Jay Valle

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A digital library offers hundreds of free LGBTQ books in response to wave of school bans

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When Sara Katherine moved back to her hometown of Valparaiso, Indiana, from New York, she noticed a lack of support for LGBTQ youth. So she started volunteering as a mentor at a local nonprofit, chatting with queer teens who hadn’t seen LGBTQ people reflected much in media or in their community. Then she came across a resource gold mine: the Queer Liberation Library, a digital catalog of over 1,200 LGBTQ books for anyone across the country to access.

“I was able to tell them, ‘Hey, guess what? I have something free for you, and it’s thousands of books you can read where there are characters just like you who are falling in love, who are having adventures,’” said Katherine.

The Queer Liberation Library (QLL) was started by a team of nine volunteers in November to fill the queer literature gap amid a wave of state laws and school policies challenging books with LGBTQ themes. To “check out” a digital book, all readers need to do is provide their name and U.S. mailing address — information that QLL keeps private and secure — and they are granted access to the QLL catalog via Libby.

“It was one of those ideas that I was surprised that nobody else had thought of it already,” said Kieran Hickey, co-founder of QLL. “I knew it could be very impactful.”

While some public libraries, like the Brooklyn Public Library in New York, offer free digital access to their entire collection nationwide, QLL is one of the few services specifically curating books with queer themes or written by queer authors. In its first few months, QLL attracted nearly 4,000 readers. Today, it boasts a readership exceeding 50,000.

“The queer experience in the U.S. is so different, not just from state to state or city to city, but even from county to county,” said Erik Lundstrom, who handles financial and legal issues for QLL. “Being able to provide books in a safe manner, regardless of location or circumstances, is some of the most important work I’ll ever do.”

The ‘Avengers’ of the Queer Liberation Library

QLL was the brainchild of Hickey, whose love of, and lack of access to, LGBTQ literature led him to earn his master’s degree in library science from the University of British Columbia.

“My queer experience in particular, as a trans person, was very much not knowing what I was missing, not understanding why I felt so different, not understanding myself and feeling very detached from the world around me,” said Hickey. “I would escape into books.”

After volunteering at an in-person LGBTQ library in Vancouver post-college, he set out to replicate the concept upon moving to the U.S. Through connections with mutual friends, Hickey formed the QLL team — all volunteers who collaborate remotely across the country and have yet to meet in person.

Hickey calls the team “Queer Literature Heroes,” each with a role that helps them grow the library’s titles, reach and access.

Lundstrom, known as the “The Business Gay,” deals with legal matters and webpage management. Laura, the “Book Lister in Residence,” aids in the curation of titles. Fern Odawnul, or QLL’s “Social Media Gremlin,” shares updates on new book releases, merchandise launches and fundraising initiatives on Instagram, TikTok and X.

As a parent, Odawnul also consults on the library’s children’s book collection. Among the featured children’s books is “My Shadow Is Purple” by Scott Stuart, which introduces nonbinary identity to young readers. Through engaging illustrations, the story follows a child’s exploration of their shadow as neither blue nor pink, but purple. This realization helps the main character understand that they are not confined to specific gender roles.

“It’s just really sweet and a great way of describing that neither-both thing that many nonbinary identities frequently experience,” said Odawnul. The hope is that young readers like her son “grow up in a world that is welcoming,” Odawnul said.

Between July 2021 and December 2023, book bans were put in place in 42 states, in both red and blue districts, according to a PEN America report. While the bans target titles with themes of race, gender identity and sexual orientation, seven of the 10 most challenged titles in 2023 addressed LGBTQ subjects, according to an American Library Association report. Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” a graphic memoir detailing the author’s nonbinary coming out journey, remained at the top of the list for the third consecutive year.

Books with LGBTQ characters and themes help queer children feel like they are seen and belong, whereas book bans make them feel punished and erased, said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of LGBTQ educational organization GLSEN. At least 1 in 4 high school students identify as LGBTQ, according to a 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey.

“When LGBTQ+ youth lack access to books that reflect their narratives, they miss out on identity affirmation, role models and inspiration,” said Willingham-Jaggers. “This absence can lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt. They also miss critical social and emotional learning opportunities, which can help them navigate their own experiences.”

It’s also just as important for non-LGBTQ students to see queer representation, Willingham-Jaggers said. “By ensuring that queer literature is accessible to everyone, regardless of location, these platforms promote inclusivity and understanding,” she said. “They inspire a love for reading and support lifelong learning while fostering a sense of community among readers.”

The impact and future of the Queer Liberation Library

QLL continues to grow its collection and membership by surveying the needs and concerns of its audience. Odawnul said some respondents expressed fears about being unable to borrow LGBTQ books from their local libraries and that by getting to read these texts, they see their identities reflected. When she gets responses like that, “that’s when I know that we’re doing something right,” Odawnul said.

In Valparaiso, “there’s very little visibility and diversity,” said Katherine. But through books, she tries to show the LGBTQ youth she mentors that “what you’re feeling is OK, and that you being you is OK,” she said.

While the team respects members’ privacy and does not disclose specific details, Lawton shared a few demographics: 16% of members reside in rural regions, and two of the most checked-out titles on the platform include: “How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager” by D.N. Bryn and “At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender” by Shou Arai.

