National

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Rue Landau May Be the First Out LGBTQ Person Ever Elected to the Philadelphia City Council

 LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed Rue Landau for Philadelphia City Council, At-Large. Victory Fund named her a 2023 LGBTQ ‘Spotlight’ candidate, a designation given to candidates with exceptional potential to be national leaders of the LGBTQ equality movement. If elected, Landau would be the first out LGBTQ person ever elected to the Philadelphia City Council. Philadelphia is the only major U.S. city to have never elected an out LGBTQ person to city council. “For far too long, Philadelphia’s vibrant LGBTQ community has lacked equitable representation on city council – with the […]

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New state laws have LGBTQ families thinking about moving out of Florida

While the state of California has experienced its first in loss in population since its entry into the union in 1831, one of the states that has been the direct beneficiary of those fleeing the Golden State is now feeling the negative pushback from its anti-LGBTQ legislation from the one demographic it is known for the most — families. According to recent research from the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law, nearly 60 percent of LGBTQ parents have publicly stated that they are actively considering leaving the Sunshine State due to the widespread legislation that targets their communities.  That […]

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FBI joins investigation of violent threats against St. Louis bars and a drag story hour

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The FBI has joined the investigation of violent threats against three LGBTQ+ bars in the Grove neighborhood of St. Louis, and a fourth threat against a children’s play space in the city that was scheduled to host a drag queen story hour. NBC affiliate KMOV reported the addition of federal law enforcement to the probe. Saturday afternoon, around 4 pm, at least two gay bars in the Grove entertainment district in the city received calls from an individual threatening violence at the establishments. Three bars in the area, Prism STL, Just John, and Rehab, all received calls threatening violence that night. “The […]

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Utah House Unanimously Passes Bill to Protect Youth from Conversion Therapy

In a historic vote, the Utah House of Representatives unanimously passed HB 228 – legislation that would prohibit therapists from subjecting youth to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Utah Senate passed the bill earlier this month, which means it is now on its way to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who has pledged to sign it. Today’s vote marks the first time that a state legislative body has voted unanimously in favor of a bill prohibiting conversion therapy for minors. In 2020, the Utah Division of Professional Licensing adopted a […]

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What does an “activist elected official” forsee in the future for queer rights?

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Park Cannon was first elected as a Georgia lawmaker in 2016 at only 24 years old. The youngest elected official in the state legislature, she demonstrated early on that she had an insatiable energy for fighting for equity and standing up for marginalized groups. Now 31, Cannon remains a vehement advocate for reproductive justice, voting rights, andequality. In a 2020 interview with LGBTQ Nation, Cannon described herself as an “activist elected official” who will settle for nothing less than sweeping change. Cannon was instrumental in passing 2019 legislation that created a three-year Georgia pilot program to provide PrEP to those at high risk […]

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LGBTQ Victory Fund Endorses 26 More LGBTQ Candidates

LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 26 more out LGBTQ candidates running in 2023. Victory Fund has now endorsed 56 candidates running in the 2023 cycle. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement: “For the LGBTQ community, there is no such thing as an ‘off’ year. With more than 100 anti-LGBTQ bills already introduced in 2023, there is more urgency than ever to elect pro-equality leaders to office. From school boards to city councils to state legislatures, we need LGBTQ voices in rooms of power […]

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She is head of the largest LGBTQ+ organization & she knows our Achilles heel

Kelley Robinson was leading Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s political arm when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. She was sitting in a room full of abortion providers at the time. Before they could internalize what the news meant for the future of reproductive rights, every staff member had to get on the phone and call pregnant women across the nation to tell them that the appointments they had planned that week, or that day, could not move forward. ADVERTISING Robinson knows what it’s like to show up and do the work no matter what, even when you’re holding back tears […]

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DeSantis tries to revoke Orlando Philharmonic’s liquor license over drag show

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis filed a complaint against the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation alleging that the nonprofit group held a sexually explicit drag show in December in the presence of minors. The complaint, filed Friday through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and shared with NBC News, alleges the foundation violated Florida statutes on lewdness and maintaining a public nuisance and seeks to revoke its liquor license.  The complaint is at least the second that DeSantis’ administration has filed against a venue for hosting a drag performance in the presence of minors. In July, […]

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North Carolina Senate Advances “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

Charlotte’s NPR affiliate reports: A bill advancing in North Carolina’s Senate would prohibit instruction about sexuality and gender identity in K-4 public school classes, defying the recommendations of parents, educators and LGBTQ youths who testified against it. Sponsors of the bill, approved Wednesday by the Senate education committee, say they want to grant parents greater authority over their children’s education and health care. Sponsor Sen. Amy Galey said that without it, teachers can “shove parents out of the school door” and teach curriculum that conflicts with parents’ beliefs. “It baffles me to think that this bill would be divisive, quite frankly,” […]

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Connecticut’s first LGBTQ-centered school to open later this year

Throughout her 30 years as a teacher, Patricia Nicolari said she faced repeated harassment from students due to her sexuality. Some left notes on her desk asking if she is a lesbian. Others called her a “dyke” under their breaths. And one day, students carved “Lez” into her car. “At the time, I remember thinking, ‘I’m going through so much anxiety as a teacher. I can’t imagine what our students go through questioning themselves and how unsafe it is for them to come out,’” Nicolari said. Years later, Nicolari is done imagining. Instead, she’s taking action.  In September, she plans […]

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