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Headlines
HHS Plans to Cut the National Suicide
Hotline’s Program for LGBTQ Youth
WorldPride 2025 Expects Huge Visibility March and Rally
in DC Amid Trump’s Anti-LGBTQ Agenda
Maine Gov. Janet Mills Doubles Down on
Defying Trump’s Attacks on Trans Rights
Out Gay Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Signs
Law Repealing Marriage Equality Ban
Massachusetts Democrats Introduce Bill to Protect Trans
People from Federal Investigations
Pete Buttigieg: Smart Straight Shooter
NY Public Schools Tell Trump Administration They Won’t
Comply With DEI Order
Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Signalgate, Trump’s Tariffs,
and Defending the LGBTQ Community
Legislation Aimed at LGBTQ Community has
Become More Extreme and Getting Worse Under Trump
RFK Jr. Shuts Down HHS Office of
Infectious Diseases & HIV Policy
Sarah McBride Says Democrats Should be
More Open to Opponents of Trans Rights
Reaction to Trump-Vance-Zelensky Meeting
Darkness and Dazzle: Pete Buttigieg Eviscerates Donald
Trump’s Speech
Demonstration at Utah State House
DC World Pride
Organizers Warn Transgender Visitors to the US of
Potential Travel Risks
Organizers are responding to concerns from international
travelers under the Trump administration
With WorldPride just weeks away, organizers in
Washington, DC, are walking a difficult line — welcoming
the world to the nation’s capital while acknowledging
the grim reality facing transgender people traveling to
the United States under the Trump administration.
In April 2025, the Capital Pride Alliance, which is
producing WorldPride 2025, released new guidance for
international visitors. The guidance urges all
travelers—especially trans and nonbinary people—to stay
informed, travel cautiously, and understand the
potential risks before coming to Washington DC. The
festivities begin on May 17 and go through June 8.

DC WorldPride Event
Information
Washington DC to Host WorldPride 2025
DC World Pride Organizers Issue Warning to
Transgender Visitors to the US
Capital Pride Alliance: About WorldPride
WorldPride 2025 Expects Huge Visibility March and Rally
in DC Amid Trump’s Anti-LGBTQ Agenda
Event Notes: DC WorldPride 2025
Organizers stressed that the decision to attend
WorldPride must be made thoughtfully, particularly for
trans travelers facing new restrictions on documentation
and travel under federal policies. “We recommend that
travelers considering entry to the United States make an
informed decision based on the potential risks involved,
as we, alongside advocates and partner organizations,
continue to actively navigate the measures being put in
place by the current federal administration,” the group
said.
“WorldPride is happening at a pivotal time, and we are
working to unite voices worldwide in support of our
movement and our lives as the LGBTQ community continues
its fight for equality, visibility, and justice,” the
Capital Pride Alliance added. “Hosting this historic
event in the US capital – a place that has been so
important to the movement – is a stark reminder that
LGBTQ people exist and belong everywhere.”
Passports with an “X” gender marker remain valid for
travel under international standards, but a recent US
State Department memo now requires visa applicants to
list their sex assigned at birth — a change that could
impact some trans and nonbinary travelers. Organizers
encouraged all visitors to consult official sources and
seek legal guidance as needed.
DC WorldPride Event
Information
Washington DC to Host WorldPride 2025
DC World Pride Organizers Issue Warning to
Transgender Visitors to the US
Capital Pride Alliance: About WorldPride
WorldPride 2025 Expects Huge Visibility March and Rally
in DC Amid Trump’s Anti-LGBTQ Agenda
Event Notes: DC WorldPride 2025
The
WorldPride DC 2025 Health and Safety webpage outlines a
wide range of security measures and community resources.
It also provides updated safety information. Organizers
noted that Washington DC has a long history of
successfully hosting large-scale, high-security events.
Preparations include pre-event surveillance, on-site
police, private security, advanced life support
stations, roving medic teams, aerial surveillance,
anti-scaling systems, and secure perimeters for major
events like the two-day street festival.
District officials echoed the message of welcome while
underscoring their commitment to safety. DC Mayor
Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs provided a
statement highlighting the city’s preparations and
commitment to ensuring a safe and inclusive WorldPride.
“We are proud to welcome more than 3 million visitors to
Washington DC, for WorldPride 2025,” the statement read.
“Our government agencies are working diligently with
community organizers to ensure that WorldPride is a
safe, accessible, and bold celebration of our community.
We are prepared and committed to supporting WorldPride
events, including the Human Rights Conference, parades,
festivals, high-heel races, sports tournaments, and
more.”

DC WorldPride Event
Information
Washington DC to Host WorldPride 2025
DC World Pride Organizers Issue Warning to
Transgender Visitors to the US
Capital Pride Alliance: About WorldPride
WorldPride 2025 Expects Huge Visibility March and Rally
in DC Amid Trump’s Anti-LGBTQ Agenda
Event Notes: DC WorldPride 2025
Germany and several other countries have already issued
a formal travel warning for its trans and nonbinary
citizens traveling to the US, citing federal
restrictions on gender recognition and documentation.
Immigration advocates have warned that a State
Department memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio
could functionally ban trans travelers from obtaining US
visas, especially for international LGBTQ events like
WorldPride.
Despite the risks, Pride organizers made clear their
message is rooted in resilience and global visibility.
“Pride is a global movement,” the Capital Pride Alliance
said. “For those who are able, please join us in
Washington DC, March with us on Sunday, June 8, at the
International March and Rally. Moreover, show up and
support Pride events all around the globe so that we
remain visible, vigilant, and heard.”
[Source: Christopher Wiggins, Advocate Magazine, April
2025]
Pride Organizers Say Sponsors are Pulling Back Amid DEI
Rollbacks
Lesbian Congresswoman Becca Balint: She Wants to Impeach
Trump
Texas Republican Shows Ignorance About Intersex
Trump's Horrific Child Abuse Awareness Decree: Slanders
Parents of Trans Youth
Community Rallies Against MAGA Councilman Who Tried to
Ban Pride Flag
Donald Trump Delivers Presidential Address Filled with
Anti-LGBTQ Lies and Transphobic Rhetoric
Lawmakers in 9
States Propose Measures to
Undermine Same-Sex Marriage
Rights
Michigan Republican Lawmaker
Introduces Resolution Asking
Supreme Court to Overturn
Marriage Equality
Florida's New Attorney General Sues Target for Selling
Products for LGBTQ Youth
Transgender and Queer References Removed from Stonewall
National Monument's Webpage
Federal Agencies Bar Black History Month,
LGBTQ Pride Month, MLK Day, Holocaust Remembrance, and
More
US Rep. Becca Balint Says Trump’s
Disgusting Plane Crash Press Conference Proves He is Not
Well
Trump and the GOP
Denying Healthcare to LGBTQ Community
“When you have the nation’s commander-in-chief
demonizing LGBTQ people, it certainly sends a signal to
all Americans."
-Sarah
Warbelow, Legal Director, Human Rights Campaign
Donald Trump has a well-documented anti-LGBTQ healthcare
history, including his policies and efforts against
access to best practice, lifesaving health care for
lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and especially
transgender Americans.
In 2018,
the Trump administration announced the creation of a new
office within the Department of Health and Human
Services to protect religious medical professionals who
wish to discriminate against LGBTQ patients and others.
And in 2020, the Trump administration issued new
regulations that eliminated LGBTQ nondiscrimination
provisions in health care in the Affordable Care Act.

GLAAD: Donald Trump on LGBTQ Health Care Issues
NPR: LGTBQ Groups Fight Trump’s Attempts to Ban
Gender-Affirming Health Care
PBS: Trump’s Executive Orders are Targeting Transgender
People
Trump Moves to Prohibit Affordable Care Act Plans From
Covering Gender-Affirming Care
NPR: Trump's Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Young
People Affects Hospitals
Since his
return to office, Trump has committed to more extreme
and far-reaching health care policies in a second
administration.
Trump
declared, "On Day 1, I will sign an executive order
instructing every federal agency to cease the promotion
of sex or gender transition at any age." And
public schools will no longer receive federal funding if
they promote ideas related to gender transitioning or
transgender people.
He even
made it official government policy that there are only
two sexes... Male and female only. No other
options.
Many of
Trump’s executive orders are targeting transgender
people. “We will get transgender insanity the hell out
of our schools, and we will keep men out of women’s
sports,” Trump promised.