Next up, QLL hopes to host in-person events like book clubs, summer reading programs and meetups to support LGBTQ youth.

“I think that any opportunity that we have to bring queer people together and realize how much our shared liberation is dependent on each other’s liberation is super important,” said Hickey. “I’m trying to give people what I didn’t have.” 

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How queer Indigenous youth are finding safety and support after Nex Benedict’s death

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In the summer of 2015, an 8-year-old Choctaw child named Twelve walked in their first Two-Spirit LGBTQ Pride parade, recognizing Native people with a male and female spirit within them. They wore their hair in braids and a black suit, their mother and auntie by their side. Out and proud adults waved hello to Twelve from their colorfully decorated floats. The streets of Oklahoma City were filled with music, dancing and drag performances. It was a celebration that seemed like a step toward a future of acceptance for Oklahoma’s Indigenous queer community.  

“That memory sticks in my mind — seeing someone that young and seeing loving parents be so supportive,” said Auntie Sage, youth leader at Cousins, a group for queer Indigenous youth in the state. “I had not seen that in my lifetime.” 

Nine years later, queer and Two-Spirit youth in Oklahoma have witnessed the introduction of more than 50 bills targeting LGBTQ people this year alone — more than any other state — from bans on gender-affirming health care to penalizing public school employees for asking a student their pronouns. 

In addition, LGBTQ communities continue to reel from the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old transgender student who lived on a Cherokee reservation in Oklahoma and reportedly faced bullying over their gender identity. 

“With all these anti-LGBTQ bills going on right now, it is very dangerous and it is a very sad time for Oklahoma,” Auntie Sage said. 

Today, Twelve is a member of Cousins, which has been offering a sanctuary for queer Indigenous youth in a time of rising anti-LGBTQ hostility. Through outdoor activities, out-of-state trips, theater shows, monthly counseling, group talks and mentor pairing, the group is cultivating a community. 

“Cousins is a place of education, fun, community, support, love and all this good stuff,” Twelve said. “But at the end of the day, it’s also a safe space for kids who need it.”

Reeling from the death of ‘our relative’

Sarah Adams, the mother of Twelve, and Kendra Wilson Clements — both of whom are Choctaw and Two-Spirit — co-founded Cousins in 2022 after observing a lack of support systems in Oklahoma for queer Indigenous youth. That year, U.S. lawmakers proposed a record 238 bills that would limit the rights of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning (2SLGBTQ) Americans, including religious exemptions to discriminate against queer people, and limits on trans people’s ability to play sports and receive gender-affirming health care.

“We wanted it to be a safe place for us to be able to celebrate what it is to be LGBTQ in the Indigenous community,” Adams said. “When you feel safe, then you can be exactly who you are. You can remove all those masks that you put on from your day to day.”

Adams and Clements began reaching out to local queer leaders to find mentors and advocates for queer Indigenous youth. Mentors can share their experiences, show kids they are not alone and let them know they are supported.

“We want [our youth] to be strong. We want them to be inspired,” said Auntie Sage. “And we want them to know what it looks like to be visible and out and proud.”

Through word of mouth, the group has become home to over a dozen youth ages 12 to 22, representing numerous tribes. With the help of donations, grants and volunteers, the group goes hiking, takes self-defense classes and attends virtual meet-ups. 

When Benedict died in February, it shook the community. Police bodycam video showed Benedict in a hospital bed recounting how they were attacked by three students after standing up to their bullying at school. The next day, Benedict died. A full autopsy report ruled the death a suicide. 

Benedict’s death sparked global interest and criticism from LGBTQ advocates who link their alleged bullying to anti-LGBTQ legislation in Oklahoma and other states. In the weeks following Benedict’s death, the Rainbow Youth Project, a national LGBTQ nonprofit focused on youth suicide prevention, saw a 238% increase in crisis calls from Oklahoma. The Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health reported last year that 60% of Indigenous youth have experienced severe mental distress.

“I was already dealing with so much of my own mental health stuff, and then hearing [about Benedict’s death], it just made me hate so much more about the state we live in and the world we live in and how people don’t care until someone dies,” said Bear, 15, a Cousins member.  

Cousins members say they are concerned about discrimination in their schools, which has only been highlighted by Benedict’s death. 

“There’s no amount of safety here that can really make me feel confident enough in the public school system at this point, especially after what happened with Nex,” said Angelina Steinmeyer, 21, a Cousins mentor and member. 

In response to safety concerns from the group, Dan Isett, director of communications at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, told NBCU Academy in an email: “The safety of every student in Oklahoma schools is prioritized equally, with equal care taken for all our students.”

Shortly after Benedict’s death, Adams brought in a grief counselor during Cousins’ monthly circle talks. Members learned how to recognize grief and how it might show up in their lives. Twelve said they were coping through writing. 

“We wanted to help them through this moment, this terrible, horrible moment when we lost a relative,” Adams said. “Nex is our relative, that’s how I see it.” 

Raising the next generation of leaders

To open up the lines of support, Cousins recently decided to make some of their events inclusive to all LGBTQ youth in the state, not just those who are Indigenous. 

“My son said, ‘We don’t have the luxury of cherry-picking anymore. We have to make sure that everybody has spaces,’” said Adams. “And now we’re trying to figure out how we do that.”

