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HRC condemns NCAA for failure to protect LGBTQ+ athletes
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Late last night, the NCAA ratified (https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/1/20/media-center-ncaa-members-approve-new-constitution.aspx) its new constitution, which does not include nondiscrimination policy language that had ...
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Former Iowa Mr. Leather and computer programmer Ken Ballard dies at 43
Former Iowa Mr. Leather, computer programmer and gay Chicagoan Ken Meverick Ballard died Jan. 11 in his Lake View home at the age of 43. The cause of death is currently unknown. Ballard was born July ...
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Virtual Creating Change rescheduled for March 19-20
-- From a press release
Jan. 20, 2022—Washington, D.C.: The National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change conference, which was recently changed to a virtual format due to the on-going impact of the COVID pandemic, will now be held March 19-20. Over ...
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Failure to enact Freedom to Vote is a blow to vulnerable groups
-- From a press release
From Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund: "The failure to enact the Freedom to Vote, John R. Lewis Act is a profound blow to our Democracy. The inability to ensure ...
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Revry's Black History Month of LGBTQ-First Films and Series celebrates Black stories
-- From a press release
Los Angeles - This Black History Month, Revry is programming LGBTQ-first Black stories with themes from the differently-abled, LGBTQ athletes, activists and the lesbian, trans and the cis-gender lesbian community. Over 35% of Revry's audience is ...
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Sinema under fire from LGBTQ+ groups for voting-rights stance
Some LGBTQ+-rights organizations have criticized U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona)—a member of the community—after her stance on voting rights. Sinema and fellow Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, have ...
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NCAA updates trans-related policies
The NCAA has adopted a sport-by-sport approach for transgender athletes, bringing the organization in line with the U.S. and International Olympic Committees (IOC), POLITICO reported. Under the new guidelines, approved ...
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Gilead: Patients received fake HIV drugs
Gilead Sciences Inc said an unauthorized network of drug distributors and suppliers sold pharmacies more than $250 million of counterfeit versions of its HIV treatments over the last two years, endangering patients, Reuters reported. The drugmaker ...
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Nominations announced for 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards
-- From a press release
New York, NY - Wed., Jan. 19, 2022 - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today announced the nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. RuPaul's Drag ...
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Human Rights Campaign Foundation releases new data on the LGBTQ+ wage gap
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, released ...
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Human Rights Campaign celebrates advances in LGBTQ+ policies one year into Biden-Harris administration
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON, DC — One day before the one year anniversary of the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) celebrates the advances that have been made in LGBTQ+ ...
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Fashion icon Andre Leon Talley dies at 73
Andre Leon Talley—the fashion icon and former creative director of Vogue magazine—died Jan. 18 at age 73. Details were not immediately revealed. In addition to his agent, Talley's Instagram account confirmed Talley's passing, noting that ...
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LGBTQ+-rights activist Jim Obergefell announces political run
Jim Obergefell—the LGBTQ+-rights activist and named plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide—announced Jan. 18 that he is launching a bid for the Ohio state House, CNN.com reported. "I took a history-ma ...
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Texas' anti-trans youth sports law goes into effect
A new Texas law bars transgender student athletes from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity, Houston Public Media reported. House Bill 25 is one of several laws that went into effect ...
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Nat'l Black Justice Coalition celebrates openly LGBTQ+/SGL NAACP Image Award nominees
-- From a press release
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) celebrates the historic number of openly Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same-gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) nominees for the NAACP Image Awards. The Image ...
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Rabbi taken hostage in Texas LGBTQ-friendly synagogue expresses thanks
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was among the four hostages freed Jan. 15 from a Dallas-area synagogue, said there was "no question" the experience was traumatic, and thanked the community and world for the prayers and love, ...
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SHOWBIZ Music festivals, Murray Bartlett, Reese Witherspoon, author David Sedaris
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival revealed the lineup for this year's festival, taking place June 16-19 on the Bonnaroo Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, a press release noted. Highlights will include performances by Tool, J. Cole, Stevie ...
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NATIONAL Lambda Legal, Penn. city's change, couple on the run, Bayard Rustin
Lambda Legal filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society, Inc. on behalf of a former employee who was fired after they and other Dallas Arboretum ...
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Veterans Administration health records now display gender identity
-- Press release from The American Veterans for Equal Rights
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs began including gender identifiers in its national medical record system in December 2021 to help VA providers better understand and meet the health care needs of Veterans. Providing this ...
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National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund ED urges action on voting rights
-- From a press release
"The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund urges the U.S. Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Voting rights are a cornerstone of our democratic process and ...
