Top Stories
Lindsey Graham, Trump ally who opposed LGBTQ+ rights and consistently denied being gay, dies at 71
As questions swirl around Washington about the health status of Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for weeks after emergency responders went to his house for a patient in cardiac arrest, the political world woke up Sunday morning to news of another high-profile lawmaker’s death. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a foreign policy hawk who evolved from one of Donald Trump’s fiercest Republican critics into one of the president’s most dependable congressional allies, died Saturday evening after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” He was 71. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, […]
Trump judges allow Christians to sue Alaska Airlines for firing them over anti-LGBTQ+ statements
A U.S. Appeals Court with three Donald Trump appointees decided on Wednesday to overturn a decision by a lower court throwing out a suit by two Alaska Airlines employees who sued the company over charges of religious discrimination, Reuters reports. The plaintiffs claim that they were fired for expressing anti-LGBTQ+ views, which they say was an act of religious discrimination. The women are represented by the right-wing “religious freedom” legal organization First Liberty Institute. “You cannot be fired because your employer does not like your religious beliefs,” Stephanie Taub, the group’s senior counsel, said after the reversal. Alaska Airlines claims religious beliefs […]
Is Steam blocking LGBTQ+ content in China?
Reports have suggested that Steam’s digital storefront is blocking LGBTQ+ content in accordance with Chinda’s “local laws and regulations.” Given the country’s policies around LGBTQ+ people and content, that might not be surprising, especially as Steam has agreed to censorship before. But what’s actually happening might be a lesser compromise. The first reports of the issue came from user Neha on Resetera, who posted a screenshot of Steam with an error message in Chinese, which translates to “An error occurred while processing your request: The content on this page has been identified as inappropriate because it violates local laws and regulations, […]
Local News
Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Market organizers change this week’s musical act after public outcry
A new local band will take to the stage during Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Marketthis week following a last-minute change in the entertainment lineup in response to public outrage over a homophobic comment made on social media by the leader of the previously scheduled local band. The Humdinger Band will now perform, following the city’s cancellation of Big O and Company, during the June 30 Tuesday Night Market, which takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sonoma Plaza. The change was made on Friday, June 26, in response to requests from members of the public who were upset by a homophobic post […]
This Month at Sonoma County Library
50th Anniversary Celebration for Petaluma Library Saturday, July 11 Help us celebrate the Petaluma Library’s 50th anniversary at our Fairgrounds Drive location Throughout the day: a scavenger hunt, time capsule creation, special Petaluma History Room displays, and more. Dress like it’s 1976! 11:00 – 2:00: Photo booth 1:00: Commemorative Welcome program 1:30: Recognition of the late Library Commissioner Paul Heavenridge and volunteer Gerry Groves 2:00: History of Libraries in Petaluma with historians John Sheehy, Harlan Osborne, and architect Mary Dooley 3:00: Los Gu’achis band and refreshments Children Aguacate Music for KidsAguacate Music for Kids shares songs in English and Spanish that inspire kids […]
Arts & Entertainment
Frameline50 Announces Audience & Juried Awards and Affirms That Queer Art Is the Future of Independent Cinema
Frameline announced the winners of the juried and Audience Awards at the 50th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline50). The world’s largest and longest-running queer film festival presented nearly 150 films from over 30 countries, brought 600 filmmakers and industry professionals from around the world to the Bay Area, and welcomed 50,000 attendees across its 11-day run. “Frameline50 proves the undeniable fact that queer film is the future of independent cinema,” said Allegra Madsen, Frameline’s Executive Director. “This is reflected by the record-breaking attendance of and unwavering support from our global community of industry professionals, filmmakers, and movie lovers. What’s unique about this festival is […]
Frameline50: Interview with Luchina Fisher, the director of “The Dads”
Inspired by the Emmy Award-winning short documentary of the same name (Netflix, 2023), The Dads chronicles fathers of trans and nonbinary children as they are forced to choose between country and family when a new right-wing administration and conservative Supreme Court take hold in the United States. Filmed over the course of a year spanning retreats in rural Maine and Minnesota, protests, family milestones, a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court decision, and the collapse of gender-affirming care for youth, The Dads captures this national reckoning with remarkable intimacy through vérité footage and interviews with the film’s main protagonists. This is fatherhood as an act of […]
State News
California budgets $26 million to protect access to gender-affirming care from federal attacks
In a win for trans people, their families, and healthcare providers in the state, California has passed a new budget that includes funds to protect gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare from federal funding interference. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the budget, which was the result of extensive lobbying from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including TransFamily Support Services. “This historic investment will help keep care accessible, support the providers doing this lifesaving work, and remind trans young people that California will not abandon them,” said Kathy Moehlig, director of TransFamily Support Services. The 2026-27 budget sets aside $26 million to support gender-affirming care access […]
LAPD officer could face criminal charges for recording colleagues’ discrimination
A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer could face criminal charges for recording his colleagues making homophobic, racist and sexist remarks while on the job. Daniel Flores, who is an officer for the LAPD, secretly recorded the comments before handing the audio over to his superiors as evidence, according to an internal affairs complaint he filed last year. However, recording conversations without the consent of those involved is illegal in the state of California. Flores’ attorney, Greg Smith, told The LA Times that Flores was recently informed that his internal affairs case had been transferred to state prosecutors, who are currently weighing charges against him […]