In February, the group took a trip to San Francisco to participate in the Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirit Powwow. The event honored traditional Indigenous culture through song, dance, drumming and contests; it also offered a supportive gender-affirming experience for the diverse Two-Spirit community and allies. 

“I was just like looking all around myself and I was like, ‘Wow, they made it,’” said Twelve. “‘Oh my God, there’s so many people like me around here.’”

Auntie Sage said she wants to take members away from spaces that often exclude 2SLGBTQ people and put them into environments where they can see possibilities and take pride in who they are.

“I hope they can have those kinds of stories for themselves one day,” Auntie Sage said. “They spread their little wings and they fly.” 

In the meantime, the group will continue to host open conversations, expand its space and counsel queer Indigenous youth and others in the face of rising tensions in schools and opposition to 2SLGBTQ events in the state. 

“If there were to be an end goal, I hope that the end is us breaking the cycle,” said Steinmeyer, adding that it’s important to “teach children what it’s like to be different.”

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Police search for rider accused of punching nonbinary person on NYC subway

New York City police are searching for an unidentified individual who was recorded harassing a nonbinary person and allegedly punched them on a Manhattan subway. 

Hunter Greer, 27, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, said they were attacked Sunday night by two people sitting next to them on the 1 train. Greer said the attack began after they accidentally bumped their elbow against one of the people. That person then stood up and began verbally harassing Greer, at one point using a homophobic slur.

“They were continuing to yell slurs at me, and she threatened to break my nose if I didn’t get the f—  off the train. At that point, they were determined to kick me off the train,” Greer said in an interview with NBC News.

A video Greer recorded and shared with NBC News shows one of the people approaching them before kicking Greer’s phone out of their hands. Greer is also heard yelling expletives in return.

Hunter Greer said they were harassed with homophobic slurs before they were punched on a Manhattan subway.
Hunter Greer said they were harassed with homophobic slurs before they were punched on a Manhattan subway.Courtesy Hunter Greer

“I was literally doing nothing. So I just stayed in my seat. I was like, listen, y’all can move, y’all can do whatever. But I didn’t do anything to you, and leave me alone,” Greer said. 

Greer said the couple harassed them for multiple stops before one of the people punched them in the face and pushed them off the train car at the 116th Street stop near Columbia University. The couple then fled to a different subway car, Greer said. 

“Like, if it can happen when I’m just sitting down on a train and quietly reading a book because someone decides that I’m queer, then it’ll happen,” Greer said, adding that they were wearing an Apple Watch with a rainbow wristband during the attack. New York City police did not respond to a question about whether the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

Greer said they noticed a significant amount of blood on their face after they were pushed out of the train car. They received assistance from a bystander who happened to have an ice pack while other people alerted officers at the station. They were then taken by Emergency Medical Services to a hospital, where they were treated for a fractured nose and cuts on their nose and mouth. 

The unknown individual is described as a female with a light complexion and a medium build. She has gauge earrings, a nose piercing and a tattoo on her left arm.
The unknown person is described as a female with a light complexion and a medium build. NYPD Crime Stoppers

Asked whether they are searching for both people who Greer says harassed them, police confirmed only that they are searching for the person seen in the video. The police department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying that person. 

Greer, who has lived in New York City for over five years, said they are in disbelief that this happened to them. 

“I would think it’s such a safe place,” Greer said, adding that they plan to press charges against both people if they are identified. 

It is the latest of several attacks against LGBTQ people, establishments and symbols in New York City over the past year. The NYPD Hate Crimes Dashboard reported 45 hate crimes based on sexual orientation from January to June. 

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Two Florida LGBTQ centers vandalized with anti-LGBTQ messages and hate symbols

Murals at two LGBTQ centers in Orlando, Florida, were defaced with anti-LGBTQ messages and hate symbols over the weekend.

The LGBT+ Center Orlando, a nonprofit located downtown, published a photo of the vandalism on its Facebook page Saturday morning, calling the incident “sad and infuriating.” The image shows a colorful rainbow heart mural defaced with black spray paint that includes a homophobic message, a Bible reference and a Celtic cross, which is a widely recognized symbol associated with white supremacy.

“It’s not the first time it has happened and even though is frustrating, we are not going to stop being a beacon of light for our community,” the Facebook message reads. 

Also on Saturday, Zebra Youth, an LGBTQ nonprofit located across the street from the LGBT+ Center Orlando, shared photos of two defaced murals on the exterior of its building. The images show black spray paint with anti-LGBTQ messages, Celtic crosses and a swastika. 

“We will not allow the recent vandalism to our building by a hate group to detour or waver us,” the group wrote in a statement shared on Facebook. “Zebra Youth stands strong in our dedication to empowering LGBTQ+ youth to become healthy, productive, and self-sufficient individuals. We will never allow hate to win!”

In a statement emailed to NBC News, the Orlando Police Department said “detectives are actively investigating this incident and are working closely with both businesses.”

With the aid of volunteers from the community and the police department, both murals were repainted within less than 24 hours, according to a statement released by the department.

In a Facebook post shared Sunday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer shared images of the defaced murals and spoke out against the incidents.

