Christopher Wiggins

/ /

Biden Proclaims June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Denounces Oppression

,

On the last day of May, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation Wednesday from the White House declaring June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month. It comes amid a wave of conservative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. “During Pride Month, we honor a movement that has grown stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive with every passing year,” the proclamation read. “Pride is a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically. And it is a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, […]

/ /

U.S. Facing Growing Extremism in Denying Care to Transgender People: Report

,

In a report released earlier this month, Movement Advancement Project (MAP) highlights the growing number, scope, and severity of bills that aim to prevent transgender individuals from receiving gender-affirming care. MAP’s “LGBTQ Policy Spotlight: Bans on Medical Care for Transgender People” is the most comprehensive analysis of the efforts to limit or ban medical care for transgender youth and adults, according to the organization. On Friday, Montana became the nation’s first state to restrict gender-affirming medical care.  MAP examined more than 250 bills introduced over the last several years that threaten the rights of transgender patients to receive medical care. In addition, several […]

/ /

Southern Queers: New Study Reveals the Reality of LGBTQ+ People in the South

,

A new study published Thursday examines the lives of LGBTQ+ Americans in the South and the results might be surprising to some. The data indicates that the notion that LGBTQ+ people only live in blue states or big cities isn’t entirely accurate. In a survey of 1,042 LGBTQ+ adults living in 12 Southern states from Alabama to Virginia, the progressive think tank and polling firm Data for Progress examined the significance of LGBTQ+ affirming community spaces, the relationships between LGBTQ+ Southerners and their communities, and the specific threats faced by marginalized, rural LGBTQ+ communities. This research examined how queer people in rural […]

/ /

Nonprofit Group Working to Help Transgender People Escape the U.S.

,

A newly formed group launched two weeks ago seeks to help transgender Americans escape the United States. Nearly three dozen applicants have already sought assistance emigrating from the country or obtaining asylum. In the wake of anti-LGBTQ+ laws popping up in red states nationwide, many transgender people are seeking ways to leave their homes to find a better life. This is why TRANSport hopes to step in. It helps transgender people obtain legal documents, such as valid IDs and passports, to ultimately leave the United States. The organization plans to transport at-risk transgender people abroad into more accepting societies, VICE reports. […]

/ /

LGBTQ+ Youth Are Uncomfortable In Their Own Skin: Study

,

Data from a new study suggests that young LGBTQ+ people in America aren’t comfortable in their own skin — literally. The latest study results from the Trevor Project on LGBTQ Youth and Body Dissatisfaction are out. Researchers found that some LGBTQ+ youth are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with their bodies, with trans and nonbinary youth showing even higher rates. Also, LGBTQ+ youth who reported body dissatisfaction were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than those who expressed being satisfied. The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization that provides crisis mental health services to LGBTQ+ young people and also conducts research on […]

/ /

Right-Wing Group Targets LGBTQ+ Existence In Michigan Schools

,

Michigan right-wingers are working together to challenge LGBTQ+-inclusive education in public schools.  An organization called the Great Schools Initiative (GSI) is offering parents an opt-out form to prevent all discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools.  Last week, the group began an initiative called “Operation Opt-Out,” which asks parents to submit an opt-out form authored by GSI to be added to their children’s school files, Michigan Advance reports. Nearly three pages of proscriptions against facts about reproductive health, family planning, contraception, LGBTQ+ issues, and social justice are contained in the document — which happens to contain numerous spelling errors. The form mandates […]

/ /

Feds Seek Input on National PrEP Coverage

,

The federal government is seeking public input concerning whether its Medicare department should cover HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and PrEP medication nationwide, including a new injectable drug that has been developed. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is considering whether it will cover HIV prevention pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs (PrEP) such as Apretude, a prescription injectable given every two months to individuals at risk of contracting HIV. As part of the analysis, CMS seeks comments from the public, particularly those that include scientific evidence. As of 2020, Medicare coverage for PrEP varies by state or county, but the average cost of […]

/ /

Gay Rep. Garcia Vows to Check Boebert & Greene on Oversight Committee

,

Republicans now in control of the House of Representatives and progressive lawmakers fear the GOP will use their slim majority to engage in frivolous investigations into the Biden administration.   With his appointment to the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee, California’sgay Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia says he will act as a safeguard against such moves by Republicans. The committee works to oversee the “efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the federal government and all its agencies,” according to its website.  The Democrat announced his appointment to the committee on Twitter yesterday while noting a certain excitement about his opportunity to be a thorn in the […]

/ /

Grindr Users Warned After Men Were Drugged, Robbed During Hookups

,

Police officials in London have warned people who use Grindr of an alarming string of robberies associated with the hookup app. Between December 31 and January 9, four men were drugged and robbed by two men who Metropolitan Police officials say they met on Grindr. The victims reported agreeing to meet up with individuals from the app but that they became unconscious during the encounter and woke up realizing they had been robbed of their belongings, according to a Metropolitan Police statement. The drugs did not cause lasting damage to the victims, but the suspects were able to flee the country, police officials said. Now […]

/ /

Florida Medical Boards Tighten Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

,

Transgender youth in Florida will no longer be able to access gender-affirming treatment — even during clinical trials. The Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine adopted new rules on Friday banning hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers for minors. Also, at a joint meeting of the boards, the Board of Osteopathic Medicine unanimously voided an exception that made it possible for young people to receive medical treatment when enrolled in studies conducted by state universities. This exception resulted from a contentious meeting last year when the two boards voted to have separate standards for different providers when providing gender-affirming medical treatment […]

«‹ 22 23 24 25›