In going
after trans troops, the president asserted that being
transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an
honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in
one’s personal life.”
Trump has
also said that any hospital or health-care provider that
performs gender-affirming surgeries or care to minors
would no longer meet federal health and safety standards
and will no longer receive funding from the federal
government. "We will ban taxpayer funding for sex change
surgeries and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from
promoting gender transition," Trump announced.
GLAAD: Donald Trump on LGBTQ Health Care Issues
Judge Pauses Trump’s Order Restricting Healthcare for
Transgender Youth
PBS: Trump’s Executive Orders are Targeting Transgender
People
Trump Moves to Prohibit Affordable Care Act Plans From
Covering Gender-Affirming Care
ACLU: Federal Judge Blocks Trump Order Targeting Medical
Care for Transgender Youth
NPR: Trump's Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Young
People Affects Hospitals
PBS: Judge Extends Block on Trump’s Plan to Pull Funding
Over Health Care for Trans Youth
NPR: LGTBQ Groups Fight Trump’s Attempts to Ban
Gender-Affirming Health Care
LGBTQ Nation: GOP Governor Vetoes Bill Seeking to
Protect PrEP Users From Insurance Discrimination
HuffPost: Trans People are Going To Face
More Challenges... Here Are Ways To Get Support
Disgusting
Anti-Trans Behavior From GOP
Shocking level of transphobia from GOP House of
Representatives members...
Sarah McBride (D-Delaware) is the first openly
transgender person elected to Congress (Nov 2024). Since
her arrival in the US House of Representatives, she has
had to endure an unreasonable level of incivility and
discourtesy from Republican members.
McBride
began her service in Jan 2025 and immediately received
disrespectful treatment from GOP House members,
including an anti-trans bathroom billed aimed at her by
Rep. Nancy Mace. Mace would later use trans slurs during
a House hearing.
In Feb
2025, McBride received more transphobic remarks.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) referred to McBride as “the
gentleman from Delaware” on the House floor. And also
said, " The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Delaware, Mr. McBride, for 5 minutes.”

[left: Keith
Self, right: Nancy Mace]
GOP Chairman Confronted Over Misgendering Rep. Sarah
McBride
Committee Chair Misgenders Sarah McBride
Rep. Nancy Mace Spews Anti-Trans Slur During House
Hearing
Sarah Bride Misgendered by Disrespectful
Colleague
House Republican Adjourns Hearing After Exchange Over
Misgendering Rep. Sarah McBride
Rep. Nancy Mace Says Her Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill
Absolutely Targets Rep. Sarah McBride
GOP Attacks Congresswoman Sarah McBride
GOP Congresswoman Uses Anti-Trans Slur in House Hearing
Rep.
Keith Self... Rep. Nancy Mace... Rep. Mary
Miller... Is this any way to treat a
co-worker? Is this the proper manner in which to
treat a fellow member of Congress?
In March
2025, a House hearing ended abruptly ended after an
exchange between a Republican and a Democratic committee
member over the GOP chair’s misgendering of Rep. Sarah
McBride. At the hearing, Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas)
recognized McBride to speak and misgendered her in the
process. “I now recognize the representative from
Delaware, Mr. McBride.”
Without
missing a beat, McBride responded by thanking Self and
referring to him as “madam chair.”
The subcommittee’s top Democrat, Rep. Bill Keating, of
Massachusetts, then interjected and asked Self to repeat
his remarks. After Self doubled down and called McBride
“mister,” he said, “We have set the standard on the
House floor.”
Keating turned to Self and said those remarks were “not
decent. Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Have you no
decency? This is not decent.”
Self tried to continue the hearing, but Keating stopped
him, saying, “You will not continue it with me unless
you introduce a duly elected representative the right
way.” In response, Self struck down his gavel and
declared the hearing adjourned.
Rep. Keith
Self is a disgrace. Rep. Bill Keating is a hero
and a champion. And Rep. Sarah McBride is in no
way deserving of the disrespect she got from her
colleague and fellow House member.

[left: Sarah McBride, middle: Bill Keating, right: Keith
Self]
Republican Nancy
Mace Introduces
Transgender
Bathroom Ban US
Capitol
Speaker Mike
Johnson Bans
Trans Folks From
Single-Sex
Bathrooms at US
House of Reps
House Republican
Introduces
Measure to Ban
Transgender
Women From
Female Bathrooms
in Capitol
Republicans
Trying to Ban
Transgender
Congresswoman-Elect
Sarah McBride
From Using
Women's Bathroom
Nancy Mace Seeks
to Bar Trans
Women From Using
Female Bathrooms
on Capitol Hill
First Trans
Member of
Congress
Expected
Pushback From
Republicans
House GOP
Introduces Bill
to Ban Newly
Elected Trans
Democrat from
Using Women’s
Room at Capitol
Sarah McBride Says Democrats Should be
More Open to Opponents of Trans Rights
As Trans People, We're Going To Face More
Challenges: Here Are Ways To Get Support
Transgender
References Removed From Stonewall Monument Website
All
Trans and Queer Language Has Been Deleted
It appears the Trump Administration is intent on
eradicating the transgender community and removing all
mentions of transgender people from history. Since his
inauguration, several of Trump's executive orders have
targeted the rights of transgender people, including
military membership, healthcare provisions,
participation in sports, and trans rights in general.
In the
latest move, transgender references have been erased
from the Stonewall Monument website. The National Park
Service, which manages the historic Stonewall Monument
in New York City, revised the "LGBTQ+" acronym on their
website. It has been shortened to LGB, standing
for lesbian, gay, and bisexual only, with no designation
for "transgender" or "queer."
Other
government websites have also been changed after
President Donald Trump signed an order recognizing two
sexes only - male and female – on his first day in
office.
Activists denounced the move in February 2025 and
held a protest at the site, which is the country's first
national monument dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender history. Stonewall Inn was
declared a national historic monument in 2016.