“Hate like this has no place in our city. Zebra Youth and The Center are important parts of our community, providing critical services and support to LGBTQ+ residents,” he wrote. “Here in Orlando, we will continue to embrace one another and work to create an inclusive, welcoming city for all.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in May enacted four bills that impose limitations on LGBTQ rights. including a measure that expands what critics have called the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, as well as a prohibition on transition-related care for minors. DeSantis, a Republican, also signed into law a bill that restricts transgender individuals from accessing public facilities based on their gender identities, and another bill aimed at regulating “adult” performances in the presence of minors, which he said was intended to limit drag performances. Federal judges have since temporarily blocked thedrag law and part of the trans care law.

There has been a recent surge in threats and attacks targeted at LGBTQ Americans more broadly: A report from the Anti-Defamation League and the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD found that more than 350 anti-LGBTQ hate and extremism incidents occurred in the U.S. over an 11-month period starting June 2022.

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Texas lesbian bar denied insurance for hosting drag shows, owner says

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The owner of Houston’s only lesbian bar says her business is in jeopardy after it was denied insurance coverage, and she’s putting the blame, in part, on an anti-drag bill moving through the Texas Legislature.

“They outright denied us, the underwriters, because we host drag shows,” Julie Mabry, the owner of Pearl Bar, said in an interview with NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston. 

Pearl Bar owner Julie Mabry.
Pearl Bar owner Julie Mabry.KPRC

Mabry has insurance through December, but she decided to switch agents a few months ago and shop around for a new policy, she told KPRC. It was during that process that her agent received the denial email, which the agent then sent to Mabry.

“This is the first time I’ve ever gotten an email like that. I cried about this for about a week,” said Mabry, who told KPRC that drag shows were the first thing mentioned in the email, which outlined why the underwriter did not want to take on the risk of insuring her bar.

Mabry did not share additional details about the underwriter or the email, and she did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Mabry, who opened Pearl Bar in 2013, said the current political climate fueled the situation she’s in, and she encouraged followers of the Pearl Bar Instagram account to contact their legislators about anti-LGBTQ bills in the state, including one that would restrict drag shows on public property, on the premises of a commercial enterprise or in the presence of a child. 

The bill, Senate Bill 12, passed in the Texas Senate last month by a vote of 20-11, and it was set to be considered by a House committee Thursday. If the measure is signed into law, violators could be subjected to civil penalties of up to $10,000.

“Pearl needs everyone to speak up for us so that we can stay open and HOST DRAG SHOWS! It’s THAT serious,” a post on the Pearl Bar Instagram account said. “We are in the final stretch of session and every voice counts in pushing back on this and the other anti-LGBTQ legislation. We need you to step up, be loud, and tell your legislators NO to any anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Our state should be open to all, period.”

State Sen. Bryan Hughes, the bill’s author, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Brad Pritchett, a Houston resident and the field director for LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Texas, noted that drag shows are still legal in Texas and said Pearl Bar’s situation is a result of the “fear and panic that lawmakers have stirred up” around the centuries-old art form.

“This situation highlights one of the most insidious consequences of all the anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the legislature this session—most people don’t know what’s going on,” he said in an email. “It’s ludicrous to think that lawmakers can shut down an entire industry without even changing the law. Texans, we need you to show up to the capitol, to email your legislators, and to make a lot of noise about what is happening in Texas.”

Texas is one of at least 16 states where legislators have proposed bills this year seeking to restrict the audiences for drag performances and where they can take place. Tennessee is the only state to have enacted such a law, which a federal judge temporarily blocked from taking effect.

Bills seeking to restrict drag shows are part of a larger trend of Republican-led bills targeting LGBTQ people in the U.S. So far this year, more than 470 such bills have been proposed in legislatures across the U.S., according to the American Civil Liberties Union. 

Pearl Bar is one of about two dozen lesbian bars left in the U.S. and one of only two in Texas, the other being Sue Ellen’s in Dallas. Mabry hopes Texas will not be left with just a lone lesbian bar. 

“This situation is real,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ve tried to be as careful as I can to keep my patrons, performers, and staff safe, but if we stay quiet, we aren’t helping.”

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Chicago gay bars boycott Anheuser-Busch for distancing itself from Dylan Mulvaney

Beer drinkers visiting Chicago gay bars may have a difficult time finding popular brands like Bud Light, Stella Artois and Michelob Ultra. That’s because at least five LGBTQ venues in the city are boycotting the brewing company Anheuser-Busch and its products after the company distanced itself from transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Mulvaney, best known for her “Days of Girlhood” TikTok series, partnered with the company during the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament. The partnership, which consisted of a sponsored post on her Instagram account promoting Bud Light, spawned a right-wing backlash. The company’s response to that backlash led to accusations that it was abandoning Mulvaney, 25, which in turn ignited a response from the LGBTQ community.

“We have simply removed their products,” Mark Robertson, the co-owner of Chicago-based 2Bears Tavern Group, told NBC News on Tuesday. “Our position is that we expect the products we sell to align their values with our values or not trample on the right of our customers. That’s where we believe Anheuser-Busch crossed the line.” 

Mark Robertson and Mike Sullivan.
Mark Robertson, left, and Mike Sullivan are the owners of Chicago-based 2Bears Tavern Group.Courtesy Mark Robertson and Mike Sullivan

Robertson, whose company owns four LGBTQ bars in Chicago, said the final straw came after Anheuser-Busch InBev’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday when, he said, company leadership further tried “to distance themselves from this whole situation.”

