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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.

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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

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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]

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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

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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]

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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
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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
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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

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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]

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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

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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]
 

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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
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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

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"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]

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