queer BIPOC youth is impacted by connectivity outage
In an era where internet access is nearly ubiquitous, consider the abrupt disruption caused by a connectivity outage. Now amplify this experience for over 250,000 LGBTQ+ youth who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) and currently find themselves grappling with a mental health crisis due to this connectivity setback. Marginalized communities, especially […]
Posted inTop Stories
Hate crimes laws passed in D.C. have been remarkably ineffective in protecting LGBTQ+ people for decades
On Feb. 23, 2024, Daqua Lameek Ritter was found guilty of a hate crime for the murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman from South Carolina believed to be in a relationship with Ritter. The ruling marks both the first trial and first conviction of a hate crime on the basis of gender identity under […]
Posted inBusiness
National “PowerOn” program prioritizes LGBTQ+ digital equity
For LGBTQ+ people, access to the internet and devices such as smartphones and computers can have a significant impact on their lives. The devices enable them to connect with social and support groups, and find information about queer-friendly establishments, companies with anti-discrimination policies, and gender identity and affirming care. But for many in the LGBTQ+ […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
What’s behind the astonishing rise in LGBTQ+ romance literature?
A major transformation is underway in Romancelandia. Once upon a time, romance novels from major U.S. publishers featured only heterosexual couples. Today, the five biggest publishers regularly release same-sex love stories. From May 2022 to May 2023, sales of LGBTQ+ romance grew by 40%, with the next biggest jump in this period occurring for general […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
LGBTQ+ designers share impact of merchandise being dropped from Target stores after Pride backlash
This article first appeared in the Bay Area Reporter. At first, it seemed like a dream come true. LGBTQ+ designers and artists were recruited by Target to create merchandise for the giant retailer’s Pride collection. Not only would the job bring in revenue, it would create exposure for the creatives and their products. But last […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
“It was a do or die situation;” Queer Chicagoan creates skincare line as part of mental health recovery
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal. This story contains discussion of mental health issues such as suicidal ideation and attempts. When speaking to Tyris Manney, there are a few noticeable attributes— his brilliant smile, […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
Queer community creates a respite for LGBTQ+ youth campers
If you’re looking for an affirming summer camp for your LGBTQ+ child between the ages of 12 and 17, look no further than Kindom Camp, which, under the direction of Pepa Paniagua and now Dr. John Leedy, has expanded to include four locations this summer: Texas, Illinois, Nevada and Indiana. Kindom was founded by local community […]