LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates responded to Tuesday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Idaho and West Virginia’s laws that bar transgender students from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity, warning the decision will deepen discrimination and harm transgender youth. Across the country, advocacy groups called for continued legal challenges, policy action […]
Category: Politics
Posted inTop Stories
The first school year under a Texas law targeting LGBTQ+ student
This story was originally reported by Bekah McNeel of The 19th. Meet Bekah and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. Adrian Moore was sharing a blanket with his friends, watching the sun come up over Morton Ranch High School before the first day of his senior year. Parents and teachers milled […]
Posted inTop Stories
LGBTQ+ youth mental health improved slightly in 2025 — but anti-LGBTQ+ policies are still taking a toll
Content warning: This article discusses suicide, self-harm, and mental health challenges affecting LGBTQ+ youth. The Trevor Project, which describes itself as the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, just released its seventh annual National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. The Trevor Project surveyed more than […]
Posted inNews
Florida’s “Anti-Diversity” legislation, explained — And why it matters beyond Florida
If you don’t live in Florida, you might be tempted to scroll past this. Don’t. Florida has a habit of road-testing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation — and watching it spread. The state’s 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” law is the most famous example. At least a dozen states introduced similar laws, including Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and […]
Posted inTop Stories
‘I’m heartbroken’: Trans Kansans reckon with their driver’s licenses being invalidated
TOPEKA — Transgender rights activist Jaelynn Abegg was furious Thursday morning when she received a letter from the state informing her that her driver’s license had been invalidated because of a new state law. Abegg, a Wichita resident, said she would only get a new driver’s license if she needs one before fleeing the state, […]
Posted inNews
HRC warns LGBTQ progress faltering as Trump enters second year
This article originally appeared in the Washington Blade. As President Donald Trump begins the second year of his second term, LGBTQ advocacy organizations say they are shifting into a more aggressive posture — armed with new data that shows how quickly hard-won progress is eroding under the Trump-Vance administration. The Human Rights Campaign hosted its […]
Posted inTop Stories
More than half of LGBTQ+ adults have altered major life plans since 2024 election, says new report
Independent think tank Movement Advancement Project (MAP) has released a new report on the experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans since the 2024 election. According to the research, since November 2024, 57% of LGBTQ people, and 84% of transgender and nonbinary people, have made major life changes in response to anti-LGBTQ+ politics or laws. These include taking […]
Posted inTop Stories
Report warns restrictive laws are putting LGBTQ+ youth health and safety at risk
An independent think tank, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), released a report on the state of LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. and the impact of policy on their lives. In partnership with Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE), Advocates for Youth, Equality Federation, GLSEN, PFLAG National, and The Trevor Project, the report examines the rise of […]
Posted inTop Stories
Global roundup: Countries that recently legalized same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage continues to expand around the world, with several countries passing laws or court rulings in the last two years. These changes reflect steady progress, particularly in Europe and, more recently, Asia. Here’s a look at the most recent nations to join the list, with dates when the laws took effect. Marriage equality newcomers […]
Posted inTop Stories
Orlando community restores Pulse rainbow crosswalk with chalk
In July 2025, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy issued a “Safe Roads” memo to all 50 states. It directed the removal of non-standard markings, including rainbow designs, claiming roads must be free of political messages and distractions. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) issued a memo citing its authority under the FDOT Design Manual. It […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: August 15, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community Former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case that legalized same-sex marriage. Her legal team argues that the ruling conflicts with religious freedom, but most observers […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: August 8, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community The Air Force has confirmed that transgender service members discharged under the new ban, who served between 15 and 18 years, are ineligible for retirement pay and related benefits. Advocacy groups say the policy could strip thousands of veterans of income […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: July 25, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. Rep. Sarah McBride condemned the Trump‑Vance administration’s ban on transgender military service in her first House floor speech, calling it “appalling.” She warned the policy is already forcing trans service members out and urged Congress to act. California’s new crisis line […]
Posted inTop Stories
Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival cancels 2026 edition, citing Trump DEI order
The Phoenix-based Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival announced on its website and social media pages that its 2026 festival has been canceled and Desperado is on an indefinite pause. The festival, held on the campus of Paradise Valley Community College, would have marked its 17th year. “We are writing with profound regret to inform you that […]
Posted inTop Stories
Travel tips for LGBTQ+ people: Staying informed under new federal policies
Clear answers are hard to come by for LGBTQ+ travelers fearful about going through airports under the second Trump administration. There have been reports of trans people’s passports being changed and federal agents disqualifying people from entry to the United States due to anti-Trump memes. Perhaps the biggest threat facing trans and nonbinary people is […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: July 18, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. Reps. Robert Garcia and Raja Krishnamoorthi are demanding answers from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the Trump administration’s cuts to HIV programs, warning of serious global and domestic health impacts. San Francisco’s new budget preserves most HIV/AIDS services despite […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: July 11, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The Stonewall National Monument page has removed the word “bisexual” from its National Park Service site. Earlier this year, the words “transgender” and “queer” were removed, as well as the Q and T in LGBTQ. Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons has […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: June 27, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that parents can opt their kids out of LGBTQ+-inclusive lessons if it conflicts with their religious beliefs, a move advocates say threatens inclusive education. The Trump-Vance administration is threatening to pull education funding from California over […]
Posted inNews
The price of protection: LGBTQ+ families and the cost of moving
Although discourse about LGBTQ+ families moving out of states with harsher anti-LGBTQ+ laws predates the Trump administration, recent events, such as the Supreme Court ruling on U.S. v. Skrmetti, have made these conversations more pressing. However, there is a significant economic demand of such moves that not only poses obstacles to families considering this option but […]
Posted inTop Stories
The OutLook: June 20, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors in a 6–3 ruling, allowing similar laws in other states to stand. Justice Sotomayor dissented, saying the court “abandons transgender children and their families to political whims.” California […]
