A rally in support of trans women forcibly removed from a DTLA bar after a straight couple attacked them. BY VICTOR MELAMED Several transgender women were aggressively and forcibly removed from a downtown Los Angeles bar-restaurant last month during DTLA Proud weekend—after they were attacked by a straight couple. The transgender group, along with several…
TRUMP ADMIN ASKS COURT TO LEGALIZE FIRING LGBTQ WORKERS Federal lawyers are asking the Supreme Court, for the first time, to explicitly limit the Civil Right Act’s protections to exclude LGBTQ people. The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court last month to declare that federal law allows private companies to fire workers based only on…
Now, a contractor basically need only wave a bible around in order to make those anti discrimination requirements vanish. TOUCHING ANECDOTE It’s not exactly LGBT news, but I wanted to pass along a truly heart-warming story about the bond formed between a little 4-year-old girl and some construction workers that will make you believe that we…
HOUSE PASSES PRIDE ACT PROVIDING TAX REFUNDS TO GAY COUPLES The Pride Act, approved last month by the House, which will now head to the Senate, would amend the Internal Revenue Code to remove gender-specific references to marriage and allow couples to amend their filing status to married filing jointly for tax returns outside of…
“Just get this guy out of office. And if it takes another seventy-something white guy to do it, fine. Biden’s not my top choice by any means, but I’m focused on the ultimate goal.” RELIGION BEING USED AS A FREE PASS TO DISCRIMINATE You know, of course, that the Supreme Court will start its next…
Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on the story of equality since Stonewall, the importance of allies and taking up the unfinished work of achieving true freedom and dignity for every American. BY VICTOR MELAMED The LGBTQ Victory Fund, a political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBTQ public officials in the U.S.,…
The democratic debates briefly spotlight transgender rights, hopefully signaling the party is willing to embrace broader civil rights and social justice platforms. BY ORLY LYONNE In a historic moment, Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro used the televised debate stage last month to support civil rights for transgender people, reports Sony Salzman at www.rewire.news. His comments were…
Pulse Nightclub Designated A National Memorial On the third anniversary of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida lawmakers have proposed plans to designate the nightclub a national memorial. U.S. Reps. Darren Soto and Stephanie Murphy, both from Central Florida, announced their plan to declare Pulse a federal landmark at a service in…
Outside of Austin, two lesbians found an anonymous note from a neighborhood boy who thanked them for putting up a rainbow flag, and told them it gave him the courage to come out to his parents. The Pride Anthem & Ongoing Sibling Battles Pride will have come and gone by the time you read this,…
Blocking The BAN House votes to block funding for Trump’s trans military ban. BY VICTOR MELAMED The House voted last month to block the Pentagon’s new transgender troop policy, taking a swipe at President Donald Trump’s move to ban transgender service in the military, reports Politico. During debate on a $1 trillion spending package, lawmakers voted…
A rally for trans justice took place last month at Los Angeles City Hall. Over the past month we have lost three trans people to hate motivated violence. Michelle Simone, of Washington DC, was shot and later died at the hospital. Clair Lagato, of Cleveland Ohio, was shot and later died of her wounds at…
Aria Sa’id, co-founder and executive director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District: We want to support the beautification of the neighborhood while acknowledging its rich Transgender history.” BY KELLY LOVEMONSTER | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM Occupying six blocks in the South East Tenderloin (which also crosses over Market Street to include two blocks of 6th…
SB-50: Scott Wiener’s plan to build new housing and fight urban sprawl (whether California wants it or not). BY BRENDEN SHUCART There is a housing crisis in California. Decades of underbuilding have left us with a 3.5 million home deficit. While a combination of housing speculation and a booming economy in the Tech, Bio Tech,…
The founder of the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge, Amy Farah Weiss, on sheltering unhoused SF residents and reintegrating them into the community. BY BRENDEN SHUCART Amy Farah Weiss is the founder of the Saint Francis Homelessness Challenge, and has twice campaigned for Mayor of San Francisco on a platform of solving the City’s homelessness crisis.…
The gay Mayor of Solvang, Ryan Toussaint on preconceived notions, social change movements and being a voice for the future. BY SEAN GALUSZKA Elected Councilman at age of 29 in 2016 then running for Mayor of Solvang in 2018 and receiving 61.47% of the vote, Ryan Toussaint says that serving as a city council member…
An interview with Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. Pride, trans equality and making sure young people know they are not alone. BY MARK ARIEL This year Long Beach Pride is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. As the first openly gay mayor of your city—can you reflect on how the LGBTQ community has evolved since that…
Pastor Warns: Buttigieg Will Turn Country Into A “Homocracy” Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve and deployed for the war in Afghanistan in 2014, found himself in the crosshairs of a firebrand pastor last month, who claimed the openly-gay politician would crack down on Christianity…
