These past two weeks have been particularly difficult, with numerous executive orders affecting diversity and the LGBTQ+ community. Three executive orders this week alone focused on the trans community. Between doomscrolling and 24/7 coverage, it’s easy to get caught up in a pervasive feeling of helplessness. But there are things you can do if you […]
Category: News
Posted inNews
Trump moves to restrict transgender students’ rights in schools
President Donald Trump has issued his third executive order in one week aimed at restricting rights for the transgender community. Trump previously issued orders banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting gender-affirming care for those under 19. On Wednesday, Trump signed the “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” order, which would restrict […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Critical acclaim for ‘Emilia Pérez’ comes with criticism, too
Leading this year’s Oscar contenders by the sheer number of nominations, the musical comedy Emilia Pérez is eliciting criticism in addition to critical acclaim for its portrayal of transgender people and Mexican culture. The film won the best musical/comedy at the recent Golden Globes, setting it up as a strong Academy Awards contender. The film […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
From tuxedos to tattoos, Eleanor Medhurst’s “Unsuitable” traces a hidden history of lesbian fashion
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Blues singer Gladys Bentley was a dazzling star of the Harlem Renaissance, a period in the 1920s and ’30s when African American culture flourished in New York City. Bentley’s risqué performances intrigued audiences. So did the entertainer’s relationships with […]
Posted inTop Stories
Trump moves to restrict trans youth health care, one day after military ban
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender and gender-nonconforming youth from receiving gender-affirming medical care. This order would also penalize any institution that receives federal research or education grants if they provide gender-affirming care to anyone under the age of 19. The order begins by stating that “medical professionals are maiming […]
Posted inTop Stories
Trump signs executive order effectively banning trans people from serving
On Monday night, President Donald Trump signed the “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” executive order, effectively banning transgender people from serving in the military. Trump has done this before during his first administration, an order which was reversed by the Biden administration. Now once again, the military’s estimated 15,000 trans troops are once again facing […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
Why inclusive design in tech is critical for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks
We live in a world where technology is always with us, influencing everything we do, from shopping online to staying connected with friends. When tech products and platforms are designed with only one type of person in mind, others get left behind, especially marginalized communities, like BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and LGBTQ+ […]
Posted inHealth
LGBTQ people vape at high rates. Here’s why.
Housing insecurity. Food insecurity. Substance use disorder. These are just a few challenges some in the LGBTQ+ community face that lead them down the path of using tobacco and e-cigarette products. To help, the country needs more research on what LGBTQ+-specific counseling and therapies work, Temple University pulmonary critical care doctor Jamie Garfield said. “If you’re going […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
The Task Force’s Creating Change conference brings community, collaboration and action to Las Vegas
The National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual Creating Change conference has kicked off in Las Vegas at the newly renovated Rio Hotel and Casino. The conference, which has been in existence in some form since 1988, brings over 3000 attendees together to build skills and organize for LGBTQ+ rights and issues. Task Force President Kierra Johnson […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
LGBTQ+ advocates warn Meta’s policy changes ‘putting us back in the dark ages’
LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed alarm in recent weeks, as Meta has taken steps to undermine protections for queer youth and apparently worked to appease the incoming conservative administration in Washington. Meta, the parent company of popular social media and messaging companies Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is owned by Mark Zuckerberg, who was once considered to be an ally of […]
Posted inTop Stories
Queer creators grapple with TikTok ban and Meta policy changes
Update: As of Jan. 15, it has been reported that the Biden administration is looking into ways to keep TikTok from shutting down in the United States. TikTok is currently scheduled to be banned in the U.S. as of Sunday, Jan. 19. Also as of reporting, the Supreme Court has not intervened or overturned the […]
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H.R. 28: House votes to ban trans women and girls from athletics
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-206 in favor of H.R.28 – Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. The bill would ban transgender girls and women from participating in athletics at schools and institutions that receive federal funding, stating that “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s […]
Posted inCommunity
Trans and femme voices on misogyny in LGBTQ+ communities
Misogyny is defined as a “hatred of, aversion to or prejudice against women,” according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. Although this definition is used in relation to cisgender men and the feelings some have towards cisgender women, many forget it is common in the LGBTQ+ community, too: misogyny is a deeply ingrained societal issue that permeates even the […]
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ stories to watch: The most anticipated movies and TV shows of 2025
LGBTQ+ movie and TV fans used to have to scour the archives of the indie and festival scene to find queer-friendly stories. In 2025 we’ve finally made enough progress that gay-friendly cinema is one of the most relevant genres being made today. Some of Hollywood’s most famous stars are willing to attach their names to […]
Posted inNews
Amid fear, trans students and families plan for Trump’s second term
On the Saturday after the election, Cheryl Suydam headed to an impromptu meeting for parents of trans kids. The gathering was called by the local chapter of PFLAG, an advocacy group that supports LGBTQ+ people and their families, to discuss their feelings after American voters elected a president who ran on an openly anti-trans platform, […]
Posted inTop Stories
Why aren’t soap operas more gay?
Soaps are failing LGBTQ+ viewers. With four network soaps, all of which have been airing for decades, the dearth of representation of LGBTQ+ storylines is disappointing at best. Looking back at queer storylines over the years, soaps seem to be moving backward, not forward, from some groundbreaking characters and storylines that debuted decades ago to little […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Review: Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘The Last Dream’
“The Last Dream” by Pedro Almodóvar (translated by Frank Wynne) is a collection of 12 short stories, including eight works of fiction, that were written over a span of 55 years. Considered a “fragmentary autobiography” by the author, this book demonstrates the Academy Award-winning film director’s literary prowess and versatility. His writing, like his filmmaking, […]
Posted inNews
Sustainable, genderless and bold fashion: The vision behind Desoire
At only 17 years old, Neha Sikder founded Desoire, her own fashion line of genderless clothing to inspire femininity for everyone. Desoire strives to be a sustainable brand challenging a fashion industry that often promotes only the masculine side in unisex clothing. Sikder was only 13 years old when the idea for Desoire came to […]
Posted inNews
What does Meta’s rollback on moderation and fact checking mean for the LGBTQ+ community?
LGBTQ+ leaders have criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to end third-party fact checking and content moderation on Facebook and Instagram posts. In the video released on Tuesday, Zuckerberg said the platform would move to a community notes form of content moderation, similar to Elon Musk’s X, which Meta claims will be “less prone to […]
Posted inTop Stories
Finding LGBTQ+ joy in challenging times: 5 reasons to cheer
It’s important not to lose sight of LGBTQ+ joy, especially when times get tough. Here are five queer reasons to cheer. Rep. Sarah McBride sworn in: Congratulations to McBride, who is officially the first out transgender member of the U.S. House of Representatives. McBride, who was formerly the first out trans Delaware state senator, was […]
