DETROIT — Two men who had acquired high-powered weapons and practiced at gun ranges were scouting LGBTQ+ bars in suburban Detroit for a possible attack, authorities said Monday in filing terrorism-related charges against the pair.
Momed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and co-conspirators were inspired by Islamic State extremism, according to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court. Investigators say a minor, identified only as Person 1, was deeply involved in the discussions.
“Our American heroes prevented a terror attack,” U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said on X.
The men, described as too young to drink alcohol, had looked at LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale as a possible attack, according to the complaint.
FBI agents had surveilled the men for weeks, even using a camera on a pole outside a Dearborn house, according to the court filing. Investigators also got access to encrypted chats and other conversations.
FBI Director Kash Patel had announced arrests Friday, but no details were released at the time while agents searched a home in Dearborn and a storage unit in nearby Inkster.
The FBI said the men repeatedly referred to “pumpkins” in their conversations, a reference to a Halloween attack.
Ali and Mahmoud were charged with receiving and transferring guns and ammunition for terrorism. Mahmoud had recently bought more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition that could be used for AR-15-style rifles, and they practiced at gun ranges, the government alleged.
They will appear in court Monday for their initial appearance. Mahmoud’s lawyer, William Swor, declined to comment. Messages seeking comment from Ali’s lawyer, Amir Makled, were not immediately answered.
Over the weekend, Makled seemed to wave off the allegations, saying they were the result of “hysteria” and “fear-mongering.”
It’s the second case since May involving alleged plots in the Detroit area on behalf of the Islamic State. The FBI said it arrested a man who had spent months planning an attack against a U.S. Army site in Warren. Ammar Said has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody.
New data has shed light on the alarming rise of “anti-LGBTQIA+ targeted hate and rhetoric.”
On 20 October, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) released a new report offering a five-year overview of the online and offline anti-LGBTQIA+ landscape.
“This Dispatch provides an overview of anti-LGBTQ+ mobilisation and how it is exacerbated by tech platforms,” researchers Guy Fiennes and Paula-Charlotte Matlach wrote.
“It incorporates activity which meets ISD’s definition of targeted anti-LGBTQ+ hate (‘activity which seeks to dehumanise, demonise, harass, threaten or incite violence against an individual or community based on their LGBTQ+ identity’), as well as activity which discriminates against LGBTQ+ people (and those perceived to be LGBTQ+), and which erases LGBTQ+ voices or rolls back LGBTQIA+ rights.”
Divided into two parts, the first half of the study presents statistics from various organisations highlighting the offline hate LGBTQIA+ people have faced across the US, UK and wider Europe.
In the US, more than 20 per cent of hate crimes recorded were motivated by anti-LGBTQIA+ bias for the third consecutive year, according to FBI crime data released in August 2025.
NGO GLAAD reported 918 anti-LGBTQIA+ incidents across the US in 2024, including seven fatalities and 140 bomb threats. Among those incidents, 48 per cent of victims were trans, non-binary or gender-nonconforming individuals.
The ISD report also included data from the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute, which found that LGBTQIA+ people are five times more likely to be victims of violent crime in the US compared to non-LGBTQIA+ people, and nine times more likely to experience violent hate crimes.
While the latest UK crime statistics reported an 11 per cent decrease in annual anti-trans hate crimes and a two per cent decrease in hate crimes related to sexual orientation, there was a sharp increase in both categories between 2021 and 2022.
“ISD calculated that in the five years between 2020 and 2025, anti-trans hate crimes in the UK rose by 50 per cent, and sexual orientation crimes rose by 18.1 per cent overall. The vast majority of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes are likely unreported,” the report revealed.
Across wider Europe, a 2023 EU Agency for Fundamental Rights survey found that violence and harassment against LGBTQIA+ people had increased from 11 per cent to 14 per cent, while anti-LGBTQIA+ bullying in schools jumped from 46 per cent to 67 per cent.
When examining government and legislative actions, all three countries showed an increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment led by government officials and lawmakers. The Trump administration, the UK’s Reform Party and Hungary were listed among the biggest offenders.