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Plaintiff in historic Florida marriage-equality lawsuit found dead
In Florida, Jorge Diaz-Johnston was recently found dead in a Jackson County landfill, ABC News reported. Diaz-Johnston, 54, was reported missing on Jan. 3 near his workplace and police are investigating his death as a homicide, ...
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Amariey Lej, 20 year old Black trans woman, killed in Pennsylvania
-- From a NBJC press release
WILKINSBURG, PA- The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) mourns the loss of Amariey Lej, a 20-year-old Black transgender woman. Amariey was shot and found lying in the streets of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on January 1, 2022. Lej ...
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SAG nominees include 'Gucci,' 'Power of the Dog,' 'Squid Game'
Nominees for the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards honoring outstanding individual, cast and ensemble performances for the past year were announced Jan. 12 by actors Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens via Instagram Live, according to ...
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NBJC celebrates Mj Rodriguez on Golden Globes win
—From a press release
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) congratulates Michaela Jae "Mj" Rodriguez on earning the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama during the 2022 Golden Globe Awards. Rodriguez won for her role as Blanca ...
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COVID Insurers to cover at-home tests
Beginning Saturday, Jan. 15, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans, The Chicago Tribune reported. The Biden administration announced the change Jan. ...
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Minneapolis City Councilor Andrea Jenkins elected City Council President
—From an HRC press release
MINNEAPOLIS — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) congratulates Andrea Jenkins, a Minneapolis City Councilor and Human Rights Campaign board member, on her election to the role of City Council President. Jenkins, who became the first ...
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LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Youth Led Study on Youth and Young Adult COVID-19 Vaccination Finds Surprising Results
—From a news release
BOULDER, CO - Out Boulder County in partnership with El Centro AMISTAD and Unwoven Ventures with the leadership of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth created ...
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Clay Aiken announces another political run
Former American Idol star Clay Aiken announced he's running for Congress in North Carolina, seeking the Democratic nomination in the 6th District, WOKV.com reported. In a video posted online, the openly gay father reintroduces himself, saying, ...
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Billy Masters: Andy Cohen, SJP and more
The virus hit us both like a freight train. Thankfully, we were both triple vaccinated and the vaccinations did their job, which kept us out of real danger and out of the hospital… [We're] still isolating and waiting to see until we test ...
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Trans actress Rodriguez makes history at quiet Golden Globes
On Jan. 9, Michaela Jae "Mj" Rodriguez won a Golden Globe for best actress in a TV drama for her role as Blanca on the FX show Pose, according to media reports. The awards were announced on social media, as the Globes were not broadcast or live-streamed ...
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Non-binary skater makes history as part of U.S. Olympic team
Timothy LeDuc, a figure skater who identifies as non-binary, and partner Ashley Cain-Gribble won the pairs event at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Jan. 9 in Nashville, MSN.com reported. This was their second time ...
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NATIONAL California report, AIDS foundation CEO, QueerArt, intersex bill
California law enforcement officials conduct body searches on Black and transgender people more often than on white and cisgender people, according to a new report from California's Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory (RIPA) Board, LGBTQ Na ...
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SHOWBIZ Non-binary skater, Cardi B, David Bowie, 'West Hollywood' series
U.S. figure skating champion Timothy LeDuc is hoping to make history as the first out non-binary Winter Olympian in Beijing, out.com noted. The 31-year-old Iowa native and their skating partner, Ashley Cain-Gribble, already have a gold ...
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VIEWPOINT For LGBTQ community, the movement behind Jan. 6 is an existential threat
The stakes could not be higher. The LGBTQ movement has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams in democratic societies worldwide. Where we have had access to freedom of speech and assembly, remarkable advances have followed. This is ...
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Laws targeting TGNC youth already proposed in several states
In the first week of 2022, officials in at least seven states have already proposed laws that would limit the rights of transgender and non-binary youth, The Hill reported. Legislators in Arizona, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, ...
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Transgender 'Jeopardy!' contestant passes $1-million mark
Transgender Jeopardy! contestant Amy Schneider passed the $1-million mark on an episode that aired Jan. 7, becoming the first woman (cis or trans) to do so, The New York Times noted. Schneider—who's from Oakland, California—marked he ...
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Ahmaud Arbery's killers sentenced to life
On Jan. 7, three white men who chased and murdered Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced to life in prison in a Georgia courthouse for the 25-year-old's murder in 2020. According to CNN.com, Travis McMichael, 35; his father, ...
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Bobblehead Hall of Fame unveils Pete Buttigieg figure
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, in Milwaukee, unveiled the first bobblehead of United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, during 2012-20, earning him the nickname ...