Advocate: Transgender Language Erased from Stonewall
National Monument Website
NBC: Transgender and Queer References Removed from
Stonewall National Monument's Webpage
BBC: Transgender References Erased from Stonewall
Monument Website
CBS: Protests at Stonewall National Monument After LGBTQ
Acronym Revised on Government Website
Video: Transgender References Deleted from Stonewall
National Monument Website
Reuters: Protesters Decry Removal of Trans References
From Stonewall Monument Website
"I think
it really can send a hurtful message to the youth that
they're not seen and they're not heard," said protester
Lisa Kelly.
"I am not going to allow any government, any
organization, any person, to take away the joy that I
feel as a trans person," said Bernie Wagenblast, another
protestor.
New York Gov Kathy Hochul called the sudden removal of
trans and queer references, "just cruel and petty.
Transgender people play a critical role in the fight for
LGBTQ rights — and New York will never allow their
contributions to be erased."
"President Trump is pandering to the lowest of his base
and using this transgender community to fear monger and
fuel Republican culture wars," US Rep Jerry Nadler said
at the protest.
The US Army also recently announced that they will no
longer allow transgender recruits and will stop
"facilitating procedures associated with gender
transition."
However, transgender advocates are still recognized.
Even with the revised acronym on the website, signage at
the site still mentions trans advocates like Sylvia
Rivera and Marsha P Johnson, who helped lead the gay
liberation movement more than 50 years ago. "The transgender community threw the first bricks that
launched the contemporary LGBTQ human rights movement,"
said State Sen Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
"It was trans women of color, trans women like Sylvia,
Rivera, Marsha P Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy,
trans women that put their lives on the line, that stood
on the front lines of this revolution. They are the
reason why we have the rights that we have today, not
just for trans people, but for LGBTQ people in general,"
Angelica Christina, Stonewall Board Member, said.
Pete Buttigieg: Smart Straight Shooter
NY Public Schools Tell Trump Administration They Won’t
Comply With DEI Order
After Anti-Trans Success, Here’s How the Right Is
Plotting to Undermine Marriage Equality
Utah Becomes First State to Ban LGBTQ Pride Flags at
Schools and Government Buildings
Trump’s Anti-DEI Crusade Takes a Page Straight From the
Authoritarian Playbook
Sarah McBride Says Democrats Should be
More Open to Opponents of Trans Rights
Elon Musk and Gov Abbott Celebrate Firing of a Worker
Who Refused to Remove His Pronouns From His Email
Signature
Florida's New Attorney General Sues Target for Selling
Products for LGBTQ Youth
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Things to Know About How Trump’s Policies Target
Transgender People
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Bernie Sanders:
Divine Right of Kings
Idaho Republicans Pass Resolution Urging
Supreme Court to End Marriage Equality
Courageous Bishop Confronts Trump
Trump Treasury Pick Scott Bessent Could
Become First Openly LGBTQ Republican Cabinet Member
Trump Starts His
Presidency by Declaring War on the LGBTQ Community and
Democracy
His
first day as president was an assault on trans rights
and a reminder of the threat he presents to democracy...
And so the nightmare begins for American democracy...
Within minutes of being sworn in as the 47th president,
Donald Trump declared war on the LGBTQ community. In a
speech riddled with his usual grievances, Trump made it
clear that he would trample on trans rights. “As of
today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the
United States government that there are only two
genders, male and female,” Trump said, promising to end
“the government policy of trying to socially engineer
race and gender into every aspect of public and private
life.”
Trump immediately proved true to his word (for once) by
executive orders targeting the trans community. The
first order declares that there are only two genders and
with that come a series of specific policy changes.
Government documents, including passports, visas, and
employee records, can only show “male” or “female.” The
government will no longer pay for trans-related health
care, such as for government employees, military
personnel, or federal prisoners.

Darkness and Dazzle: Pete Buttigieg Eviscerates Donald
Trump’s Speech
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
Bernie Sanders:
Divine Right of Kings
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Things to Know About How Trump’s Policies Target
Transgender People
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Trump’s New White House Press Secretary Targets
Transgender People in First Briefing
Federal Agencies Bar Black History Month,
LGBTQ Pride Month, MLK Day, Holocaust Remembrance, and
More
Fighting Back: How to Respond to Trump’s Executive Order
on Gender-Affirming Care
An America that is whiter, straighter, more
christian...
While that order was broadly telegraphed in advance, the
second order was not, probably as part of the “shock and
awe” strategy that Trumpists were employing. The second
order effectively completes the erasure of the existence
of trans people altogether.
In that order, the federal government will simply not
recognize the existence of trans people at all and will
bar any federal money being spent on any program that
does. Exactly how that will work remains to be seen, but
it’s possible that it will mean nonprofits that receive
government money will not be allowed to let clients
identify as anything other than male or female.
These attacks are directly in line with those
recommended by Project 2025, the far-right blueprint for
Trump’s second term. Despite disavowing any connection
to the effort during the campaign, Trump has given its
creators carte blanche from day one of his
administration.
Trump’s speech and the executive orders made clear that
Trump’s fantasy is to return America to the 1950s, when
it was whiter, straighter, and more Christian. Indeed, a
Christian nationalist listening to the speech could do
nothing but swoon, as Trump not only declared himself
snatched by God himself from an assassin’s bullet but
declared, “We are one people, one family, and one
glorious nation under God.”
As for doing anything to address the economic issues
that fed Trump’s victory, Trump said little. His
solution for inflation was to say energy prices
contributed a lot, which is why he was declaring a
national emergency to open up oil drilling everywhere he
could.
Indeed, the day was a compendium of the right’s greatest
hits. In addition to attacking trans rights, Trump said
the US would leave the Paris climate agreement, making
the US one of just four nations not a part of it. He
declared a halt to support for electric vehicles. He
hinted broadly that the US would end aid to Ukraine.

Darkness and Dazzle: Pete Buttigieg Eviscerates Donald
Trump’s Speech
Elon Musk and Gov Abbott Celebrate Firing of a Worker
Who Refused to Remove His Pronouns From His Email
Signature
Florida's New Attorney General Sues Target for Selling
Products for LGBTQ Youth
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
Bernie Sanders:
Divine Right of Kings
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Trump
Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Things to Know About How Trump’s Policies Target
Transgender People
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Trump’s New White House Press Secretary Targets
Transgender People in First Briefing
Federal Agencies Bar Black History Month,
LGBTQ Pride Month, MLK Day, Holocaust Remembrance, and
More
Fighting Back: How to Respond to Trump’s Executive Order
on Gender-Affirming Care
And, of course, he attacked immigrants...
But that doesn’t mean the damage isn’t real. His attacks
on immigrants were unrelenting in his inaugural speech,
complaining that they were coming from “mental
institutions,” a pretty broad hint that Trump has no
idea that the word “asylum” has multiple meanings. He
shut down the southern border, canceled standing
appointments immigrants had there, and even killed the
app that his first administration rolled out to allow
immigrants at the border to make appointments with
Border Patrol. He canceled flights for more than 1,600
Afghan refugees cleared to enter the US, some of them
relatives of American soldiers.
Trump even tried to overturn the Constitution. He signed
an order declaring that babies born in the US to
non-citizens aren’t citizens either. The concept of
birthright citizenship is clearly spelled out in the
Constitution, and Trump can’t change it with some ink on
paper.
But the worst assault on democracy was Trump’s pardon of
the January 6 insurrectionists. He had promised to do
so, but the action was still shocking, especially since
it included people who were convicted of violently
attacking police officers that day. Worse still, Trump
commuted the sentences of the far-right Proud Boys and
Oath Keepers, which fueled the violence that day, and
even pardoned Enrique Tarrio, one-time head of the Proud
Boys, who was serving 22 years in prison for seditious
conspiracy in plotting the insurrection.
Indeed, the entire inauguration day was a preview of the
turmoil, pettiness, and grifting that will mark the next
four years. Trump’s flurry of 100 or so executive orders
was a sign that he views himself as Supreme Ruler, the
leader who can change policy and law by fiat. Sometimes
he can, but in many cases, it’s just wishful thinking on
his part.
After Anti-Trans Success, Here’s How the Right Is
Plotting to Undermine Marriage Equality
Utah Becomes First State to Ban LGBTQ Pride Flags at
Schools and Government Buildings
Trump’s Anti-DEI Crusade Takes a Page Straight From the
Authoritarian Playbook
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
History-Making LGBTQ Legislators Sworn in to 119th
Congress
New LGBTQ Elected Lawmakers Join 119th
Congress
Incoming LGBTQ Members of Congress Celebrate
History-Making Sarah McBride Sworn in as First Out
Transgender Member of Congress
Demonstration at Utah State House

