Top Stories
Republicans are using anti-trans issues in a desperate attempt to motivate their base
By every account, Republicans are facing a disaster in this fall’s elections. Donald Trump is incredibly unpopular and seems intent on doing everything possible to increase his party’s unpopularity. The odds are very high that Republicans will lose the House, and Democrats are increasingly optimistic about capturing the Senate as well, with competitive races even in deep-red strongholds like Texas and Iowa. Faced with looming electoral disaster, Republicans are turning to their old standby, anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. This year, the focus is on anti-trans attacks, including anti-trans ballot initiatives in four states. Ballot measures in Washington and Arizona would prohibit trans athletes from participating in sports, while a ballot […]
Record number of US adult population are LGBTQ+, census data suggests
There are an estimated 26.5million LGBTQ+ adults in the US (Image: Getty Images) LGBTQ+ people now make up 12% of the adult population in the US, according to a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation analysis of US Census Bureau data, estimating roughly 26.5million people nationwide. The analysis drew on more than 2.4million entries from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, collected between 2021 and 2024. HRC president Kelley Robinson said in a statement, as per Them: “LGBTQ+ Americans are everywhere,” adding: “There are 25million of us across the country, and we now have critical mass in almost every state in the nation. We’re not […]
Former CIA officers warn Trump’s administration is reviving the Lavender Scare, endangering national security
Three former CIA officers are warning that President Donald Trump’s campaign against diversity initiatives and transgender federal employees threatens to recreate one of the darkest periods in the history of the nation’s intelligence agencies. In a historical account published Thursday by Lawfare, Trace Ballard, Julia Curlee, and Todd Johannessen trace the CIA’s transformation from an agency that hunted and expelled gay employees to one that openly recruited LGBTQ+officers and then began dismantling that infrastructure after Trump returned to office. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week. The authors bring roughly eight decades […]
Local News
New limited-edition T-shirt Collection Supports Amor Para Todos
My distributor has officially launched a limited-edition line of T-shirts featuring my original artwork. It’s been a long process getting everything ready, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally here. The artwork is inspired by the enduring fight for justice and the promise of the 14th Amendment, an important reminder that the pursuit of equal protection under law, dignity, and belonging for all Americans is alive today in the midst of the challenging times we find ourselves living in, and that the freedoms we hold as citizens are not something we take for granted but principles we must continue to defend […]
Support Positive Image’s Queer Library
I mean who doesn’t love reading! Because I know I do! Getting lost in a new world, a new story, and meeting new characters. Or diving into deep and rich history about our ancestors, our motherland, and significant periods in times. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit our center and browse our Queer Library, come take a peak! We have over 900 books available for FREE for our community to check out and take home or enjoy while hanging out at the center. While we have a myriad of books available in English, we would love to expand our Bilingual and Bicultural […]
Arts & Entertainment
Now at Rialto Cinemas in Sebastopol: “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World”
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the WorldOne Week Only Starts Friday July 24 3:50 pm & 5:45 pm If poetry had a pop icon, Mary Oliver would be it. Celebrated best-selling poet, Pulitzer Prize-winner, lover of dogs and long walks in the woods, openly queer but intensely private, Oliver was America’s unlikely contemporary mystic, stalking the ponds and forests of Cape Cod for nearly fifty years in order to open herself – and her readers – to the known and unknowable world. From a lonely childhood to literary fame, Oliver’s life was shaped by devotion to nature, paying attention, and the […]
State News
Equality California Condemns Final CMS Rule Blocking Medicaid and CHIP Funding for Transgender Healthcare
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized a rule ending federal Medicaid funding for both medically necessary care for transgender youth under 18 and federal Children’s Health Insurance Program funding for youth under 19. The rule is scheduled to take effect October 13, 2026: “Today, the Trump administration finalized a cruel and discriminatory rule that blocks federal Medicaid and CHIP payments to providers for medically necessary healthcare for transgender young people, putting their access to care at risk. This is a […]
Equality California Announces Latest Pro-Equality Endorsements Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, today announced the endorsements of five candidates running for Congressional and state offices ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. “Our slate of pro-equality candidates continues to grow as we head towards November’s crucial midterm elections,” said Executive Director Tony Hoang. “LGBTQ+ people deserve representatives who will speak for them at all levels of government, from Sacramento to Washington D.C. We are confident that LGBTQ+ and pro-equality representation will grow across the board come November.” The full list of new endorsements can be found below: U.S. Congress: California State Senate: California Statewide Office: […]
