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On State of the Union eve, HRC highlights Biden-Harris record on LGBTQ+ equality, urges action
--From a press release
WASHINGTON — As President Biden prepares to deliver his second State of the Union address on Tuesday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender ...
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Kim Petras is first openly trans singer to win a Grammy
On Feb. 5, Kim Petras made history, becoming the first openly transgender singer to win a Grammy. The German-born singer won in her category of Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Unholy," her chart-topping collaboration with non-binary singer Sam Sm ...
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WORLD Czech president, ex-athlete's legal dispute, Congo rebels, killing
Former army chief and high NATO official Petr Pavel won the Czech Republic's presidential election, CNN reported. Pavel, a retired general running for office for the first time, won 58.3% of the vote, defeating controversial billionaire ...
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NATIONAL Gun measure, Buttigieg, NBJC's criticism, anti-trans bills
Equality Florida condemned the filing of a bill, announced by Republican Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, that would eliminate training and permitting requirements for the concealed carrying of firearms. In a press statement, Equality Florida Press ...
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HRC on end of Mpox Public Health Emergency: Today we enter a new phase in a continuing fight
--From a press release
WASHINGTON Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — marked the end of the Mpox Public ...
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SAVOR Le Petit Chef: A singular, (literally) animated experience
There are experiences and then there are EXPERIENCES. If you're familiar with those recent Immersive Van Gogh and Kahlo events, imagine that transferred to a table setting and you have an idea of what's involved with ...
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WORLD Pope Francis, non-binary minor, athlete dies at 35, Taiwan
Pope Francis made headlines when he told the Associated Press on Jan. 24 that "being homosexual is not a crime," although he also described being gay as sinful, Gay City News noted. The pontiff called on ...
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Equality Illinois responds to violence, murder of Black and Brown trans people on the south side
--From a press release
Statement by Myles Brady Davis, Director of Communications at Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for LGBTQ+ people, regarding the violences and murders of Black and Brown trans people on the south side of Chicago: ...
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NATIONAL Calif. bills, DeSantis, HIV vaccine, Meta, college items
Buried within the bills California legislators filed after Gov. Gavin Newsom released his budget proposal for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is a line seeking to retrieve $13 million back from the state's Transgender Wellness and Equity ...
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Theater Review: tick, tick...BOOM!
One of the wonders of live theater is that old works can be revived and reinterpreted to respond to changes in culture and society. Often a new directorial approach can make tried-and-true material feel fresh and ...
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GLAAD announces nominees for 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards
--From a press release. Video below
Jan. 18, 2023 - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today announced the nominees for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. ...
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NATIONAL Asylum-seekers, equality updates, cannabis, HIV and COVID
Advocacy groups that specifically work with LGBTQI+ asylum-seekers and migrants criticized the Biden administration's expansion of the use of "expedited removal" of Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians and Venezuelans who enter the ...
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WORLD Murder suspect arrested, Israeli official, conversion therapy, couple's win
Kenyan authorities arrested a suspect in the death of fashion designer/LGBTQ+-rights activist Edwin Chiloba after his body was found dumped in a metal box by the roadside near the town of Eldoret, according to CNN. Last ...
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NATIONAL Democrats and trans issues, political wins, gay bars, HIV drug
Republicans and Democrats differ widely in their views on gender identity and transgender issuesbut there are notable differences among Democrats, too, especially by race and ethnicity, according to Pew Research. Overall, 60% of U.S. adults say ...
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Brave Space Alliance to Illinois General Assembly: Don't back down on trans protections
-- From a press release
CHICAGO, IL - January 4, 2023 - Brave Space Alliance (BSA), the South Side LGBTQ+ Center, has been made aware of active discussions to exclude protections for trans people and gender-affirming care from pending legislation that ...
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WORLD Conversion therapy, Indian school, trans boxers, anti-LGBTQ+ move
South Florida Gay News noted that efforts to ban so-called conversion therapy gained a lot of traction around the world in 2022. For example, Canada and France introduced LGBTQ+-inclusive bills to ban conversion therapy for minors ...
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In memoriam: LGBTQ community obituaries 2022
The LGBTQ community lost many members in 2022, including at least 35 people in incidents of hate violence against individual transgender people and against patrons of the Club Q bar in Colorado. Here are other memorable ...
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WORLD Scottish pro-trans law, Ukrainian bill, trans activist, Olympics
On Dec. 22, Scotland's parliament approved disputed reforms that make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender, including removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and lowering the minimum age ...
