Daniel Villarreal

Former congressman and current US Senate candidate Mike Rogers’ LGBTQ+ rights record shows that he’s no friend to the queer community. He has opposed same-sex marriage and discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans, and surrounded himself with anti-LGBTQ+ religious advisors. It’s no wonder that the Human Rights Campaign has given Mike Rogers’ LGBTQ+ rights record a zero during his time in Congress. Now that he’s running again for Senate, it’s a great time to take a closer look at Mike Rogers’ LGBTQ+ rights record, including statements and votes he has made against queer equality. Mike Rogers at a glance Insights for […]

This November, voters in six states will decide on eight LGBTQ+-related ballot measures, including four anti-trans sports bans in Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, and Washington; two measures restricting gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Colorado and Missouri; a measure that could out LGBTQ+ kids to their potentially unsupportive parents in Washington; and one pro-LGBTQ+ measure to remove a state same-sex marriage ban in Virginia. “This isn’t actually about giving voters a say in democracy. It’s a political tactic by a small but vocal minority of extremists who want to turn out their base, driven by the fear and misunderstandings about people […]

In her first political ad, Darline Graham, sister of the recently deceased (and allegedly queer) anti-LGBTQ+ Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), said, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports” and other statements meant to burnish her MAGA conservative credentials, as Republican in her state doubt her chances of winning an election, especially considering that she is widely unknown to voters and has never held an elected office before her brother’s death on July 11. “Thank you all for your prayers. They provided strength through an incredibly difficult time,” she says at the beginning of her 30-second ad. “I’m honored to serve South Carolina […]

As the Trump administration celebrates America’s historic semiquincentennial – the two and a half centuries that have passed since the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence – it’s important to note that the president and his political party have spent the past several years actively erasing LGBTQ+ Americans and other marginalized groups from public history. The administration removed words like “transgender” and “queer” from the official website for the Stonewall National Monument; it has cut funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and grants that support LGBTQ+ community programs and research of all sorts; Republican school and library boards have removed LGBTQ+-related books from shelves […]

Ohio’s lead historical society, the Ohio History Connection (OHC) recently dedicated an official state historical marker to recognize The Rubi Girls, a comedic drag troupe that raised over $3 million for local and region HIV, LGBTQ+, and other community groups over the last 40 years, The Buckeye Flame reported. The OHC unveiled the marker on May 3 outside the Rubi Clubhouse, where the group rehearses, in Dayton’s South Park neighborhood. Tim Farquhar, a Rubi Girls founding member, expressed gratitude that the marker was able to get erected despite the federal government ending funding for LGBTQ+-related historical markers last year. “Ours was the last […]