Greg Owen

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LGBTQ+ activists revive Stonewall Democrats after it shut down over a decade ago

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Facing a financial deficit and a shortage of dues owed by local chapters, the National Stonewall Democratic Federation, founded by retired out Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) in 1998 to unite Stonewall Democratic clubs across the U.S., closed the doors at its Washington office in 2013 to go on an indefinite “hiatus.” They never reopened. Now, in the face of an openly anti-LGBTQ+ second Trump administration, the group has been revived under a new banner, the National Federation of Stonewall Democrats. “The challenges facing LGBTQ+ Americans today underscore the need for a bold and unapologetically progressive action, especially given the uncertainty we face with the incoming Trump […]

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10 arrested for writing gay erotica in China as part of nationwide crackdown

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Government officials in China are cracking down on erotic fiction writers and their online distribution networks, according to multiple news reports and social media posts, with dozens of writers reportedly arrested in one province and facing years in prison. Many of the writers specialize in danmei, a style depicting gay romance and sex similar to Japanese manga.   In December, Chinese news site Shuiping Jiyuan reported police had detained more than 50 writers in Anhui province, west of Shanghai, since June. Sentences have ranged up to four and a half years in prison. At least 10 people have been sentenced for posting gay-themed erotica […]

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Cops beat gay couple in their homes as Belarus seeks to mimic Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws

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This fall, security forces in Belarus — the former Soviet republic and staging ground for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — raided the home of a gay couple in the Belarusian capital of Minsk and brutally beat them, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The university students said the officers were transparent that the assault was inspired by similar treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in Russia. “They slammed our heads against the door frame, threatened to report us to the university, and said that this was just the beginning,” said Andrei, 20, who asked to be identified only […]

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New progressive chair says Dems don’t have to abandon trans folks to reconnect with working class

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The newly elected chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus said a combination of factors led to electoral losses for the party in November’s election, not least of which was being “seen as preachy” and “disconnected.” Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, 35, is replacing outgoing chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who is term-limited in the post. The Texas native and son of immigrants from Mexico was a labor organizer and Austin City Council member before winning a second term in the House last month. Casar called Democrats’ losses in the election “avoidable.” “The progressive movement needs to change,” he told NBC News in […]

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Out ER nurse Molly Cook explains how she won 4 elections in just one year

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State Sen. Molly Cook, 33, a sixth-generation Texan and former ER nurse, starts a new term in January after multiple campaigns in a single year that would have left a less energetic candidate exhausted on a beach on South Padre Island. Not so for Cook, who has only upped her game with every electoral challenge. A savvy internet presence — substitute “Hi, guys” with “Hey, y’all” and you get Cook’s polished, Texas-styled YouTube video intros — the millennial lawmaker is all about the organizing, online and off. “I’m ready to go all gas, no brakes,” Cook enthuses in a clip introducing her […]

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This trans woman was forced into electroshock therapy. She just won a settlement.

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A 28-year-old trans woman in China has won her lawsuit against the hospital and doctor that subjected her to three months of traumatic and painful electroshock conversion therapy treatments, the Guardian reports. The woman, a performance artist who goes by the name Ling’er, said she hoped the victory would help others in the LGBTQ+ community protect their rights.  “In China, the situation for transgender people is not very optimistic,” she said. “There’s a lack of protection for this group.” Ling’er asserted in her suit that the enforced conversion therapy treatments had violated her personal rights. Her victory came with a small award […]

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Keith Haring & Betty White get the “forever” treatment with new stamps

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The United States Postal Service shared good news on Friday with an announcement they’ll be honoring two LGBTQ+ icons with stamps in 2025: Keith Haring and Betty White. “This early glimpse into our 2025 stamp program demonstrates our commitment to providing a diverse range of subjects and designs for both philatelists and stamp enthusiasts,” said Lisa Bobb-Semple, Stamp Services director for USPS, where “diversity” will no doubt be under fire under the incoming administration. Enjoy it while it lasts — with a “forever” stamp. Keith Haring shot to fame in the 1980s with his iconic, graffiti-inspired drawings that became an instantly […]

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A principal was fired for his “LGBTQ+ Kindness” class. His community is fighting back.

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A middle school community in Virginia is fighting back after their principal was fired for starting an “LGBTQ+ Kindness” flex-time class to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. Dr. Jerry Putt, Frederick County Middle School’s principal since 2017, has been removed from his role after a divisive debate at the school board over his actions, The Winchester Gazette reports. The controversy erupted on Tuesday at the Frederick County School Board meeting, where a conservative faction of parents and board members argued that the “LGBTQ+ Kindness” class deviated from state-approved curricula and called it “inappropriate.” The leader of the group in opposition to […]

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Patrons douse TERFS in drinks & ketchup for staging an anti-trans protest at bar

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A well-known British TERF and two accomplices staged a provocative “silent” protest at two London pubs Friday night, stoking resentment among weekenders simply looking to get a drink. It did not end well. “We’re going now,” a police officer told Jean Hatchet, organizer of the anti-trans action, as displeased patrons fled the premises. “You can either make your own way out or I’ll help you out.” Hatchet’s night on the town began at one bar where she and her two friends set up three small signs reading “TRANSWOMEN ARE MEN,” “NO MEN IN SPORTS – IT’S NOT SAFE + NOT FAIR,” and […]

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A school board member compared the Pride flag to the swastika. She was relieved of her duties.

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A Catholic school board trustee tried to ban the Pride flag after comparing it to the Nazi swastika a second time and got kicked off the board in the process. The Niagara Catholic District School Board in Ontario censured Natalia Benoit in January after an independent investigator agreed she breached the board’s code of conduct by making the hateful comparison. She was relieved of her duties and barred from attending board meetings for six months. Catholic schools in Ontario get public funds. Just weeks after returning, Benoit again introduced a “proposal to amend the flag-flying protocol to exclude the Pride […]

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