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NATIONAL Office vandalized, George Santos, HRC official dies at 24, law students
Protestors vandalized an openly gay New York City Council member's office and entered his apartment building, The Advocate reported. Erik Bottcher—whose district includes Greenwich Village, Chelse and Hell's Kitchen, among ...
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Life Is Work, Brave Space Alliance to distribute Grubhub gift cards
Life Is Work (LIW)—a Black and Brown trans-led social services and advocacy organization on Chicago's West Side—is collaborating with community partner and South Side trans- and Black-led organization Brave Space ...
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NATIONAL Testifying in D.C., Brittney Griner, marriage law, school policies
WARNING: This week's news contains graphic content. Survivors of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs that killed five people and injured approximately 20 others joined GLAAD and other advocates in providing testimony before the House ...
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WORLD Ghana funding, Latvia measure, Russia items, trans princess
Some Western governments who pledged to support LGBTQI+ rights have also funded supporters of a controversial bill in Ghana that could introduce harsh sentences for advocating for sexual and gender minorities' rights, CNN reported. In the ...
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Report released on online hate and gender-affirming providers
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC Foundation) has released "Online Harassment, Offline Violence: Unchecked Harassment of Gender-Affirming Care Providers and Children's Hospitals on Social Media, and its Offline Violent Consequences." ...
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HRC: Texas AG's reported data collection about trans adults compromises privacy of LGBTQ+s
-- From a press release
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to reports of Texas Attorney General Ken ...
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Chicago Red Stars transfer Sarah Luebbert to Club America
-- From a press release
CHICAGO — The Chicago Red Stars have permanently transferred Sarah Luebbert to Club America of Liga MX Femenil in exchange for an agreed-upon-transfer fee. "I'd like to thank Sarah for her contributions to the Red Stars over ...
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Brave Space Alliance to offer name change clinic for queer, trans people
-- From a press release
CHICAGO, IL — December 13, 2022 — In its continual efforts of creating and protecting "brave spaces" for transgender and queer Black people to affirm their dignity, Brave Space Alliance (BSA) is providing a free name ...
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With President Biden's signature, Respect for Marriage Act is law
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — celebrated today as President Biden signed the Respect ...
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Trans activist Precious Brady-Davis endorses Mayor Lightfoot's reelection campaign
-- From a press release
Chicago, IL — This week, transgender activist Precious Brady-Davis endorsed Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot's reelection campaign. Brady-Davis is a celebrated author and activist who published the memoir I Have Always ...
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NATIONAL 'Queer to Stay,' gay pol dies, drag-show attacks, 'Don't Say Gay' lawmaker
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Showtime announced the 25 recipients of "Queer to Stay: An LGBTQ+ Business Preservation Initiative" to support and uplift small businesses that focus on LGBTQ+ people of color, women and the trans+ community ...
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WORLD Mexican report, Kristen Stewart, Elton John, Netanyahu
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) launched the sixth annual HRC Equidad MX: Programa Global de Equidad Laboral—a survey evaluating LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion within major Mexican businesses and multinationals, a press ...
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GLAAD post-election poll shows surge of LGBTQ+ voters in midterm elections
-- From a press release
(New York, NY, TBD) GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is releasing the findings of its 2022 post midterm election poll of ...
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HRC Foundation names 2022 Global Small Grants recipients ahead of International Human Rights Day
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, announced this year's recipients ...
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Attorney General Raoul joins coalition to protect access to gender-affirming care
From a press release
CHICAGO — Attorney General Kwame Raoul today stood up for transgender rights, joining a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting efforts to promote equal access to healthcare in West Virginia ...
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Congress passes Respect for Marriage Act, sends to President Biden for signature
-- From a press release. Video below
(New York, NY - December 8, 2022) — GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in the U.S. ...
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276,000 transgender adults in the U.S. are enrolled in Medicaid
-- From a press release
More than 40% lack guaranteed access to coverage for gender-affirming care under state law An estimated 276,000 transgender adults are enrolled in Medicaid in the U.S., according to a new analysis by the Williams Institute at ...
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"A Secret I Can't Tell" book updated and reissued
-- From a press release
NEW YORK, NY — NOVEMBER 14, 2022 — In 2020 the United States Supreme Court ruled that 1964 Civil Rights Act protects gay, lesbian, and transgender employees from discrimination based on sex. But now Florida's "Don't say gay" ...