Rewriting the Constitution...
There’s no getting around the fact that inauguration day
was a dark day in the nation’s history. Trump made a
point of entering office in a show of force, surrounding
himself with lackeys who will willingly carry out his
worst impulses. He signaled his willingness to go after
his opponents, and his allies gloried in their newfound
power. (This included Elon Musk giving a salute that
neo-Nazis loved as a reminder of the good old days.)
Trump isn’t as strong as he think he is. At least some
of his policies will get stopped by courts, although the
servile conservative Supreme Court justices literally
ruled that he can do no wrong. But he will cause lots of
damage, much of it irreparable. He will ruin people’s
lives and enflame extremists who will stop at nothing to
achieve their goals. The saddest part is that voters
knew all this and chose to return Trump to office
anyway.
Finally, don’t content yourself in believing that at
least Trump is lame duck, prevented from running for
re-election. A man who would violently overthrow an
election and try to rewrite the Constitution with an
executive order isn’t about to let go of power just
because someone else says so, even the Constitution
itself.
[Source: John Gallagher, LGBTQ Nation, Jan 2025]
After Anti-Trans Success, Here’s How the Right Is
Plotting to Undermine Marriage Equality
Utah Becomes First State to Ban LGBTQ Pride Flags at
Schools and Government Buildings
Trump’s Anti-DEI Crusade Takes a Page Straight From the
Authoritarian Playbook
The Village People Go Full MAGA:
Performing at Trump’s Inauguration
Anita Bryant, Antigay Crusader, is Dead
Idaho Legislature's First Order of Business: Overturning
Same-Sex Marriage
LGBTQ Activists Rally at Georgia State Capitol as First
Anti-Trans Bill Introduced
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
Trump Erases
LGBTQ Content From Federal Websites
The
Constitution, LGBTQ Content, HIV Information, Gender
Terminology, and Spanish-Language Translations . . .
Censored From White House and Other Federal Websites...
Immediately following Donald Trump's inauguration,
diversity and inclusion language is being removed from
federal on-line platforms. Censored terms from the White
House website, for example, include "gay," "lesbian,"
"bisexual," "transgender," "gender identity," and
"sexual orientation," to name a few.
Searching for terms like "LGBTQ" and "HIV" no longer
leads visitors to find resources on government websites
for the White House (WhiteHouse.gov), the US Department
of State (State.gov), the US Department of Labor (DOL.gov),
and the US Centers for Disease & Control Prevention (CDC.gov).
These topics have been erased at the onset of President
Donald Trump's second term in office.
Update:
--Trump
bans LGBTQ Pride and Black Lives Matter flags from
federal buildings.
--Trump revokes the 60-year-old ban on discrimination in
hiring practices on the federal government.
--Trump
bars transgender people from military service.
--Trump
cuts federal funding for transgender youth healthcare.
--Trump
cuts federal funding to schools teaching diversity
subject matter.
--Trump
directs federal employees to remove pronouns from their
email signature block.
--Trump
bans transgender athletes from women's sports.
And:
--Trump
orders a pause of all activities and events related to
Martin Luther King Jr Day, Black History Month,
Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Women’s History Month,
Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian American Heritage Month,
American Indian Heritage Month, Disability Employment
Awareness Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
--At the
direction of Donald Trump, the Kennedy Center cancels a
performance of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC
during the upcoming World Pride event.

What LGBTQ People Should Know About Trump’s First Day
Back In Office
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Here's How Trump's Presidency Can Affect and Erase LGBTQ
Content
What is Project 2025? And What Does it Mean for LGBTQ
Americans?
White House Removes Constitution, LGBTQ, HIV Resources,
and Spanish Language Translations From Site
Multiple Government Websites Purged of LGBTQ Content
Following Trump’s Inauguration
Things to Know About How Trump’s Policies Target
Transgender People
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Bernie Sanders:
Divine Right of Kings
"President Trump claims to be a strong proponent of
freedom of speech, yet he is clearly committed to
censorship of any information containing or related to
LGBTQ Americans and issues that we face," GLAAD's
President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, wrote in a
statement. "This action proves the Trump
administration's goal of making it as difficult as
possible for LGBTQ Americans to find federal resources
or otherwise see ourselves reflected under his
presidency."
Ellis concludes, "Sadly, for him, our community is more
visible than ever; and this pathetic attempt to diminish
and remove us will again prove unsuccessful."
During his inaugural speech as the 47th president, Trump
voiced his opposition to gender-expansive identities
with a bold declaration. "As of today, it will
henceforth be the official policy of the United States
Government that there are only two genders: male and
female," Trump declared.
Additional resources that no longer appear on
WhiteHouse.gov include the site's equity report, a fact
sheet with information on expanding access to HIV
prevention and treatment, and information about LGBTQ
Pride Month. Furthermore, LGBTQ rights concerning
employment have been reportedly erased from the US
Department of State and the US Department of Labor
websites.
[Source: Bernardo Sim, Out Magazine, January 2025]
Darkness and Dazzle: Pete Buttigieg Eviscerates Donald
Trump’s Speech
Elon Musk and Gov Abbott Celebrate Firing of a Worker
Who Refused to Remove His Pronouns From His Email
Signature
Florida's New Attorney General Sues Target for Selling
Products for LGBTQ Youth
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
Bernie Sanders:
Divine Right of Kings
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Things to Know About How Trump’s Policies Target
Transgender People
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
History-Making LGBTQ Legislators Sworn in to 119th
Congress
New LGBTQ Elected Lawmakers Join 119th
Congress
Incoming LGBTQ Members of Congress Celebrate
History-Making Sarah McBride Sworn in as First Out
Transgender Member of Congress
Bishop Confronts
Donald Trump
Episcopal Bishop, Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, publicly
called out Trump to his face at a service at the
National Cathedral in Washington DC...
“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions
have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation
yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a
loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have
mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.
There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in
Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some
who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops
and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry
farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after
we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in
hospitals, they may not be citizens or have the proper
documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are
not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors.
They are faithful members of our churches and mosques,
synagogues, gurdwara, and temples.

Courageous Bishop Confronts Trump
CNN Video: Bishop Lectures Trump
NBC News: Bishop at Inaugural Prayer Service Urges Trump to Have
Mercy on LGBTQ Children and Immigrants
HuffPost: Donald Trump Has Meltdown Over Pastor’s Sermon
About Him
Time Magazine: The Bishop Who Confronted Trump Speaks
Out
MSNBC: Trump’s Angry Response to Bishop's Sermon Should
Worry All Christians
PBS: Trump Demands Apology After Bishop Asked Him to
Have Mercy on LGBTQ People and Migrants
Trump Demands Apology, Criticizes Bishop’s Prayer
Service Remarks
I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our
communities whose children fear their parents will be
taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war
zones and persecution in their own lands to find
compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we
are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once
strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength
and courage to honor the dignity of every human being,
to speak the truth to one another in love, and walk
humbly with each other and our God, for the good of all
people, the good of all people in this nation and the
world. Amen.”
Trump's response...
“The
so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer
Service was a radical left hard line Trump-hater. She
brought her church into the world of politics in a very
ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not
compelling or smart.
“She failed to mention the large number of illegal
migrants that came into our country and killed people.
Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions.
It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the
USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the
service was a very boring and uninspiring one.
“She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe
the public an apology!”

Additional note...
In 2018 —
20 years after his murder — Matthew Shepard still had no
permanent resting place due to concerns that his grave
would be desecrated. When Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde
learned of this, she invited the Shepards to inter him
in the columbarium inside the Washington National
Cathedral and co-officiated the service which stated
Matthew was now and forever home in the church where he
was loved.
Darkness and Dazzle: Pete Buttigieg Eviscerates Donald
Trump’s Speech
Elon Musk and Gov Abbott Celebrate Firing of a Worker
Who Refused to Remove His Pronouns From His Email
Signature
Florida's New Attorney General Sues Target for Selling
Products for LGBTQ Youth
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
Australian View: US Becomes a Fascist
Nation
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Trump’s New White House Press Secretary Targets
Transgender People in First Briefing
Federal Agencies Bar Black History Month,
LGBTQ Pride Month, MLK Day, Holocaust Remembrance, and
More
Fighting Back: How to Respond to Trump’s Executive Order
on Gender-Affirming Care
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Anita Bryant,
Anti-Gay Crusader, Dies at 84
She
left a legacy of hate and bigotry..
Anita Bryant, a Grammy-nominated singer and former
beauty queen who became known for her advocacy against
gay rights in the 1970s, died Dec. 16. She was 84.
Bryant died surrounded by family and loved ones at her
home in Edmond, Oklahoma, according to an obituary
posted Thursday in The Oklahoman, a newspaper in
Oklahoma City. She started her promising music career as
a child before being crowned Miss Oklahoma at age 18.
As an adult, her career in music blossomed, with Bryant
singing at both Democratic and Republican national
conventions in 1968 and the Super Bowl in 1971. She sang
“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at President Lyndon B.
Johnson’s graveside. Bryant again achieved national
prominence in the 1970s, serving as the TV spokesperson
for Florida orange juice and for Coca-Cola.

