Uncloseted Media

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6 LGBTQ Minnesotans Speak Out Amid ICE Crackdowns

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Since the start of December, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, have been under the thumb of an extremely heavy presence of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). During the crackdown, which the agency refers to as “Operation Metro Surge,” at least 3,000 people—mostly undocumented immigrants—have been arrested so far. Tensions came to a boil in January when federal immigration enforcement agents shot and killed poet Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti on separate occasions. In response, Minneapolis-area residents have started to push back: On Jan. 23, Minnesotans organized the first citywide general strike in the U.S. in nearly 80 years, with tens of thousands protesting and over 700 […]

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Gay Men, Ketamine and Trauma. A Therapy or a Trap?

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This story was produced with the support of MISTR, a telehealth platform offering free online access to PrEP, DoxyPEP, STI testing, Hepatitis C testing and treatment and long-term HIV care across the U.S. MISTR did not have any editorial input into the content of this story. This story talks about addiction and substance use. If you or someone you know needs help, resources can be found here. In 2015, on the patio of Nowhere Bar, a queer nightclub in Louisville, Kentucky, music pulsed and bodies pressed as 23-year-old Lucas Pearson moved through the flashing lights and a blur of grinding limbs. “I […]

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Americans are leaving Christianity because of anti-LGBTQ+ animus. Why now?

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When Garth Huelskamp was on his Mormon mission at 19 years old, he journeyed through western Nevada, where he remembers meeting a lesbian couple. While he remained tight-lipped, his companions quickly jumped into a conversation with them, speaking about how Jesus can save them from all sins, including homosexuality. “[There was] always an elephant in the room,” he says. That’s because at the time, Huelskamp knew he was gay. But like many queer religious people, he believed he could pray it away. “I was hoping that I’d come up from my mission and be attracted to women and be able […]

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How Pennsylvania’s First Trans Mayor-Elect Used a ‘Good Neighbor’ Campaign to Win

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On Nov. 4, Erica Deuso made history when she became the first openly transgender mayor-elect of Pennsylvania, a milestone for inclusive political campaigns. Deuso won nearly 65% of the vote and was part of a great nightfor Democrats, with Zohran Mamdani, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill all winning their races in New York City, Virginia and New Jersey, respectively. Three days after she was elected, Uncloseted Media spoke with Deuso about how her political campaign strategies—which included focusing on “good neighbor” issues rather than on her gender identity—pushed her to win big. Watch the full video above or read the transcript below. Spencer Macnaughton: Hi everyone, […]

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Days 201-300: Every Anti-LGBTQ Move the Trump Administration Has Made

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Since the start of Donald Trump’s second presidential term, Uncloseted Media has been checking in every 100 days to document each move in the administration’s ongoing and relentless attack on the LGBTQ community. These last few months have continued the trend of each 100 days being worse than the last. Trump has weaponized the assassination of Charlie Kirk to put an even bigger target on trans Americans, and he has been testing out new rhetoric, claiming that Democrats want “transgender for everybody,” a line he’s now used so many times that we couldn’t include every reference. With that in mind, […]

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Liberty Counsel’s Deep Network of Far Right Faith and Influence

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Liberty Counsel, the legal group representing Kim Davis’ latest push for the Supreme Court to overturn gay marriage, wants to reshape American society in a far-right Christian image—one in which LGBTQ people are excluded. They’ve been fighting LGBTQ rights for years, from Lawrence v. Texas to Proposition 8 to Obergefell. Along the way, they’ve claimed that gay people “know intuitively that what they are doing is immoral, unnatural, and self-destructive” and that they are “not controlled by reason,” but rather by “lust.” While the brunt of their work focuses on right-wing litigation, their efforts don’t stop there.  An Uncloseted Media investigation has uncovered that Liberty Counsel operates […]

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Trans People in Kentucky Are on Edge. Some Are Arming Up

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Every month, Xian Brooks heads to Range USA in Louisville to practice his shot. “We can talk about ‘community’ and ‘showing up for each other’ all day, but when it matters most, you only have yourself, and you need to be able to count on that [to defend yourself],” Brooks, a 42-year-old who was born and raised in Kentucky, told Queer Kentucky and Uncloseted Media. Like many other trans people of color in the red and rural state of Kentucky, Brooks recognizes that he’s more likely to be a target of violence because of his gender identity and the color […]

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Nancy Pelosi’s LGBTQ Legacy: A Complete Look

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On November 6, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that she would be retiring after 38 years serving as the representative for the district that encompasses San Francisco.  Since she was first elected in 1987, Pelosi has been one of the most consistent voices in support of LGBTQ rights, speaking out about the AIDS crisis and marching for gay rights during a period of heightened stigma and supporting gay marriage long before the majority of her party. In recent years, as increasing numbers of Democrats have stepped back or flipped their stances on trans rights, Pelosi has remained firm, pushing for the […]

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This 21-Year-Old Is Investigating Online Extremism and Anti-LGBTQ Hate

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As the internet becomes an increasingly powerful incubator for extremist ideas, young men are finding themselves drawn into online ecosystems that blur the lines between memes, masculinity and hate. Since 1990, far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than left-wing or Islamist extremists, and studiesindicate that right-wing extremist violence has been responsible for approximately 75% to 80% of U.S. domestic terrorism fatalities since 2001. In 2025, online radicalization has become more hidden and widespread, with extremists using encrypted apps, gaming communities and private chatrooms to recruit and groom young people. These platforms make it increasingly difficult to detect or intervene, allowing hate-filled and […]

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Andrew Cuomo’s and Zohran Mamdani’s Complete Track Records on LGBTQ Issues

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This year’s mayoral race in New York City is shaping up to be the most-watched and most consequential local election in the country. Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblyman and Democratic Socialist who cleanly won the Democratic primary earlier this year and maintains a double-digit lead in the polls, is facing off against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the primary. Analysts argue that this race could have significant implications for the future of the Democratic Party. If Mamdani wins, it will represent New Yorkers’ desire for a politician who leans further left than […]

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