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Trans Day of Remembrance 2022: Chicagoans remember Elise Malary
Dozens of community members and advocates gathered in Andersonville the afternoon of Nov. 20, braving cold temperatures to honor the memory of activist Elise Malary. The event, a collaboration between local organizations that included Chicago Therapy ...
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Mpox Working Group sends letter to Congress calling for $900 million in funding
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, in partnership with 39 other leading public health, HIV/AIDS, medical ...
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WORLD Japan ruling, Kenya groups, World Cup, Almodovar
Video below
A district court in the Tokyo Prefecture ruled that Japan's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is legal, according to The Washington Blade. In a statement to Reuters, plaintiffs' attorney Nobuhito Sawasaki said, "This is actually a ...
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NATIONAL Trans officials, marriage equality, Karl Schmid, Pelosi, Buttigieg
Video below
Once all of the newly elected officials are seated, there will be nine transgender state legislators (up from eight this year) and nine non-binary state legislators across the country, NBC News noted, citing The Victory Institute. ...
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World AIDS Day: GLAAD releases 2022 State of HIV Stigma Study
-- From a press release
(New York, NY - December 1, 2022) GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is releasing its third annual State of HIV Stigma ...
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Body Hack presents Nuestros Lazos Festival for and by trans and queer people of color
-- From a press release
This December, Body Hack joins forces with Kiki House of Prince, for the first time to create a spectacular festival complete with panels, workshops, the long awaited Maxi Kiki Ball and a dope afterparty, done Body ...
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GLAAD responds to renaming of Monkeypox
-- From a press release
(New York, NY) - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the World Health Organization (WHO) announcement recommending a new ...
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Record 120 U.S. cities excel in protecting LGBTQ+ rights per HRC LGBTQ+ Equality Index
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, in partnership with The ...
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State of LGBTQ+ Equality in nine Illinois municipalities detailed in HRC Index
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, in partnership with The ...
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Landmark step toward equality: Senate passes bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act
-- From press releases
WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — today celebrated the bipartisan passage of the Respect ...
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Taskforce Community Services holds Thanksgiving Dinner.
On the evening of November 21, Taskforce Prevention and Community Services held a Thanksgiving dinner for clients and supporters at its office at 9 N. Cicero. The event also featured a raffle and impromptu vogue session. ...
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Trans-Giving brings Trans Awareness Week to meaningful close
On the evening of Nov. 20, the close of Transgender Awareness Week was acknowledged with Trans-Giving, an event both celebrating transgender lives and accomplishments, and remembering those lost to anti-trans violence in 2022. The sold-out dinner, ...
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WORLD Church of England, World Cup news, court rulings, Justin Trudeau
The Church of England is defending the scrutinized guidance for its 4,700 primary schools on LGBTQ+ issues, claiming that it doesn't allow students as young as 5 to self-identify as the opposite sex, The Christian Post ...
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Transgender Day of Resilience: Town Hall panelists tackle allyship, discrimination and immigration
Brave Space Alliance (BSA), Life Is Work (LIW) and Chicago Therapy Collective (CTC) hosted three free events across the city that they namedTDOR Weekend: A New Era, Together to celebrate ...
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Brave Space Alliance releases statement on forensic audit of organizational finances
-- From a press release
CHICAGO, IL - The Board of Directors ("Board") of Brave Space Alliance (BSA) has sent a report to the Illinois Attorney General Office's Charitable Trust Bureau outlining the findings of ...
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GLAAD responds to mass shooting in Colorado Springs
-- From a press release
(New York, NY - November 20, 2022) - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs that killed ...
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HRC responds to fatal shooting at LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs
-- From a press release
Colorado Springs, CO Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to media reports of a fatal shooting at Club Q in Colo ...
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NATIONAL Respect for Marriage Act, lesbian judge, gay official resigns
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said that debate on the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) is suspended and will continue on Nov. 28, when the Senate reconvenes after Thanksgiving, LGBTQ Nation reported. The RFMA ...
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WORLD Brazilian musician, top LGBTQ+ cruises, Elon Musk, anti-trans attack
Brazilian musician Pedro Sampaio revealed that he dates men and women, Out noted. Sampaio has 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, more than 5 million followers on Instagram and several music videos with more than 50 ...
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VIEWPOINT The geopolitics of being Brittney Griner
WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner was arrested a week before Russia invaded Ukraine. On Feb. 17, the Russian Federal Customs Service detained Griner at Sheremetyevo International Airport for allegedly transporting cannabis-derived ...