Anita Bryant, Antigay Crusader, is Dead
Notorious Anti-Gay Activist Anita Bryant Dies at 84
Anita Bryant, Former Beauty Queen Turned Anti-Gay
Crusader, Dies at 84
Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign in 1977 painted
gays and lesbians as a threat to the country’s youth...
Bryant was perhaps most well-known for her advocacy
against gay rights in 1977 and foray into Florida
politics. Her “Save Our Children” campaign painted gays
and lesbians as a threat to the country’s youth. The
effort at the time successfully overturned a then-newly
passed Miami-Dade County law that prohibited
discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing,
employment and public services.
“Homosexuals cannot reproduce, so they must recruit. And
to freshen their ranks, they must recruit the youth of
America,” Bryant famously declared.
Nearly half a century later, Bryant’s campaign drew
parallels to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education
bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by its opponents.
The law, which passed in 2022, prohibits classroom
instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in
“kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not
age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for
students in accordance with state standards.” A year
later it was expanded to apply through eighth grade.

Bryant’s anti-gay rhetoric ultimately led to the
downfall of her promising music and television career.
The Florida Citrus Commission stopped running her orange
juice ads and she was dropped by her booking agent,
forcing her to file for bankruptcy twice. And the
antidiscrimination ordinance she helped repeal in 1977
was ultimately restored in 1998.
Bryant’s granddaughter Sarah Green, who married a woman,
told Slate in 2021 that she came out to her grandmother
on her 21st birthday. Green told Slate that Bryant
responded by saying homosexuality isn’t real.
[Source: Matt Lavietes and Jillian Eugenios, NBC News,
January 2025]
Trump Starts His Term by Declaring War on the LGBTQ
Community and Democracy
What LGBTQ People Should Know About Trump’s First Day
Back In Office
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Trump Fires First Female US Coast Guard Chief Linda
Fagan Due to Excessive Diversity Focus
The Village People Go Full MAGA:
Performing at Trump’s Inauguration
Trump Treasury Pick Scott Bessent Could
Become First Openly LGBTQ Republican Cabinet Member
Anita Bryant, Antigay Crusader, is Dead
Idaho Legislature's First Order of Business: Overturning
Same-Sex Marriage
LGBTQ Activists Rally at Georgia State Capitol as First
Anti-Trans Bill Introduced
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
Idaho
Republicans asks Supreme Court to Condemn and Overturn
Same-Sex Marriage
Just
another example of GOP extremists ginning up divisive
social issues in order to create problems where none
exist...
Republicans in Idaho’s House of Representatives are
considering making a formal statement imploring the US
Supreme Court to overturn its famous 2015 ruling
legalizing same-sex marriage.
The measure proposed by Republican state Rep. Heather
Scott frames the court decision as an “illegitimate
overreach.” Scott’s measure asks the court to bring back
the “natural definition of marriage,” even though
different forms of marriage (including same-sex unions)
have existed throughout human history. “The purpose of
this resolution is just to affirm our state authority to
regulate marriage,” she said.

Anita Bryant, Antigay Crusader, is Dead
Idaho Legislature's First Order of Business: Overturning
Same-Sex Marriage
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
History-Making LGBTQ Legislators Sworn in to 119th
Congress
New LGBTQ Elected Lawmakers Join 119th
Congress
Incoming LGBTQ Members of Congress Celebrate
History-Making Sarah McBride Sworn in as First Out
Transgender Member of Congress
Three LGBTQ Women Just Made Congressional History
House Republicans Reveal Their Top
Legislative Priority: Attacking Transgender Rights
Former US President Jimmy Carter Passes Away at 100
Jimmy Carter: America’s First Gay Rights
President
The 2015 Supreme Court ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges,
came after decades of activism from the LGBTQ community
to legalize same-sex marriage. When the ruling was
implemented, many states still banned gay marriage, in
spite of growing support for such unions.
The decision, implemented on a 5-4 vote, came before
three additional conservative justices were appointed
during the term of then-President and
now-President-elect Donald Trump. The justices appointed
by Trump include Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy
Coney Barrett. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito
have called for a reconsideration of the Obergefell
decision.
Scott’s resolution has no legal weight, though it would
be sent to the Supreme Court for consideration. State
House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel (D), and Senate
Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow (D) referred to Scott’s
resolution as a sad distraction. “This is yet another
example of the extreme wing of the Republican Party
ginning up divisive social issues in order to create
problems where none exist. Big government has no
business telling consenting adults who they should
love.”
“This resolution may be a helpful gimmick for winning in
closed GOP primaries,” they added, “but it should be
offensive to all Idahoans who value their individual
rights and freedoms and just want to live their lives
without egregious government interference.”
In 2021, Rep. Scott compared Idaho to Nazi Germany over
a policy requiring students to wear facemasks in school
to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Idaho still has a ban on same-sex marriage on the books,
in spite of a federal judge ruling that it violates the
U.S. Constitution. Recent polling suggests more Idahoans
support same-sex marriage than are against it.
[Source: Mira Lazine, LGBTQ Nation, January 2025]
Trump Erases LGBTQ and HIV Content From Federal Websites
Trump Fires First Female US Coast Guard Chief Linda
Fagan Due to Excessive Diversity Focus
Idaho Republicans File Resolution to
Repeal Marriage Equality
Very Small Percent of Teens are Getting
Gender-Affirming Care, New Study Finds
Judge Scraps Biden’s Title IX Rules: Reverses Expansion
of Protections for LGBTQ Students
Golden Globes 2025: Here are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
History-Making LGBTQ Legislators Sworn in to 119th
Congress
New LGBTQ Elected Lawmakers Join 119th
Congress
Incoming LGBTQ Members of Congress Celebrate
History-Making Sarah McBride Sworn in as First Out
Transgender Member of Congress
Three LGBTQ Women Just Made Congressional History
House Republicans Reveal Their Top
Legislative Priority: Attacking Transgender Rights
Former US President Jimmy Carter Passes Away at 100
Jimmy Carter: America’s First Gay Rights
President
LGBTQ Winners at 2025
Golden Globe Awards
Queer excellence
was shining bright
during the 82nd Golden
Globe Awards....
The Golden Globes kicked
off awards seasons in
January 2025. Stars
across film and TV
gathered in Los Angeles
to see who would take
home the first prizes of
the year. Who is going
to emerge as the Oscars
best picture
frontrunner? Would
Emilia Pérez sweep the
categories? The answer
to the latter is yes, as
the trans musical nabbed
four awards, the most
won by any film. From
this film to a Best
Actress win for Jodie
Foster, this was an
incredible year for
LGBTQ winners.

Golden Globes 2025: Here
are the Top LGBTQ Wins
Golden Globes 2025:
Queer Women Showed Up On
The Red Carpet Ready To
Slay
2025 Golden Globe
Moments
Golden Globes 2025
Highlights: Speeches,
Wins, Fashion, and Host
Nikki Glaser’s Best
Moments
Karla Sofía Gascón Stood
Up for Trans Rights at
the Golden Globes
Here are the top queer
wins of the night:
--Jodie Foster (True
Detective: Night
Country), Best TV
Actress (Limited Series)
--Emilia Pérez, Best
Film (Musical or Comedy)
--Zoe Saldaña (Emilia
Pérez ), Best Supporting
Actress
--Wicked, Cinematic and
Box Office Achievement
--Jessica Gunning (Baby
Reindeer), Best TV
Supporting Actress
--Hacks, Best TV Series
(Musical or Comedy)
Karla Sofía Gascón Gives
Emotional Speech as 'Emilia
Pérez' Wins Golden Globe
Emilia Pérez’s Karla
Sofía Gascón Honors
Trans Community in
Golden Globes Acceptance
Speech
Jessica Gunning and Baby
Reindeer Won Golden
Globes
Gayest Moments Of The 2025 Golden Globes
LGBTQ
Stars and Stories Win Big at 2025 Golden Globes
Bears, Beavers, Sniffies, Oh My: Gayest Moments from
Golden Globes
Colman Domingo, Andrew
Scott: Must-See Men's
Fashions at Golden
Globes
Presidential Medals
Bestowed
Presidential
Citizens Medal Honorees
In Jan 2025, President
Joe Biden honored
marriage equality
activists Mary Bonauto
and Evan Wolfson with
the Presidential
Citizens Medal. It’s the
second highest honor
that can be awarded to
civilians.
Other recipients of the
medal include
Congressman Bennie
Thompson and former
Congresswoman Liz
Cheney, who led the
investigation into the
January 6, 2021 Capitol
insurrection.
    