When asked by an analyst about the Mulvaney partnership and how a seemingly small partnership turned into “something a whole lot bigger than that,” Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michael Doukeris said, in part: “We will need to continue to clarify the fact that this was one can, one influencer, one post, and not a campaign, and repeat this message for some time.”

Robertson said, “They have chosen to side with a group of people who are being very hateful, who do not value, you know, the human rights or the lives of the LGBTQ community.”

The right-wing backlash to the Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership was swift, especially across social media. Countless videos were shared online showing consumers dumping their Bud Light products in trash bins and down sinks — and even violently destroying cans of the beer. One particularly jarring response came in an Instagram video posted by the singer-songwriter Kid Rock, who can be seen shooting at cases of Bud Light with what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. 

The SoFoTap
The SoFo Tap in Chicago.

Shortly after Thursday’s earnings call, Robertson announced on social media that “All 2Bears Tavern Group bars are discontinuing Anheuser-Busch InBev products as a result of the brewer’s anti-transgender actions and statements.” The group owns four LGBTQ bars in Chicago: 2Bears Tavern, Jackhammer, Meeting House Tavern and The SoFo Tap.

Following 2Bears Tavern Group’s announcement, Sidetrack, a popular LGBTQ venue that has been in the city for over 40 years, announced it will also stop the sale of Anheuser-Busch products. 

When asked about the Chicago LGBTQ bars that are no longer selling the company’s products, a spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch InBev said in an emailed statement: “We remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations to drive economic prosperity across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.”

Robertson said he doesn’t anticipate selling Anheuser-Busch products at any of his bars again.

“This is not about economic prosperity; this is about human rights,” he said. “You can’t, on the one hand, say we’re going to continue to put rainbows on our cans, and we’re going to continue to sponsor parades, while on the other hand, basically bending over to what is a lot of hate and vitriol.”

HSBC, Europe’s biggest bank, downgraded Anheuser-Busch InBev’s stock from a “buy” to a “hold” as the company deals with its “Bud Light crisis,” CNBC reported Wednesday. 

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Grindr joins major public health push to distribute free at-home HIV tests

The world’s most popular gay dating app, Grindr, is participating in a nationwide effort to distribute free at-home HIV testing kits to populations most affected by the virus. 

“If you’ve got a way that you are testing, and it’s really working for you, then that’s great, and you should stick with that,” Jack Harrison-Quintana, director of the app’s social justice division, Grindr for Equality, told NBC News. “If you don’t, this is an additional way for you to get tested in a way that’s just about as easy as doing an at-home Covid test.” 

Grindr, which reports 12 million monthly active users worldwide, is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emory University and several other public health organizations and corporations on the Together TakeMeHome campaign, which launched Tuesday. Supported by a $41 million grant from the CDC, the program will provide up to 1 million HIV self-tests over five years, at no cost for individuals 

The program, according to a statement released by Emory, was initiated in response to a decline in the number of HIV testsadministered nationwide during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Grindr’s primary role in the effort is to allow users in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to easily order an at-home HIV test directly from the app. Starting Tuesday afternoon, Grindr users will see a “Free HIV Home Test” button in the app’s main menu. Those who click will be redirected out of the app to the Together TakeMeHome site, where an at-home HIV test can be ordered. 

The test kit consists of an FDA-approved OraQuick device that uses mouth swabs and takes 20 minutes to provide a result. The app will also allow users to set “Testing Reminders” where they can set up a three- or six-month reminder for HIV testing.  

Dr. Robyn Neblett, the acting director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention, said these at-home tests give people “the power to test on their own terms.”

“Removing barriers to testing like stigma, discrimination, and access to physical services improves health, advances health equity, and moves our nation closer to ending the HIV epidemic,” Neblett said in a statement.

The CDC recommends those ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. Those with certain risk factors — including men who have sex with men — should get tested at least once a year. 

The Together TakeMeHome program is available to anyone in the U.S. and Puerto Rico over the age of 17, and each individual can order up to two kits every 90 days. The focus of the program, however, will be on U.S. populations disproportionately affected by HIV, including cisgender men who have sex with men, transgender people and Black cisgender women. 

Men who have sex with men account for 70% of new cases of HIV in the U.S., according to the CDC. Whites in this demographiccomprised 15% of the 34,800 HIV transmissions in 2019, while the much smaller populations of their Black and Latino peers comprised a respective 26% and 23% of new cases.

According to an investigation published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in 2019, the distribution of HIV self-tests provides “a worthwhile mechanism to increase awareness of HIV infection” and prevents transmission among men who have sex with men.

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10 LGBTQ Indigenous trailblazers who are making history

From the halls of Congress to popular films and TV shows, Indigenous queer people have long made historic contributions to politics, art and advocacy — and they continue to do so. 

November marks Native American Heritage Month, and the following 10 LGBTQ+ Indigenous trailblazers are bringing important representation to TV, challenging traditional gender expectations at powwows and elevating issues affecting Indigenous people, such as the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Sharice Davids

Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., conduct a news conference on the Make It In America (MIIA) agenda, in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, June 23, 2022. MIIA responds to issues including "supply chain resilience, education, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure."
Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., at the Capitol on June 23.Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call via AP file

Rep. Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk nation, became the first LGBTQ Native American elected to Congress and one of the first Native American women to serve in Congress after winning her race for Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District in 2018. Raised by a single mom who served over two decades in the Army, Davids was also the first person in her family to attend college, according to her House biography. After graduating from Cornell Law School, Davids worked in economic and community development on Native American reservations, which led her to apply for the White House Fellows program, where she served in the Department of Transportation under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. 