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Human Rights Campaign Foundation Marks 10 Years of Tracking Violence Against Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People, Recording 32 Fatalities in 2022
From a press release: WASHINGTON—Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil ...
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AG Raoul files amicus brief supporting transgender athlete's rights
AG Raoul files amicus brief supporting transgender athlete's rights Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul was one of an interstate coalition of attorneys general filing an amicus brief challenging an Indiana ...
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Siah Berlatsky writes a love letter with new play Malapert Love
Transgender playwright Siah Berlatsky has created an original work called Malapert Love that is currently being presented by the team of The Artistic Home. The world premiere opened on November 10, 2022, at The Den Theatre ...
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WORLD Indian judge, marriage items, LGBTQ+-friendly countries
A judge who could pave the way to legalizing marriage equality in India took charge as chief justice, Bloomberg reported. As a judge on the top court, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud was a member of the five-member ...
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HISTORY MADE: Oregon's Tina Kotek one of first lesbian governors in U.S history
-- From a press release
SALEM — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, hailed the victory of HRC-endorsed Tina Kotek in her bid to become the governo ...
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History made: More LGBTQ+ people elected to congress than ever before
-- From an HRC press release
Washington, DC — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — hailed the victory of at least ...
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WORLD Gay governor, Tokyo partnership policy, Daniel Radcliffe, Korean first
On Oct. 30, the first openly gay governor of Brazil was re-elected in a runoff election, The Washington Blade noted. Rio Grande do Sul Gov. Eduardo Leite, a member of the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party, ...
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NATIONAL Pageant ruling, AOC, gay journalists, Dwyane Wade, trans activist
A federal appeals court ruled that the operator of the Miss United States of America pageant (not to be confused with the Miss USA pageant) can't be forced to allow openly transgender women into its competitions, ...
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Officials visit Brittney Griner for first time in months
Officials from the U.S. embassy in Moscow met with Brittney Griner on Nov. 3, according to Reuters. It was the first visit in months for the out lesbian WNBA star who is jailed in Russia and could soon be transferred to ...
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QPOC and transgender elders become focus of grad school student's master's thesis
When we think about how LGBTQ+ age, helping people feel connected and "seen" is just one of the many ways a community can care for LGBTQ+ elders. It can contribute to their mental health as they ...
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NATIONAL Birth certificates, university items, drag-show standoff, 'Models of Pride'
Following a lawsuit from ACLU, ACLU of West Virginia and the Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources' Vital Registration Office has introduced more accessible and safer policies ...
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WORLD World Cup, Ukraine president, purge survivors, Eddie Izzard
Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, Qatar's ambassador to the UK, said LGBTQ+ couples visiting the country for the World Cup can "hold hands" but should be mindful of "public displays of affection," according to PinkNews. He told ...
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Young trans playwright queers Shakespeare in new production 'Malapert Love'
The Artistic Home will debut Malapert Love on Nov. 5-Dec. 11 in Wicker Park at The Den Theatre's Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. The gender-bending, Shakespearean romantic comedy was written by 18-year-old Siah Berlatsky, who's ...
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$44B Musk/Twitter deal raises questions about content moderation, HRC responds
-- From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, issued a statement following Elon Musk completing his purchase ...
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Indiana court upholds decision to separate trans child from allegedly abusive parents
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's decision to remove a transgender child from the parents' custody due to allegations of abuse and their refusal to support the teen's gender identity, The Los Angeles ...
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Florida Board of Education approves strict trans bathroom rule
On Oct. 19, the Florida Board of Education approved a strict rule preventing public and charter schools in the state from allowing trans+ youth to use the restroom or locker room consistent with their gender identity ...
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NATIONAL Michigan bill, trans woman killed, school musical, Alabama drag queen
Michigan House Republicans recently introduced legislation that could have the potential to throw parents and doctors in prison for life for offering gender-affirming care to children under the age of 18, MLive.com reported. Under House Bill ...
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SHOWBIZ 'P-Valley,' Dan Levy, trans/non-binary panel, Christina Aguilera, Spirit Day
Video below
Starz has renewed the show P-Valley (the network's most-watched series) for a third season, The Hollywood Reporter noted. The renewal for the series from creator/showrunner Katori Hall arrives more than two months after the sophomore season ...
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Report: Anti-trans violence doubled between 2017 and 2021
The number of homicides of transgender people in the country nearly doubled between 2017 and 2021, and were mostly driven by gun violence, according to a new report from Everytown for Gun Safety, The Hill reported. Known transgender homicides ...
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