"They would rather have us focus in and debate a misunderstood and vulnerable one percent of the population," she said during a press scrum outside the Capitol with out Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), "instead of focusing in on the fact that they are raiding everyone's health care in order to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest one percent."
For decades, libraries served as a safe haven for many queer and marginalized youths in eastern Texas, says former county library director Rhea Young. Unlike the school cafeteria, the library was a space where they could explore and find acceptance in who they wanted to be. There were books where they can find characters like them, and realize it's okay to be who they are, Young said. There needs to be more places like that, not fewer.
Hungarian Parliament passed a constitutional amendment in April, in a vote of 140-21 along party lines, that makes it an offense to hold or attend events that violate Hungary's so-called "child protection" law. Enacted in 2021, the law prohibits the "depiction or promotion" of homosexuality to minors. The law also allows the government to use facial recognition technology to identify those who attend prohibited events, with those found in violations facing fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).
Most recently, in 2019, singer Ellie Goulding threatened to pull out of her performance at the NFL's Thanksgiving Day halftime show - intended to coincide with its annual holiday Red Kettle Campaign - over the company's homophobic track record. That same year, Chick-fil-A ended their donations with the charity, leading it to insist that it's working to atone its anti-LGTBQ+ past.
As the local organising committee, SeattleFWC26's role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium, said Hana Tedesse, the vice-president of communications for Seattle Fifa World Cup 2026. SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.
"I have to be honest with you, I bear some responsibility for this because it was me, 10 years ago - mainstreaming homosexuality in the Republican Party is the great regret of my life, more so than anything I've done to my own soul, which is a lot," he said. "I was not intending to give birth to this huge generation of gay Republicans who now think it's openly fine to traffic in babies and to be a gay Republican, and I feel a great deal of responsibility for that. I hate myself for that a little bit."
Russia's government has blocked access to popular gaming platform Roblox, citing concerns over child safety, terrorism and LGBTQ+ content. The country's media regulator Roskomnadzor claimed the US game, which has an estimate user base of 85.3 million daily active players, is inundated with "calls for violent crimes, and LGBT propaganda" and "inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children".
"This bill is a direct attack on LGBTQ visibility and a textbook example of government overreach and censorship," said the Senior Political Director of Equality Florida, Joe Saunders, in a statement. "The Pride flag is a symbol of safety, inclusion, and community for millions of Floridians. [...] These bills prevent local cities and counties from using flags to recognize their own communities or make them welcoming to residents and tourists."
The congressional representatives have written a letter expressing their concerns to Attorney General Pam Bondi, and a coalition of activists has filed a federal lawsuit seeking the restoration of the Community Relations Service, an agency within the DOJ that has provided conflict resolution services around the nation since it was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Community Relations Service staff has been reduced to one.
During a recent press conference at the White House, First Lady Melania Trump announced a new initiative of her "Be Best" campaign, which she launched in 2018, during her husband's first Administration. The original " Be Best," which aimed to raise awareness about cyberbullying and other issues facing American children, was pilloried as a hypocritical project for the spouse of the country's most powerful cyberbully.
Barbara Butch -- her stage name -- was inundated by hateful messages after the Olympics opening ceremony in July last year. READ MORE: What jurisdiction do French courts have over people outside France? The body-positive feminist was at the centre of a scene including dancers and drag queens during the show that was reminiscent of depictions of the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus is said to have shared with his apostles.
As thousands of ICE agents storm streets, schools and emergency rooms across the country, communities are training up on their rights, recording incidents of abuse and screaming at officers to impede deportations. As opponents of LGBTQ+ rights try to erase queer history and safe spaces, residents have repainted rainbows across crosswalks paved over by officials and are organising their own record-keeping and mutual aid networks.
With its plethora of LGBTQ+ bars, cabaret shows and inclusive hotels and spas, it's hard to believe that Thailand legalised same-sex marriage just 10 months ago. Fans will recall that the country lent its picture-perfect locations of Phuket and Koh Samui for The White Lotus season three's tropical backdrop. Off the back of both the HBO series and its momentous law enshrining queer rights, Thailand expected a double-dose of And they might have been right.
China's main internet regulator and censorship authority ordered Apple to remove two very popular gay dating apps its App Store last weekend: Blued, an app with an estimated 56 million users; and Finka, which has 2.7 million users. The apps remain functional Chinese people who've already downloaded them, but their removal is just part of China's ongoing crackdown and censorship campaign against its LGBTQ+ citizens.
Joseph Phillip Daniel is a conservative Christian preacher who was once featured in a segment on The 700 Club. He got media attention in 2019 again when he was working at an Illinois Mobil gas station and refused to serve a group of women because they were Mexican. He claimed that they were not citizens and that if they don't leave the country, "ICE will come." He got fired.