LGBTQ Nation

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School bans on LGBTQ books “escalating dramatically” over last year

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About one-third of the 1,586 books banned from schools nationwide have LGBTQ themes and characters, according to a report from the free-speech organization PEN America. The bans have largely come from Republican politicians, conservative school boards and so-called “parents’ rights” groups that have opposed such content as “woke” “indoctrination” that’s “inappropriate” for school children. For their report, PEN America examined publicly noted book bans occurring from the start of July 2021 to the end of March 2022. During that time, school districts banned 379 LGBTQ titles, including 84 that deal with transgender topics and characters. Four of the most frequently banned […]

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Maryland school board bans “gateway” rainbow flags

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The Carroll County Public Schools district has banned rainbow flags, saying they could be a “gateway for other flags” and that teachers were bullied into displaying them. A local chapter of PFLAG had donated small Pride flags to the district and staff members were told they could put them on their desks as a sign of support for LGBTQ students. Related: Lawmaker’s epic clapback to getting called a “groomer” goes viral But board members accused the administrators of “bullying” teachers into displaying the flags. Teachers were not required to display the flag. “Many teachers have reached out to me saying that they’ve […]

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Some conservatives are now saying all male teachers are predators

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In order to defend Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, and others like it being introduced across the country, some rightwing media figures are stating that all male teachers are likely pedophiles. On Sunday night, David Mamet, a 74-year-old Pulitzer prize-winning playwright who is also a male teacher of playwriting, told Fox News host Mark Levin, “What we have is kids being — not only indoctrinated — but groomed in a very real sense, by people who are, whether they know it or not, sexual predators.” Related: Florida teen goes viral for defying Don’t Say Gay law & teaching class about Stonewall […]

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Pro hockey player suspended for anti-gay language

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Ben Holmstrom, a minor league professional hockey player with New York’s Rochester Americans team, has received an eight-game suspension from the American Hockey League (AHL) for using homophobic language. Some online commenters have said the punishment isn’t enough. The 34-year-old player was heard using anti-gay language against Comets forward Chase De Leo at the end of the first period in their March 30 game. The exact language Holmstrom used is unclear, but his team’s general manager, Jason Karmonos, acknowledged the incident in a statement. “We were made aware of an inappropriate comment made by one of our players in a […]

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Pennsylvania governor says trans sports ban vote is a ‘waste of time’

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Lawmakers in the Pennsylvania House have passed a bill that would ban trans students from competing in girls’ and women’s sports – despite the governor’s promise to veto it. House Bill 972 (HB 972) would prohibit trans girls from participating in girls’ and women’s athletics at publicly-funded schools, “public institutions of higher education” and any school or institution where “students or teams compete against a public school”.  The controversial bill passed in the state’s House by a 115-84 vote on Tuesday (12 April). A lone Republican voted against it, while four Democrats crossed lines to vote in support of the anti-trans […]

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Man shouts that gay dads are “pedophiles” who “steal & rape kids” in horrifying train attack

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Robbie Pierce wrote about what happened to him, his husband, and their six- and five-year-old children while riding on an Amtrak train. Pierce said they were approached by a man they didn’t know who shouted at the six-year-old: “Remember what I told you. They stole you. They’re pedophiles.” Pierce told the man to “get away from my family,” and the man allegedly responded: “Family? That’s not a family! You’re both rapists. You steal Black and Asian kids.” “You guys aren’t natural,” the man continued as the children cried. “Homosexuals are an abomination. They steal and rape kids.” Pierce said that […]

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Biden admin calls for program to help provide more gender-affirming care for trans people with HIV

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To mark the 12th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is hosting a weeklong celebration to praise its accomplishments. But in the name of health equity for transgender people, who are adversely affected by HIV/AIDS, HHS is also asking for more. In a letter shared exclusively with LGBTQ Nation, the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is asking the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) to leverage its existing infrastructure and resources to not only continue providing direct HIV/AIDS care to transgender people, but to provide gender-affirming care as well. Established thirty […]

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Community rallies behind LGBTQ-run nonprofit after a fake volunteer tried to sabotage it

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A food distribution program run by an Iowa LGBTQ couple was almost sabotaged by a fake volunteer – but the community rallied to save the day. Every month, Together We Achieve holds a food box giveaway event in which it passes out over 1000 boxes of food to those in need. One person, however, decided to sign up for 10 volunteer slots with a “hateful email” that was reportedly intended to hurt the leaders of the organization. At the organization’s helm is couple Raymond Siddell and Matthew Salger. Fortunately, volunteers stepped in and filled the slots. “It’s just amazing when you […]

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In Japan, Police refer trans woman to prosecutors for using women’s bathroom

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Prosecutors are considering pressing charges against a transgender woman who used the women’s public restroom in Osaka, Japan. According to Osaka Prefectural Police, a customer complained that a transgender woman in her 40s was using the women’s room at a commercial facility last May. The customer told employees that she couldn’t use the restroom out of “fear” because “a man wearing women’s clothes was using it” and the employees called the police. On Thursday, the case was referred to prosecutors, who could charge the transgender woman with trespassing. Police say that the woman’s ID still has a male gender marker, […]

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RNC Prove to be Racists, Anti-LGBTQ and Sleazy Charlatans

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While 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton deemed Donald Trump’s supporters a “basket of deplorables” during the campaign, the list of Republican National Convention speakers this week may be taking the term to a whole new level. Trump’s reelection convention will feature an extensive lineup of racists, anti-LGBTQ activists, and con men. And that doesn’t count Trump himself. Related: Budweiser trolls Donald Trump and the deplorables in new Super Bowl ad Anti-LGBTQ activist Franklin Graham will speak. He recently made news when the field hospital he operated during the height of New York’s COVID crisis refused to accept any volunteers who wouldn’t […]

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