Davids won re-election in her district earlier this month.  

Sean Snyder and Adrian Stevens

Sean Snyder, left, and Adrian Stevens.
Sean Snyder, left, and Adrian Stevens.Courtesy Adrian Stevens and Sean Snyder

Sean Snyder, who is of Navajo and Southern Ute, and Adrian Matthias Stevens, who is of Northern Ute, Shoshone-Bannock and San Carlos Apache, are a two-spirit dancing couple who challenge traditional boundaries at powwows across the country. Two-spirit people have “both a male and female spirit within them and are blessed by their Creator to see life through the eyes of both genders,” according to Indian Country Today. 

In 2017, the couple made headlines after being disqualified for competing together in a couples category at a powwow in San Bernardino, California. While same-sex partners are not regularly recognized at powwows, Stevens and Snyder quickly created their own narrative and have evolved into a vessel of advocacy for the Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ community, an acronym that includes two-spirit people. In June, the couple was featured in Nike’s Be True Campaign, and in August they recreated OUT magazine’s December 2000 “Queer as Folk” cover. 

Sydney Freeland

Director Sydney Freeland poses for a portrait to promote the film, "Deidra & Laney Rob a Train", at the Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, in Park City, Utah.
Director Sydney Freeland at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.Taylor Jewell / Invision/AP file

A triple threat in the film world, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, director and writer Sydney Freeland of the Navajo Nation is shining a light on Indigenous life and stories. Freeland, who is transgender, recently broke new ground in Indigenous on-screen representation with the FX drama “Reservation Dogs.” Freeland is currently working on NBC’s “Sovereign” — the first drama on network television about a Native American family — which she will write and executive produce alongside Ava DuVernay and Bird Runningwater. Also on her list of upcoming projects is the Netflix film “Rez Ball,” a coming-of-age drama about Native American basketball.

Kairyn Potts

Kairyn Potts.
Kairyn Potts.Claudia Jurt

Kairyn Potts of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation is a two-spirit social media advocate who hopes to save lives through representation online. He has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok, Twitch and Instagram with content centered around Indigenous and two-spirit visibility. Potts also co-hosts the Snapchat series “Reclaim(ed),” the first Canadian Snapchat series that explores Indigenous culture through a Gen-Z perspective.

“I don’t make content for everybody. I make content for people like me, and I make content for the 12-year-old version of me who would have really needed somebody like me, growing up,” Potts said “That’s why I think it’s important.”

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Lady Shug

Ky Victor, who is widely known as drag artist and community activist Lady Shug, is using her drag to spotlight the Indigenous community and the difficult topics that affect it. Shug’s dazzling performances are interlaced with educational information about suicide prevention meant to spark conversation. One topic in particular featured in Shug’s performances is suicide prevention. 

The Native youth suicide rate is 2.5 times higher than the overall national average, data from the Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization, shows. It is the highest across all ethnic and racial groups, according to the National Indian Council on Aging. 

Lady Shug is also featured in Seasons One and Two of the HBO series “We’re Here,” a reality television show that follows drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela across small-town America, inspiring their “drag daughters” to express their genuine selves in front of their families, friends and communities.

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“I’m trying to find a way with my voice and my platform to give back,” Shug said. “I always say I hate to be called an activist. I like to call myself a community activist because my activism work is not for me, it’s for my community.”

Charlie Amáyá Scott

Navajo Nation citizen Charlie Amáyá Scott, 27, is a transgender social media influencer, scholar and advocate. Scott, of Aurora, Colorado, who uses she and they pronouns, leverages her platform to highlight issues affecting the queer Indigenous community. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of Denver focusing on higher education and settler colonialism.

Charlie Amáyá Scott
Charlie Amáyá ScottTimmy Jeng

“Native Heritage Month is more than just a month of awareness,” she said. “This a time of celebration, a time of remembrance, and for us, as Queer Indigenous Peoples, a moment to dream and demand a world better than what we have. We are more than what this world thinks of us, and together, we will change narratives about us and write our own.” 

Scott Wabano

Scott Wabano, who is Cree from Eeyou Istchee and Mushkegowuk, fell in love with fashion at a young age, designing his own traditional regalia for powwows and traditional ceremonies. Wabano, who is two-spirit, said the lack of Indigenous representation in fashion magazines pushed him to create a space for his community.

Scott Wabano.
Scott Wabano.Bliss Thompson

In May 2021, Wabano launched his genderless clothing label, Wabano, inspired by two-spirit surroundings and traditional culture. His talent and drive landed him two major lead roles with Sephora and Lululemon for their National Indigenous History Month campaigns. In 2022, Wabano was featured on The Globe and Mail’s annual Canada’s Best Dressed List, which highlights eco-friendly fashion trendsetters. 

“My goal is to eventually be the first Indigenous creative director of a major fashion house,” Wabano said. “I just want to flood the industry with Indigenous people, Indigenous models, Indigenous stories, and Indigenous designers.”

