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First Black LGBTQ Person Ever Elected Statewide in U.S. History

LGBTQ Victory Fund candidate Erick Russell won the election for Connecticut state Treasurer. With this victory, he is now the first Black out LGBTQ person ever elected to statewide office in U.S. history. A record number of Black out LGBTQ candidates ran for public office this year. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, issued the following statement: “For far too long, people of color and the LGBTQ community have lacked equitable representation in government. Erick shattered this lavender ceiling and made history because voters trust him to usher in a new chapter for Connecticut and our nation, one founded in […]

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When I started growing breasts as a teen boy, I got gender-affirming care without stigma

The trial over Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care for trans children recently began. As vulnerable children await to hear if their bodily autonomy will be stripped away, we should remember that cisgender children seek gender-affirming care with relatively little social stigma attached.  Twenty years ago, in rural Maine, I was one of them. As a teen boy who identified as a boy — randomly sprouting breasts really, really sucked. I hated my body, wore a shirt in the pool, dreaded the school locker room, dressed in layers and walked hunched over to hide my shape. When I was going through puberty, my […]

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Jennie Armstrong and Andrew Gray Shatter Lavender Ceilings; First LGBTQ People Ever Elected to the Alaska State Legislature

LGBTQ Victory Fund candidates Jennie Armstrong and Andrew Gray won their elections for Alaska’s 16th and 20th state House Districts. Armstrong is the first out LGBTQ woman and Gray is the first out LGBTQ man ever elected to the Alaska state legislature. Alaska is one of just four U.S. states with zero LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to LGBTQ Victory Institute. A record number of LGBTQ people ran for state legislatures this year. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, issued the following statement: “It is no coincidence that in the wake of a historic wave of anti-LGBTQ laws introduced in state legislatures across the country […]

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Netanyahu Downplays Plans To Roll Back LGBTQ Rights

Haaretz reports: Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said in private talks on Friday that “There will be no harm to pride parades nor to the status-quo on LGBTQ rights,” following statements made by lawmakers from the Religious Zionism slate that they intend to work to cancel pride parades around the country. Sources in Likud said Thursday the party intends to cancel measures by the outgoing government promoting LGBTQ rights, although it remains unclear what reforms could be targeted. No decision has been made on which decisions could be walked back, but a reversal of the health ministry’s order banning “conversion” therapy, removing […]

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First Trans Man Elected to a State Legislature in U.S. History

Tuesday, LGBTQ Victory Fund candidate James Roesener won the election for New Hampshire’s 22nd state House District, Ward 8. With this historic victory, he is now the first out trans man elected to any state legislature in U.S. history. A record number of trans candidatesran for office in the 2022 midterm elections. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, issued the following statement: “Tonight is a resounding win for New Hampshire and for trans people across the country, with James shattering a lavender ceiling and proving that America is ready for trans men leaders in our state legislatures. From safeguarding reproductive […]

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Democratic governor signs law punishing HIV transmission with up to 10 years in prison

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Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Wolf (D) just signed a new law that makes it a felony to pass on a communicable disease when they “should have known” that they had it, the HIV Justice Network reported. Opponents of the law worry it will be used to punish people with HIV or other STDs who unknowingly transmit it to sexual partners. Such HIV criminalization laws have disproportionately been used to target Black men and other men of color. While the offense, a third-degree felony, has to be “intentional,” one could see an arrestee being charged with it if they accidentally spit onto an […]

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Rainbow Wave: Record Number of LGBTQ Candidates Win

At least 340 out LGBTQ candidates running in the 2022 midterms have won their elections as of 2:00am, the most in U.S. history and surpassing the previous record of 336 set in 2020. More victories are expected in the coming days. At least 1,065 out LGBTQ people ran for office this year – a historic number. To reach equitable representation, the U.S. must elect over 35,000 more out LGBTQ people to office, according to LGBTQ Victory Institute. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, issued the following statement: “Bigots tried their best to undermine our political power – […]

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Robert Garcia Will Be First Out Gay Immigrant in Congress

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Robert Garcia of California has been elected as the first out gay immigrant in Congress. Garcia, currently mayor of Long Beach, has won the U.S. House seat in California’s 42nd Congressional District, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund. A Democrat, he bested Republican John Briscoe, a businessman. As of 9:30 p.m. Pacific time, Garcia had 68 percent of the vote and Briscoe 32 percent. Because of redistricting, there was no incumbent in the race. Garcia, a native of Peru, immigrated to the United States with his family at age 5. He has been mayor of Long Beach since 2014. He […]

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Becca Balint wins Vermont House race, will be state’s first woman and LGBTQ person in Congress

Democrat Becca Balint is the winner of Vermont’s at-large Congressional District race, NBC News projected. She is the first woman and the first LGBTQ person elected to Congress from the state. With 72% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Balint had 61.5%, while her Republican opponent, Liam Madden, had 28.8%. On Tuesday evening, Balint thanked her supporters in an Instagram post with a caption saying: “Today, we reaffirmed that Vermont, and this nation, is still a place where anything is possible. We’re still capable of change and progress.” She added, “Tonight, after 231 years, Vermonters are sending a woman and openly gay person to […]

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Maura Healey wins Massachusetts governor’s race as the first lesbian elected to lead a state

Democrat Maura Healey is the winner of Massachusetts’ gubernatorial race, defeating Republican Geoff Diehl and making history as the first out lesbian to be elected governor, NBC News projected.  Healey is the state’s attorney general, and Diehl is a former state representative who co-chaired former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign in Massachusetts.  Addressing her supporters at a victory rally in Boston on Tuesday evening, Healey dedicated her win to “every little girl and every young LGBTQ person out there.” “I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be,” she said to a roaring crowd. “And nothing […]

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