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Michigan's first out gay man dies at 91
Jim Toy—the person widely considered to be Michigan's first openly gay man and one of its most prominent LGBTQ activists—passed away at age 91, MLive.com reported. Toy died on New Year's Day, said Washtenaw County Commissioner ...
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CDC's COVID guidelines; new Chicago/Cook County policy kicks in Jan. 3
Dr. Anthony Fauci said he anticipates "further clarification" on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) updated guidelines to end the COVID-19 isolation period after just five days for people who are not exhibiting ...
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Billy Masters: Lindsay Wagner, Andy Cohen and more
"You spread misinformation about the safety of vaccines. You're a danger to public health. Get fucked."—Meghan McCain's tweet to commentator Candace Owens, after Owens did what Meg calls a "post-[Trump] ...
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NATIONAL Vermont judges, trans bishop, Jared Polis, gay mayor
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced his appointments of three Vermont Superior Court judges—Elizabeth Novotny, of Jericho; Heather Gray, of Quechee; and Justin Jiron, of Underhill, a press release noted. Novotny is a Vermont lawyer with more ...
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SHOWBIZ JoJo Siwa, Jeopardy! champ, director dies, Frank Ocean
TikTok fans of LGBTQ entertainer Jojo Siwa said her new teenage girlfriend, Katie Mills, is a supporter of anti-LGBTQ Republican former President Donald Trump, per LGBTQ Nation. Mills also once questioned if transgender women are "actually" ...
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Beloved icon Betty White dies at 99
Betty White—a beloved TV icon whose career spanned decades—has died at age 99. White was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on Jan. 17, 1922. "Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would ...
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LGBTQ travel expert Jeff Guaracino dies at 48
Philadelphia native, author and Visit Philadelphia President/CEO Jeff Guaracino died Dec. 28, following a long battle with cancer. He was 48. Guaracino worked to boost the economies of both his hometown and Atlantic City as head ...
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LGBTQ activists raising money to help trans trailblazer Gavin Grimm
LGBTQ advocates and allies are raising money to help transgender trailblazer Gavin Grimm remain housed after a health crisis that left him unable to work, Metro Weekly reported. Grimm—whose name has become synonymous with transgender rights—rose ...
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Jury reaches verdict in Ghislaine Maxwell case
On Dec. 29, jury found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty on five of six counts related to her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of minor girls between 1994 and 2004, CNN.com reported. The trial, which took place ...
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Former Democratic leader Harry Reid dies at 82
Harry Reid, the former Democratic Senate leader who spearheaded epic legislative battles through three decades in Congress, has died at age 82 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer, according to media reports. Reid rose from ...
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Billy Masters
"A little prick is better than no prick at all."—Billy Masters. That was my motto when it came to getting the vaccine against the coronavirus. Ironically, the more people got little pricks, the more we all ...
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SHOWBIZ The film 'Licorice Pizza,' Aaron Sorkin, WNBA player, Mariah Carey
Alana Haim, who stars in the film Licorice Pizza (now out in theaters), talked with out.com about how the movie incorporates queer representation by including unsung queer political figure Joel Wachs. "Joel Wachs was such an ...
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NATIONAL Gay mayor, COVID data, trans journalist dies, Bette Midler
Robert Garcia, the out mayor of Long Beach, California, is running for a Congressional seat in 2022, per LGBTQ Nation. He will seek to represent 47th District in the House of Representatives, a seat currently held ...
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Rufus Gifford confirmed as State Dept. chief of protocol
The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Rufus Gifford as chief of protocol for the State Department, The Washington Blade reported. Gifford now again has the rank of ambassador and a lead role in diplomatic engagement for President ...
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FDA approves injectable PrEP
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Apretude (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension) for use in at-risk adults and adolescents weighing at least 77 pounds for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to ...
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Legislation to address disparities facing LGBTQ+ seniors, people with HIV/AIDS
On Dec. 16, Pride Action Tank, OUTreach and Equality Illinois hosted a virtual "breakfast" to discuss issues facing LGBTQ+ seniors and persons with HIV/AIDS as well as legislative policies created to address them. "Advocating for Change" ...
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SPORTS Sin City Classic announces Ken Scearce Leadership Award
The Sin City Classic Sports Festival Presented by Lexus, called the largest annual LGBTQ+ sporting event in the world, announced the creation of the Ken Scearce Leadership Award. The Sin City Classic organizers created the award ...
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CDC study shows Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ men remain most affected by HIV/AIDS
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed Black and Latinx gay and bisexual men continue to be more affected by HIV/AIDS than white members of the LGBTQ+ community. Howard Brown ...
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Utah billionaire leaves Mormon Church, donates to LGBTQ group
Billionaire Jeff Green resigned from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, writing in a letter to the church's president that he believes the institution has "hindered global progress in women's rights, civil rights and ...