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Kali Reis (KO)

Kali Reis, who is Seaconke Wampanaak and Cape Verdean, is a trailblazing Indigenous two-spirit athlete who wears many hats. She is a world champion boxer, actor and advocate. In February, she made her acting debut in the award-winning IFC Films thriller “Catch the Fair One.” In addition to starring in the film, Reis co-wrote the screenplay, which is in part about the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women — a topic she actively advocates for on her social media. 

Image has been converted to black and white) Kali Reis attends the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 06, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.
Kali Reis in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 6.Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images file

On Monday, Reis was honored for her performance in the film at the 27th Red Nations International Film Festival, the largest Native film festival in the country, with the Misty Upham Award. 

Devery Jacobs

Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs, known professionally as Devery Jacobs, is an award-winning Indigenous actor and filmmaker born and raised in Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, a reservation in Quebec, Canada. 

Canadian actress Devery Jacobs poses for photographer during the 57th Zlin international festival of films for children and youth in Zlin, Czech Republic, June 1, 2017. Photo/Dalibor Gluck (CTK via AP Images)
Devery Jacobs in Zlin, Czech Republic, in 2017.Dalibor Gluck / AP file

Jacobs, 28, is best known for her starring role as Elora in the FX series “Reservation Dogs.” Her short film “Rae” was an official selection of the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, and it won best youth work at the 2017 imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival. 

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“Indigenous people are the original caretakers and storytellers of this land,” she said. “We come from diverse communities and cultures who have persevered and survived genocide, who deserve to be cherished and celebrated. Native American Heritage Month invites non-Native folks in joining us in recognizing our histories and celebrating our communities. Representation in film does meaningful work in bringing our stories to the forefront — where we’ve been historically excluded.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

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‘I’m sick of being silent’: Gay teen catches bullies on camera in viral TikTok video

California high school senior Landon Jones, 18, said he’s been bullied by his classmates since the fifth grade. But Jones, who is openly gay, said he’s no longer looking the other way. 

“I have been called ‘faggot’ countless times at school, and it literally doesn’t bother me at all,” Jones said in a TikTok video he shared Oct. 1 that has gone viral. “The fact that they came to my house does.”

The video, which has 1.3 million views, appears to show two separate instances of Jones’ being subjected to anti-gay bullying. In the more recent incident, which occurred Sept. 29 and was caught on a home surveillance camera, a young man walks up to Jones’ home and starts to knock before Jones’ father opens the door. 

“Does Landon live here?” the young man can be heard saying. 

His dad responds, “Yes, why?”

“Someone said to come up here,” the young man mumbles before loudly yelling, “because he’s a faggot!” and running off the property. 

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Jones’ dad said the young man ran off and got in on the passenger side of a black Lincoln Navigator, which drove off. 

“I remember being up in my room, hearing it, and I heard what he said. I immediately jumped out of bed and walked outside to see what was happening,” said Jones, who came out as gay in 2020. “I had no sleep that night. I was honestly really upset. I was crying.”

Jones recorded the other incident in his viral TikTok video in August. It shows a group of young men surrounding Jones’ car as he and his sister sit in a Starbucks parking lot. One of the men looks inside Jones’ car and says, “This f—— faggot.”

Jones said he decided to share both incidents on TikTok, where he has nearly 700,000 followers, because “I’m sick of being silent about it,” adding, “So I finally spoke up.”

Jones said the young man who’s visible in the Starbucks video and the person who was driving the black Lincoln Navigator both attend his high school, El Toro High School in Lake Forest, which is part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. He said he had heard from others that the young man who came up to his front door attends a nearby high school, although he doesn’t know which one and couldn’t confirm the accuracy of that information. 

A spokesperson for the school district said the “unconscionable acts committed against Landon Jones do not reflect the feelings or values of Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) and El Toro High School (ETHS).”

“ETHS and SVUSD administration, together with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), immediately launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the facts of the incidents,” Wendie Hauschild, the school district’s director of communications and administrative services, said in an email. “We can confirm that the person seen in the surveillance video of the incident that took place at a private home is not a student in SVUSD. Due to the confidentiality that we are required by law to uphold for our students, as well as other minors, SVUSD is unable to share further information regarding the results of the investigation. SVUSD remains steadfast in its commitment to create inclusive, supportive, and safe environments for all students on our campuses.”

Asked about the Sept. 29 incident, an Orange County sheriff’s spokesperson said a school resource officer at El Toro High School was able to speak to “individuals that may or may not have been involved in this incident” or “possibly have knowledge of the incident.” The officer said the person who walked up to the Jones home hasn’t been identified, adding that the “investigation remains ongoing.” 

While Jones still attends El Toro High School, he transitioned to virtual schooling at the start of the school year because of “bullying and a rough experience with the school,” he said.

Landon Jones and his father Nathan Jones.
Landon Jones and his father, Nathan Jones. Desiree Keoshian

In a joint statement sent by email, Landon Jones’ parents, Lauren and Nathan Jones, said their son has been “called names and made fun of” since elementary school because of his appearance and because his interests never aligned with those of his peers. 

“Kids and even adults can be so cruel to people that are different from them,” they said. 

After the incident outside their home, Lauren and Nathan Jones said, they are determined to see the people bullying their son face consequences.

“Actions have consequences and we will keep pursuing this until those consequences are paid,” the couple said. “This behavior will not be tolerated and we will never turn a blind eye to injustices like these. We have a family to protect and that is our number one focus right now.”

