The Advocate

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Hormones and surgery improve transgender men’s quality of life: study

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Gender-affirming care directly improves quality of life among transgender men by increasing their satisfaction with their bodies, a new study has proven. The report, “Understanding the Role of Gender Congruence and Affirming Care in Trans Men’s Body Image and Quality of Life” published in the International Journal of Transgender Health, surveyed 166 trans men, measuring their physiological, psychological, social, and environmental quality of life. “Most research involving TGD [trans and gender diverse] populations has focused on clinical mental health outcomes such as suicidality,” the report states. “While such outcomes are crucial to explore, it is equally important to examine the broader well-being of TGD people, including factors […]

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Advocates cry foul after YouTube quietly removes ‘gender identity’ from hate speech policy

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YouTube quietly scrubbed the phrase “gender identity and expression” from its public-facing hate speech policy earlier this year, prompting concern fromLGBTQ+ advocates who warn the change removes clarity around protections for transgender and nonbinary users. According to the company, there’s no change in policy.  However, the altered language occurred between January 29 and February 6, according to archived versions of the policy reviewed by The Advocate via the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. On January 29, the platform’s hate speech policy explicitly barred content that promotes violence or hatred based on “gender identity and expression.” By February 6, the next time a snapshot of the page was stored in the […]

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Ohio Democrats call out Republicans for targeting LGBTQ+ people in 2025-2026 budget

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Republican legislators in Ohio have added anti-LGBTQ+ provisions to its 2025 budget that would officially recognize only two sexes, ban Pride flags from government buildings, and restrict the availability of LGBTQ+ books in public libraries, local media report. One of the provisions targets gender identity by declaring the state will only recognize the binary male and female sexes for official government documents and policies, declaring the two “sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” Democrat state Rep. Rose Sweeney questioned both the “continuous attack” on the LGBTQ+ community in Ohio as well as the attempt to enact de facto legislation […]

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Illinois Gov. Pritzker stands up for LGBTQ+ community in fiery HRC speech

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Insert LinkIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat who is one of the strongest voices against Donald Trump, stood up for LGBTQ+ and particularly transgenderpeople in a fiery speech Saturday at the Human Rights Campaign’s Los Angelesdinner. “The Trump administration and his Republican lackeys in Congress are looking to reverse every single victory this community has won over the last 50 years,” Pritzker said in the speech at the Fairmont Century Plaza. “And right now it’s drag queens reading books and transgender people serving in the military. Tomorrow, it’s your marriage license and your job they want to take. Bending to the whims of a bully will not end his cruelty. It will only embolden him. The […]

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Missing gay Arizona yoga instructor, Marcus Freiberger, found dead after blind date

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The body of a beloved gay yoga teacher in Arizona has been discovered almost a month after he went missing following a blind date.  Marcus Freiberger, 45, was found dead in a rock quarry last week about 6 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix police announced Tuesday in a press release. His cause of death is still “pending,” and the person he was meeting with has not yet been identified.  Freiberger was last seen at a parking garage near Second Avenue and Van Buren Street on February 21, driving a white 2021 GMC Sierra pickup with Arizona license plate 3MA66L. His family said […]

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Federal judge again blocks Iowa book ban; expected to rule on ‘don’t say gay’ restrictions soon

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A federal judge has again blocked Iowa’s ban on certain books from public school classrooms and libraries. U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher ruled Tuesday that the ban on books depicting sex acts was likely unconstitutional and issued a preliminary injunction preventing its enforcement while the lawsuit against it continues, the Associated Press reports. The book ban is part of a broader “don’t say gay” law passed by Iowa’s legislature and signed by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds in May 2023. Two suits have been filed to challenge the law. Publishers and authors, including John Green and Jodi Picoult, and the Iowa State Education Association sued over the book ban, saying it went “far […]

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Alabama community saves library after funding cut over LGBTQ+ books

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When Alabama Republicans cut funding to a local library in a dispute over LGBTQ-themed books for children and teens, it took less than a week for a community fundraiser to more than cover the loss of funds. At a contentious board meeting on Monday, the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) voted to pause $40,000 in funding to the Fairhope Public Library while the board reviews the practices of the library. The move came after the board heard complaints about books with LGBTQ+ themes and where they were placed on shelves, AL.com reports. The APLS recently introduced a new age-based three-tier system for shelving books, with sections for children, […]

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Walmart fires 6’4″ cisgender woman threatened by man who thought she was trans

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A cisgender woman Walmart employee who says she was verbally assaulted in the female restroom by a man who mistook her for a transgender woman was fired because she reported the incident to the wrong supervisor and created a security risk. Dani Davis, who is queer, took to social media on March 24 and wrote a post about what she said happened while she was at work. The incident occurred on March 14 at the Walmart in Lake City, Florida. She noted she was a nearly seven-year employee of Walmart and holds several other part-time jobs, including the “joy and privilege” of tutoring “special-needs […]

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In Memphis, Kayla Gore is building homes — and a future — for Black trans people

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While lawmakers across the country push a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, in Tennessee, Kayla Gore is pushing back — not just through protest but with power tools, persistence, and vision.  In a quiet stretch of Memphis, she’s creating something remarkable: a neighborhood of tiny homes designed to house Black transgender people and nonbinary individuals impacted by housing insecurity. Her nonprofit, My Sistah’s House, founded in 2016, is reimagining what safety and autonomy can look like in the South. Gore and her work are featured in the GLAAD Media Award-nominateddocumentary American Problems, Trans Solutions, hosted and produced by Emmy and Peabody-winning trans journalist Imara Jones, the founder of TransLash Media. […]

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A gay hockey player is on a mission to create an inclusive hockey culture from the inside out

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In November of 2016, Brock McGillis became the first openly gay men’s professional hockey player. Now retired, he has spent years advocating for inclusivity in sports, and now, through his U.S. Shiftmakers Tour, he continues. He’s challenging homophobia, fostering inclusion, and inspiring the next generation of athletes. Last year, The Advocate wrote about McGillis’ tour across Canada, where he proved that real change is possible. The Canadian tour was so successful that now, backed by sponsors including the NHL, NHLPA, Seattle Kraken, Chicago Blackhawks, and Warner Bros, he has expanded his efforts into the United States.  Now, McGillis has been touring the country and going to cities like Seattle, […]

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