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Creating Change conference pivots to virtual event
--From a National LGBTQ Task Force press release
DECEMBER 22, 2021.…WASHINGTON, DC……..The National LGBTQ Task Force today announced that the 34th annual Creating Change conference, slated for January 12-16 at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, will now ...
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New Jersey legislature votes to codify marriage equality
On Dec. 20, New Jersey lawmakers took steps to protect marriage equality, with both houses of the state legislature voting to enshrine the right to same-sex marriage into state law, PhillyVoice.com reported. Sponsors of the legislation ...
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GLAAD planning in-person ceremonies for 2022
GLAAD announced that the GLAAD Media Awards will return to in-person ceremonies in New York City and Los Angeles in 2022 after being virtual in 2020 and 2021. The 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los ...
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Billy Masters: Rex Smith, 'West Side Story' and more
"It was pretty damn good!"—Rex Smith's response when Billy showed a risqué photo of Rex at his most beautiful and asked, "What was it like walking around looking like that?" I love when someone that gorgeous ...
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Actor, poet, arts activist Jerrie Johnson talks new Amazon show 'Harlem,' other work
Jerrie Johnson's mission to book a series regular role six months after finishing graduate school came to fruition when they (Johnson uses they/them pronouns) were cast as Tye, a lesbian dating app creator/CEO (who uses she/her ...
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COVID U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker test positive
U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker separately revealed they have tested positive for COVID. Fully vaccinated (including getting a booster shot), the 72-year old Massachusetts progressive declared on social ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Drag Race' judges, 'Nash Bridges,' Dolly Parton, J.K. Rowling, Britney
The guest judges for the 14th season of RuPaul's Drag Race have been revealed, according to out.com. Lizzo, Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Andra Day, Loni Love, Christine Chiu, Ava Max, Nicole Byer, Ts Madison, Alec ...
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NATIONAL New Jersey, Audre Lorde, LGBTQ book, youth items
In the face of growing anxiety over the Supreme Court's conservative bent, state lawmakers in New Jersey are moving to pass marriage-equality legislation, Gay City News reported. According to Garden State Equality, the New Jersey Assembly's ...
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MUSIC Out singer VINCINT plans a 'Getaway'
Out and proud singer Vincint Cannady (aka VINCINT) continues to change the game in the world of pop music. He got his start from performing in gospel groups before becoming a finalist in the singing competition ...
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FDA allows abortion pills to be sent via mail
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Dec. 16 that it is lifting a requirement that patients seeking medication abortion had to pick up the medication in person—and allowing pills to be sent by mail ...
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VIEWS Remembering our sister-friend bell hooks
bell hooks died on Dec. 15, 2021, at 69, in Kentucky. As a Black Appalachian, bell hooks was inarguably one of the nation's prominent feminist scholars and authors, and a friend to everyone she met. Last ...
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Out actress Kelly McGillis to join flag-football teams in Key West tourney
Teams of women and girls from around the world are to meet for sporting events and activities Jan. 24-31, 2022, during the 30th annual Kelly McGillis Classic International Women's & Girls' Flag Football Championship, according to ...
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Author/feminist bell hooks dies at 69
Acclaimed author and activist bell hooks died Dec. 15 at age 69. The writer (real name: Gloria Jean Watkins) was born in 1952 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, per NBC News. Her first published work, a book of ...
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Wisconsin LGBTQ+-rights activist Dick Wagner dies at 78
Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist and onetime Dane County, Wisconsin, Supervisor Dick Wagner has died at age 78, NBC15.com reported. According to a friend, Wagner was found at tiny Kerr-McGee Triangle Park, which he helped create in the ...
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Trans people three times more likely to face food insufficiency during pandemic
--From a press release
During the pandemic, an estimated 25% of transgender adults in the U.S. reported not having enough to eat in the past week, compared to 8% of cisgender adults, according to a new report by the Williams ...
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USA Gymnastics, USOPC reach $380M settlement with abuse victims
On Dec. 13, a federal bankruptcy court in Indianapolis confirmed a $380-million settlement between USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee with hundreds of victims of former national team doctor Larry Nassar, among others, ...
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Golden Globe nominations unveiled in low-key event
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)—which has taken a critical drubbing over its lack of diverse membership as well as its questionable standards and conduct—announced nominations for its 2022 Golden ...
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Leading groups join call for LGBTQ-inclusive books, books on race, racism
--From a GLAAD press release
GLAAD joins over 600 groups and individuals in a powerful statement of support against efforts to ban LGBTQ-inclusive books and books about race and racism. The statement, created by the National Coalition Against Censorship, is the ...
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