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
Biden Presidential Medal
of Freedom Honorees
Presidential Medal of
Freedom Honorees
President Joe Biden also
held a ceremony at the
White House in Jan 2025
for the latest batch of
Medal of Freedom
recipients. The medal is
the nation's highest
civilian honor,
presented to people who
have made exemplary
contributions to the
prosperity, values or
security of the United
States, world peace or
other significant
societal, public or
private endeavors.
Hilary
Clinton (US Secretary of State)
Robert Kennedy (US Attorney General)
George Romney (Governor)
Ashton Carter (Defense Secretary)
Fannie Lou Hamer (Civil Rights Activist)
Jane Goodall (Conservationist)
Bill Nye (Science Educator)
Bono (Musician, Activist)
Denzel Washington (Actor)
George Stevens (Playwright)
 |
Michael J Fox (Actor, Parkinson's Disease Advocate)
Magic
Johnson (Athlete)
Lionel Messi (Soccer Star)
Jose Andres (Chef)
David M. Rubenstein (Philanthropist)
George Soros (Philanthropist)
Ralph Lauren (Fashion Designer)
Anna Wintour (Fashion Editor)
Tim Gill (LGBTQ Rights Activist)
 |
Joe Biden Honors Two LGBTQ Activists with
Presidential Citizens Medal
History-Making LGBTQ Legislators Sworn in to 119th
Congress
New LGBTQ Elected Lawmakers Join 119th
Congress
Incoming LGBTQ Members of Congress Celebrate
History-Making Sarah McBride Sworn in as First Out
Transgender Member of Congress
Three LGBTQ Women Just Made Congressional History
House Republicans Reveal Their Top
Legislative Priority: Attacking Transgender Rights
Former US President Jimmy Carter Passes Away at 100
Jimmy Carter: America’s First Gay Rights
President
Transgender Americans Lost to Violence in 2024
Year in Review: What Changed for LGBTQ
Rights in 2024
Top LGBTQ News Stories of the Century
Trump Threatens to End Trans Rights on
Day One in Terrifying Speech
US House Passes Defense Spending Bill
With Anti-Trans Provision
Over 100 Anti-Trans Bills Filed Across United States
Before 2025 Has Even Started
Sarah McBride is First Openly Transgender Candidate
Elected to Congress
Jimmy Carter
| 1924-2024
Statement From President
Joe Biden....
Today, America and the
world lost an
extraordinary leader,
statesman, and
humanitarian.
Over six decades, we had
the honor of calling
Jimmy Carter a dear
friend. But, what’s
extraordinary about
Jimmy Carter, though, is
that millions of people
throughout America and
the world who never met
him thought of him as a
dear friend as well.

With his compassion and
moral clarity, he worked
to eradicate disease,
forge peace, advance
civil rights and human
rights, promote free and
fair elections, house
the homeless, and always
advocate for the least
among us. He saved,
lifted, and changed the
lives of people all
across the globe.
He was a man of great
character and courage,
hope and optimism. We
will always cherish
seeing him and Rosalynn
together. The love
shared between Jimmy and
Rosalynn Carter is the
definition of
partnership and their
humble leadership is the
definition of
patriotism.
[Source: President Joe
Biden, December 2024]
Carter Center: Former US
President Jimmy Carter
Passes Away at 100
President Joe Biden:
Proclamation Announcing
Death of Jimmy Carter
CNN: Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy
Carter: America’s First
Gay Rights President
Advocate: President
Jimmy Carter's History
as an LGBTQ Ally
CBS News: How the World
is Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
LGBTQ Nation: Jimmy
Carter Acknowledged
Importance of LGBTQ
Rights
CNN: The 39th US
President Jimmy Carter
Dies at Age 100
Jimmy Carter Has Been a
Longtime LGBTQ Ally
NBC News:
Carter was First
President to Move Needle
on Gay Rights
Pete
Buttigieg Remembers
Warmth and Kindness of
Jimmy and Rosalynn
Carter
USA Today: Jimmy Carter
Funeral Set For January
9
Jimmy Carter Dies at
Age 100
Tribute
From President Barack
Obama....
For decades, you could
walk into Maranatha
Baptist Church in
Plains, Georgia on some
Sunday mornings and see
hundreds of tourists
from around the world
crammed into the pews.
And standing in front of
them, asking with a wink
if there were any
visitors that morning,
would be President Jimmy
Carter – preparing to
teach Sunday school,
just like he had done
for most of his adult
life.
Some who came to hear
him speak were
undoubtedly there
because of what
President Carter
accomplished in his four
years in the White House
– the Camp David Accords
he brokered that
reshaped the Middle
East; the work he did to
diversify the federal
judiciary, including
nominating a pioneering
women’s rights activist
and lawyer named Ruth
Bader Ginsburg to the
federal bench; the
environmental reforms he
put in place, becoming
one of the first leaders
in the world to
recognize the problem of
climate change.

Others were likely there
because of what
President Carter
accomplished in the
longest, and most
impactful,
post-presidency in
American history –
monitoring more than 100
elections around the
world; helping virtually
eliminate Guinea worm
disease, an infection
that had haunted Africa
for centuries; becoming
the only former
president to earn a
Nobel Peace Prize; and
building or repairing
thousands of homes in
more than a dozen
countries with his
beloved Rosalynn as part
of Habitat for Humanity.
But I’m willing to bet
that many people in that
church on Sunday morning
were there, at least in
part, because of
something more
fundamental: President
Carter’s decency.
Elected in the shadow of
Watergate, Jimmy Carter
promised voters that he
would always tell the
truth. And he did –
advocating for the
public good,
consequences be damned.
He believed some things
were more important than
reelection – things like
integrity, respect, and
compassion. Because
Jimmy Carter believed,
as deeply as he believed
anything, that we are
all created in God’s
image.

Whenever I had a chance
to spend time with
President Carter, it was
clear that he didn’t
just profess these
values. He embodied
them. And in doing so,
he taught all of us what
it means to live a life
of grace, dignity,
justice, and service. In
his Nobel acceptance
speech, President Carter
said, “God gives us the
capacity for choice. We
can choose to alleviate
suffering. We can choose
to work together for
peace.” He made that
choice again and again
over the course of his
100 years, and the world
is better for it.
Maranatha Baptist Church
will be a little quieter
on Sundays, but
President Carter will
never be far away –
buried alongside
Rosalynn next to a
willow tree down the
road, his memory calling
all of us to heed our
better angels. Michelle
and I send our thoughts
and prayers to the
Carter family, and
everyone who loved and
learned from this
remarkable man."
[Source: Barack Obama,
December 2024]
Carter Center: Former US
President Jimmy Carter
Passes Away at 100
President Joe Biden:
Proclamation Announcing
Death of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy
Carter: America’s First
Gay Rights President
CNN: Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
Advocate: President
Jimmy Carter's History
as an LGBTQ Ally
CBS News: How the World
is Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
LGBTQ Nation: Jimmy
Carter Acknowledged
Importance of LGBTQ
Rights
CNN: The 39th US
President Jimmy Carter
Dies at Age 100
Jimmy Carter Has Been a
Longtime LGBTQ Ally
NBC News:
Carter was First
President to Move Needle
on Gay Rights
Pete
Buttigieg Remembers
Warmth and Kindness of
Jimmy and Rosalynn
Carter
USA Today: Jimmy Carter
Funeral Set For January
9
Jimmy Carter:
Longtime LGBTQ Ally
Carter achieved
several historic firsts
for the LGBTQ community.
Jimmy Carter, 39th
president of the United
States and winner of the
2002 Nobel Peace Prize,
died peacefully in
December 2024 at his
home in Plains, Georgia,
surrounded by his
family. He was 100, the
longest-lived president
in US history.
A peanut farmer and Navy
lieutenant before going
into politics, Jimmy
Carter served one term
as Georgia’s governor
and one term as the
president from 1977 to
1981.