The Jones family said they reached out to El Toro High School and told administrators that the driver of the Lincoln Navigator was a student at the school. They said no action has yet been taken that they are aware of. 

Since Jones shared the video, over 11,000 people have shared comments, most of them supportive. 

Former “American Idol” contestant David Archuleta, who came out publicly last year, was among the commenters: “Oh gosh… sorry you’re dealing with that there’s no justification for what they’re doing to you and so shallow of them.”

LGBTQ TikTok personality Josh Helfgott also commented, saying: “If there’s one thing I got from this video, it’s how STRONG you are & how weak they are. I’m so sorry this is happening. Keep shining, Landon.”

Landon Jones and his mother, Lauren Jones.
Landon Jones and his mother, Lauren Jones.Desiree Keoshian

Jones said, “One of the last things that I had expected was the amount of support from the community that I would have gotten.”

Lauren and Nathan Jones said they hope their son’s story will give more people voices and show “that no one should ever have to go through this alone.”

Jones isn’t alone when it comes to anti-gay bullying: A report published last year by The Trevor Project, a nonprofit LGBTQ youth crisis intervention and suicide prevention group, found the majority of LGBTQ youths (52%) enrolled in middle or high school reported having been bullied either in person or electronically in the year before they participated in the survey. LGBTQ middle school students reported higher instances of bullying (65%) than those in high school (49%). 

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Residents raise almost $100,000 for Michigan library defunded over LGBTQ books

Residents of a small town in western Michigan helped raise almost $100,000 for their local library after it was defunded over the inclusion of LGBTQ books.   

Primary voters in Jamestown Township, a community 20 miles east of Lake Michigan, rejected a proposal last week to renew tax funds to support the Patmos Library in nearby Hudsonville that serves Jamestown and the surrounding area. The rejection, which passed with nearly two-thirds voter approval, eliminates 84% of the public library’s annual budget, or $245,000.

The library has been in the crosshairs of some conservative residents since last November, when a small group of parents raised concerns over the availability of LGBTQ-related, local NBC affiliate WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan reported. While the library reportedly agreed to place a few of the flagged titles behind the circulation desk, it was not enough to persuade the voters to continue to fund the library.

Image: Patmos Library
Patmos Library in Hudsonville, Mich.Google

Larry Walton, the library’s board president, told local news site Bridge Michigan that he was not expecting the loss of funds and that the library would likely run out of money late next year without those tax dollars. 

“The library is the center of the community,” he said. “For individuals to be short-sighted to close that down over opposing LGBTQ is very disappointing.” 

Walton did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment. 

Two days after the vote, Jesse Dillman, a Jamestown resident and father of two, launched an online fundraiser to help raise the $245,000 to keep the library open. 

“I am very passionate about this, and I have people that are behind me to do this,” he said in an interview. “I think I have to do it now, because the iron is hot. If this is going to happen, it’s going to happen now.” 

As of Thursday morning, approximately 1,800 people had contributed more than $90,000. While many of those donors are local, people from as far away as Australia have contributed, Dillman said.

One donor, Michigan librarian Beth Pierson, wrote on the fundraising page: “I’m saddened and scared by what I’m seeing across the country regarding the attempts to limit freedom of access to information. Thank you for stepping up to do the right thing for the Patmos Library!”

Another donor, Georgia resident Shereen Mendelson, wrote, “People who ban books are never written well in history. You have my support from Georgia!”

More support came from a second donation page created by Michelle Barrows, also a resident of Jamestown. As of Thursday morning, she had raised almost $5,000.

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Efforts to discontinue funding for the library can also be found on social media. In May, a private Facebook group called Jamestown Conservatives was launched. The group, which as of Thursday morning had 158 members, states that it was “created to help others of the community to be aware of the pushed agenda of explicit sexual content that is being infiltrated into our local libraries aiming toward our children.” The page also states that it stands to “keep our children safe” and “keep the nuclear family intact as God designed.”

The page administrator, Lauren Elyse, did not respond to a request for comment. 

The controversy in Jamestown is part of a larger national debate over access to LGBTQ books in public libraries and schools. This debate has accelerated over the past year, with the American Library Association issuing a statement in November warning of a “dramatic uptick in book challenges and outright removal of books from libraries.” The association said LGBTQ books and books by Black authors were being targeted in particular. In 2021, five of the 10 most challenged and banned books in the United States were flagged because of their LGBTQ content, according to the group’s annual Top 10 Most Challenged Books list. 

During a two-hour-long Patmos Library board meeting Monday, residents spoke both in favor of and against funding the library, WOOD-TV reported that most of the speakers were in favor.

Among the speakers was a former library employee.

“The purpose of a public library is to serve the public,” she said. “That includes everyone of all backgrounds, beliefs and interests. That means having material available from all viewpoints and topics, not what just makes some people comfortable. If you don’t agree with something, don’t check it out. That’s the beauty of a library. You have the choice to come in by yourself or your family and make the selections that best fit you.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, the board voted unanimously to place the issue of funding on the town’s November ballot. 

Following Monday’s meeting, Dillman said he’s optimistic that the library will be able to get its funding back. In addition to continuing his fundraising efforts, he said he signed up to be on an independent town committee to help secure tax dollars for the library.

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