Sian Thompson

Audio recorded from a hearing in New Mexico is raising serious concerns about how LGBTQ+ asylum claims are handled in US immigration courts. According to The Advocate, Immigration Judge Samuel Williams spent nearly three hours pressing a gay Iranian asylum seeker on intimate details of his same-sex relationship during a spring 2025 hearing, questions which advocates say reflect troubling misunderstandings about how LGBTQ+ people survive in countries where being out can be deadly. The man, who fled Iran fearing execution, described living in secrecy, maintaining a heterosexual marriage as cover while navigating a relationship with another man under constant threat. His attorney, Rebekah […]

Luanne James, director of the Rutherford County Library System in Tennessee, has garnered national support after refusing to move more than 190 LGBTQ+-themed books out of youth sections. In an 18 March letter she sent to the board, she argued that relocating the titles would amount to “viewpoint discrimination” and violate the First Amendment, writing plainly: “Therefore, I will not comply.” The board voted on 16 March to shift the books into adult sections following a review of “age-appropriate” materials prompted by state directives. Library Board chair, Cody York, defended the move as a way to limit children’s exposure to content […]

American politician Erik Bottcher was sworn in as New York state’s newest senator on 4 February after winning a special election on Tuesday on 3 February. Before his victory, Bottcher was a New York City Council Member, representing the district covering Chelsea, Hells Kitchen and Times Square. In December 2025, Bottcher announced his candidacy for the 47th NY Senate seat, to replace Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “This decision is rooted in where I believe I can do the most good immediately. “The State Senate is where critical decisions are being made on housing affordability, addressing the mental health crisis, safeguarding our environment, and […]