Jimmy
Carter: America’s First
Gay Rights President
Advocate: President
Jimmy Carter's History
as an LGBTQ Ally
LGBTQ Nation: Jimmy
Carter Acknowledged
Importance of LGBTQ
Rights
Jimmy Carter Has Been a
Longtime LGBTQ Ally
NBC News:
Carter was First
President to Move Needle
on Gay Rights
Pete
Buttigieg Remembers
Warmth and Kindness of
Jimmy and Rosalynn
Carter
As a presidential
candidate and as
president, Carter
achieved several
historic firsts for the
LGBTQ community.
--In 1976, as a
presidential candidate,
Carter said he would
sign a gay rights bill.
--During his presidency
in 1977, the first gay
and lesbian delegation
visited the White House
to discuss policy issues
with administration
officials.
--On a visit to
California in 1978,
Carter urged voters to
defeat Proposition 6,
also know as the Briggs
Initiative, which would
have barred gays and
lesbians from teaching
in the state’s public
schools. Voters rejected
the anti-gay and lesbian
measure by more than 1
million votes.
--When Carter ran for
reelection in 1980, he
was the first Democrat
to endorse a gay rights
plank in the party’s
platform.
--In 1980, Carter
approved the first
wreath to honor LGBTQ
war dead at Arlington
National Cemetery’s Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier.
--Since leaving the
White House, Carter has
been an outspoken
activist for human
rights causes, including
LGBTQ rights. He has
disassociated himself
from the Southern
Baptist Convention,
after attending Southern
Baptist churches most of
his life, due to
anti-LGBTQ stances and
unequal treatment of
women.
A deeply religious man,
Carter was asked about
LGBTQ rights during an
appearance at Michigan’s
Grand Rapids Community
College in 2014.
“I never knew of any
word or action of Jesus
Christ that
discriminated against
anyone,” Carter said.
The 89-year-old then
likened discrimination
based on sexual
orientation to prejudice
against a person’s skin
color, economic class,
and “whether they’re
living in a foreign
country or our country.”
“Discrimination against
anyone and depriving
them of actual equal
rights in the United
States is a violation of
the basic principles of
the Constitution that
all of us revere in this
country,” Carter told
the crowd.
Carter is respected for
human rights advocacy. A
central part of his
legacy is brokering the
Camp David Accords with
Egyptian President Anwar
Sadat and Israeli Prime
Minister Menachem Begin
in 1978.
In his post-presidency
years, Carter founded
The Carter Center along
with his wife, Rosalynn,
in hopes of advancing
world peace and health.
The center works to
advance democracy by
monitoring foreign
elections and reducing
diseases in developing
countries.
Carter himself has been
a longtime, hands-on
volunteer with Habitat
for Humanity.
[Source: Phillip Zonkel,
Q Voice News]
Carter Center: Former US
President Jimmy Carter
Passes Away at 100
President Joe Biden:
Proclamation Announcing
Death of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy
Carter: America’s First
Gay Rights President
CNN: Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
Advocate: President
Jimmy Carter's History
as an LGBTQ Ally
CBS News: How the World
is Remembering Former
President Jimmy Carter
LGBTQ Nation: Jimmy
Carter Acknowledged
Importance of LGBTQ
Rights
CNN: The 39th US
President Jimmy Carter
Dies at Age 100
Jimmy Carter Has Been a
Longtime LGBTQ Ally
NBC News:
Carter was First
President to Move Needle
on Gay Rights
Pete
Buttigieg Remembers
Warmth and Kindness of
Jimmy and Rosalynn
Carter
USA Today: Jimmy Carter
Funeral Set For January
9
Sarah McBride Gives
Heartfelt Farewell
Speech to Delaware
Senate
Incoming Rep-Elect
Sarah McBride (D-DE),
the first out
transgender person ever
elected to Congress,
delivered a heartfelt
farewell speech to the
Delaware Senate in Dec
2024 as she heads to the
Capitol to take office
in January 2025....
“While I have served in
this legislative body
for four years, in many
ways, I feel like I’ve
been a member of the
Senate family for nearly
20 years,” she began her
speech, reflecting on
her memories of the
legislative chamber over
the last two decades.
She said she first
entered the chamber as a
visiting 14-year-old in
January 2005 and then
had the opportunity a
few months later to
serve as a Senate page
during the final two
weeks of the legislative
session, “where I
remember getting yelled
at because my cell phone
went off in the corner.”
She then returned to the
chamber in 2009 serving
as part of a
letter-writing program
to contact state
senators and then as an
intern for Gov. Mark
Phil (D).

Sarah McBride Gives
Heartfelt Farewell
Speech to Delaware
Senate
Sarah McBride is First Openly Transgender Candidate
Elected to Congress
“I have the ability and
the privilege of
standing before this
legislative body to
share my hopes and my
fears and my dream of
returning to this state
that I love, or living
in a community that I
love and work,” she
said. “And, because of
this chamber — for me
and countless other
Delawareans — you
offered me that
opportunity. In so many
ways, this chamber has
helped me find my voice
and helped me find my
hope.”
“Serving here for the
last four years has,
quite simply, been the
best four years of my
life,” she continued. “I
have never been more
fulfilled. I have never
been happier, and that
is because of the people
I serve… and you.”
She said that serving in
the chamber over the
last four years has
deepened her hope, and
she told new members of
the state Senate and
House, “When you sit on
this floor and your name
is called, if you utter
one word, ‘yes,’ that
word reverberates
through posterity. As
you vote on major
legislation, you realize
the awesome
responsibility and the
lost opportunity that
we’ve had to leave the
state better.”
She mentioned recent
legislation in the state
congress has led to a
higher minimum wage,
family and medical
leave, a historic
investment in public
schools, environmental
sustainability, criminal
justice reform, helping
working families, and
protecting children.
“We have proven time and
time that small states
can do big things,” she
said. “As I head out and
head to Washington DC, I
take with me the lessons
that I have learned
here. I take with me the
hope that I have found
here, that despite the
rancor and the toxicity
that we too often see in
our politics, that we do
genuinely have more in
common than what divides
us; that we can — and
that we must — have
conversations across
disagreement, that we
can have a politics of
grace and a politics of
progress.”

“So I stand before you
today to say thank you
for your friendship, for
your partnership, for
your leadership, for
your service, for all of
the laughter and snorts
and to thank you for
giving me the
opportunity to come
home,” she concluded as
her colleagues gave her
a standing ovation.
This year, McBride made
history by defeating
Republican John Whalen
III, who ran on an
anti-immigration,
anti-choice platform,
and becoming the first
out transgender person
to serve in Congress,
joining a small LGBTQ
contingent in the House
and Senate.
At only 34, McBride has
already made an
impressive name for
herself. She worked for
the Human Rights
Campaign and interned in
the Obama-Biden White
House. She was the first
trans person to speak at
the Democratic National
Convention in 2016. She
became the first trans
person elected to a
state senate in 2020,
and in 2022, became the
first trans incumbent to
win re-election in a
state senate.
With trans rights being
attacked nationwide,
trans people and allies
hope that McBride will
help humanize trans
people and issues to
more Americans and serve
as an ardent advocate
for trans civil rights.
[Source: Daniel
Villarreal, LGBTQ
Nation, Dec 2024]
Transgender Americans Lost to Violence in 2024
Year in Review: What Changed for LGBTQ
Rights in 2024
Top LGBTQ News Stories of the Century
Trump Threatens to End Trans Rights on
Day One in Terrifying Speech
US House Passes Defense Spending Bill
With Anti-Trans Provision
Over 100 Anti-Trans Bills Filed Across United States
Before 2025 Has Even Started
Trump Promises Transphobic Policies That
Will Target Youth and Military on Day One
Sarah McBride is First Openly Transgender Candidate
Elected to Congress
Trump Will Reportedly Ban Trans People From Military on
Day One
What Does Trump’s Devastating Victory Mean for the LGBTQ
Community?
Alex Consani Makes History as First Out
Trans Woman to Win Model of the Year
AIDS Memorial Quilt Displayed at White House for the
First Time
Exit Poll Shows 86% of LGBTQ People Voted
for Kamala Harris
24 States File Amicus Brief to Convince Supreme Court to
Ban Trans Girls From Sports
LGBTQ Candidates Saw Big Election Wins and Historic
Victories
Trump's Supporters: Never Trust Them
Again
Alex Consani
Makes History as
First Out Trans
Woman to Win
Model of the
Year
Alex
Consani makes
trans and
fashion
history...
The 21-year-old
San Francisco
native won the
Model of the
Year award at
the British
Fashion
Council's annual
Fashion Awards
in Dec 2024,
becoming the
first out
transgender
woman to receive
the honor —
which she
proudly
celebrated in
her acceptance
speech.
“I'm the first
trans woman to
win this award!"
Consani said.
"But I can't
accept this
award without
thanking those
who came before
me, specifically
the Black trans
women who really
fought for the
space I'm in
today –
Dominique
Jackson, Connie
Fleming, Aaron
Rose Phillips,
and countless
more who fought
for the space
that allowed me
to flourish
today."

The Model of the
Year Award is
one of the
biggest
modelling awards
in the world,
which recognizes
"the global
impact of a
model who over
the last 12
months has
dominated the
industry" and
has "an
influence that
transcends the
catwalk,"
including by
"outstanding
contribution to
the industry,
garnering
numerous
editorial and
advertising
campaigns
throughout the
year." Past
winners include
Alva Claire,
Amelia Gray,
Anok Yai, Liu
Wen, Mona
Tougaard, and
last year's
recipient,
Paloma Elsesser.
Consani has made
history several
times before,
including by
becoming the
youngest signed
trans model
through her IMG
contract as well
as one of the
first trans
models to walk a
Victoria's
Secret Fashion
Show. She was
one of the may
"Hot Internet
Girls" featured
in Charli xcx's
music video for
"360," alongside
Emma
Chamberlain,
Julia Fox, Hari
Nef, and Rachel
Sennott.
Consani
continued her
acceptance
speech to thank
her parents for
their support,
and encouraged
the parents of
other trans
youth to support
their children
as well.
“Now, more than
ever, it’s an
important
conversation
that should be
had about how to
truly support
and uplift one
another within
this industry,
especially those
who have been
made to feel
insignificant,"
Consani said.
"Because change
is more than
possible — it’s
needed.”
[Source: Ryan
Adamczeski,
Advocate
Magazine, Dec
2024]
Alex Consani
Becomes First
Transgender
Model of the
Year at UK
Fashion Awards
Making Herstory!
Alex Consani is
First
Transgender
Woman to Win
Model of the
Year
Alex Consani
Makes History as
First Out Trans
Woman to Win
Model of the
Year
Sarah
McBride: First
Out Transgender
Member of
Congress
Historic
first for
transgender
representation
in government...
Delaware State
Senator Sarah
McBride is the
first openly
transgender
person to be
elected to the
US Congress.
McBride, 32, has
been serving as
a Democrat in
the first
district of the
Delaware state
Senate since
2020. She will
represent
Delaware’s sole
congressional
district in the
House of
Representatives
after more than
three years in
the state
Senate, which
also marked a
historic first
for trans
representation
in government.
Previously,
McBride was the
national
spokesperson for
the Human Rights
Campaign and had
served in the
offices of
former Gov. Jack
Markell and the
late Attorney
General Beau
Biden and
interned in the
Obama-Biden
White House.

McBride has
emphasized that
she wasn’t
running to make
history as the
first
transgender
member of
Congress: "My
day-to-day focus
is not
explaining
gender identity
to people," she
said. "My
day-to-day focus
is delivering
tangible results
for the
constituents
that I serve."
She has said her
focus is on
policy, rattling
off a list of
plans concerning
affordable
health care,
affordable
housing and
child care,
reproductive
rights and more.
Her win comes
amid a wave of
anti-LGBTQ
legislation in
states across
the country and
rising rhetoric
targeting the
transgender
community.
McBride is no
stranger to the
debate, saying
she's used to
working with
people who have
voted against
LGBTQ rights and
hold positions
that "I might
find personally
hurtful" in the
Delaware General
Assembly.
[Source: Kiara
Alfonseca, ABC
News, Nov 2024]
Sarah McBride
Becomes First
Out Transgender
Person Elected
to Congress
Sarah McBride
Opens Up About
Her Win and What
She's Up Against
in Congress
Sarah McBride
Makes History as
First Openly
Trans Person in
US Congress
Sarah McBride is
First Openly
Transgender
Candidate
Elected to
Congress
Despite Trump’s
Win: Glimmer of
Hope as
Transgender
Candidates Win
Nationwide
House Passes
Massive Defense
Bill With Ban on
Gender-Affirming
Care for
Transgender Kids
Republican Nancy
Mace Introduces
Transgender
Bathroom Ban at US
Capitol
Taking aim at
Sarah McBride
Rep. Nancy Mace,
Republican of
South Carolina,
said that she will be
introducing a
measure to ban
transgender
women from using
biological
women’s
restrooms at the
US Capitol.
Her announcement
comes as
Rep-Elect Sarah
McBride prepares
to take office
as the first
transgender
person elected
to Congress.
The resolution
would amend the
rules of the US
House of
Representatives
in order to
prohibit
members,
officers and
employees from
using facilities
that are
currently
designated for
the opposite
biological sex.

Republican Nancy
Mace Introduces
Transgender
Bathroom Ban US
Capitol
Speaker Mike
Johnson Bans
Trans Folks From
Single-Sex
Bathrooms at US
House of Reps
House Republican
Introduces
Measure to Ban
Transgender
Women From
Female Bathrooms
in Capitol
Speaker Mike
Johnson Imposes
Trans Restroom
Ban
Rep. Nancy Mace
Targets Sarah
McBride With Her
Anti-Trans
Bathroom Bill
"The sanctity of
protecting women
and standing up
against the
Left’s
systematic
erasure of
biological women
starts here in
the nation’s
Capitol,” Mace
wrote in a
statement. “We
are standing up
for women,
protecting their
spaces, and
restoring a bit
of sanity to
Capitol Hill."
Referencing the
controversial
acronym for a
trans-exclusionary
radical
feminist, Mace
also wrote, "The
Left screams
TERF politics,
we call it
putting women
first.”
McBride
responded to the
statement,
saying, "This is
a blatant
attempt from far
right-wing
extremists to
distract from
the fact they
have no real
solutions to
what Americans
are facing." She
noted the
examples of
housing, health
care and child
care as issues
more important
than "culture
wars."
McBride also
implored
kindness,
posting: "Every
day Americans go
to work with
people who have
life journeys
different than
their own and
engage with them
respectfully, I
hope members of
Congress can
muster that same
kindness."
[Source: Murphy,
Parkinson,
Peller, ABC
News, Nov 2024]
Republicans
Trying to Ban
Transgender
Congresswoman-Elect
Sarah McBride
From Using
Women's Bathroom
Nancy Mace Seeks
to Bar Trans
Women From Using
Female Bathrooms
on Capitol Hill
First Trans
Member of
Congress
Expected
Pushback From
Republicans
House GOP
Introduces Bill
to Ban Newly
Elected Trans
Democrat from
Using Women’s
Room at Capitol
Jen Psaki Warns
Democrats Not to
Cave to GOP on Trans
Rights
Transgender
Awareness Week
Reveals a
Community in
Crisis
House Passes
Massive Defense
Bill With Ban on
Gender-Affirming
Care for
Transgender Kids

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Trans Woman to Win Model of the Year
AIDS Memorial Quilt Displayed at White House for the
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Judge
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