In the second half of the report, the ISD explored the online harm endured by the LGBTQIA+ community over the past five years.
Following a recent analysis of US-based violent extremist accounts and groups targeting the community, researchers found that “online hate spiked in response to real-world events and political developments.”
The data also revealed that the trans community is increasingly targeted by violent extremist accounts across various platforms, imageboards and forums.
“Anti-trans hate speech rose from 35 per cent of all anti-LGBTQIA+ speech in October to November to 46 per cent in December to January. There is a notable overlap between groups that direct violence and hate speech against LGBTQIA+ people and groups identified as threats to US national security and the government,” researchers explained.
Elsewhere, the study highlighted GLAAD’s 2025 Social Media Safety Index report, which found a lack of moderation of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate on social media platforms, alongside over-moderation of LGBTQIA+-inclusive accounts and content.
The report also examined the negative impact of AI content moderation systems, revealing that they have been “found to censor queer users who use ‘slurs’ to self-label (e.g. queer, gay, or femboy).”
“AI-driven censorship of LGBTQIA+ content that it labels as ‘sexualised’ or ‘offensive’ reflects offline biases that unfairly label queerness as inherently sexual and inappropriate,” researchers added.
The Australian LGBTQIA+ nightclub that faced backlash for aiming for “90% plus” male customers despite its Chappell Roan-inspired namesake has announced a rebrand.
Last week, Kevin Du-Val, the owner of Sydney’s Palms On Oxford, and its manager, Michael Lewis, announced they would be opening a new bar in early December called PINK PONY, which they describe as “unashamedly inspired by its namesake song that resonates so profoundly within our community.”
However, they said the club was created “specifically for 18-35 (state of mind) gay men who love to dance and get sweaty to high-powered dance music in a safe space.”
In an interview with Gay Sydney News, Lewis reiterated the demographic they are targeting, adding: “Of course, the girls will be welcome. But it would certainly be our desire that it is predominantly gay boys, and when I say predominantly, I’m sort of talking 90 percent plus.”
“Obviously, we’ve got legal hurdles,” he continued, “in terms of how much we can vet the crowd while still complying with the law.”
Shortly after the news was announced, Lewis and Du-Val faced massive backlash on social media, with many slamming the pair for being dismissive of queer women – especially since its namesake is inspired by a song written and performed by one of the biggest lesbian pop artists.
Following widespread condemnation, the owners issued a lengthy apology, with Lewis also telling The Guardian Australia that the venue’s name would be changed.
On 21 October, the club’s Instagram account announced that the venue’s new name would be TRIBE @ 231 Nightclub.
“A bold new chapter in Sydney’s nightlife is about to begin. TRIBE @ 231 a nightclub created by members of the LGBTQI+ community for the LGBTQI+ community, is officially opening its doors in the heart of Darlinghurst — and it’s ready to electrify,” the statement revealed.
“Oxford Street has always been a cultural beacon for the LGBTQI+ community. TRIBE @ 231 is our love letter to that legacy — a place to dance, connect, and celebrate queer joy in all its forms… TRIBE @ 231 aims to energise the soul of Sydney’s queer nightlife and be loud, proud and without limits. Find Your TRIBE @ 231.”
Shortly after announcing the news, one Instagram user inquired if it will be “welcoming to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community? Or just Gs between the ages of 18-35?”
In response, the venue affirmed that TRIBE @ 231 will welcome all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, adding that “at the end of the day, vibe of venue, the music and those it resonates with will dictate the crowd.”
As of this writing, the venue has yet to share the official date for its grand opening. However, they confirmed that it will be open for business sometime in December.
San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert doesn’t generally agree with political parties redrawing congressional maps to gain power.
But after President Trump persuaded Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw his state’s maps in order to improve Republican chances of retaining control of Congress in 2026, Von Wilpert said she decided California’s only option was to fight back with new maps of its own, favoring Democrats.
There’s too much at stake for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized Californians to do otherwise, said Von Wilpert — who is bisexual and running to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa, a Trump ally whose district in San Diego and Riverside counties will be redrawn if voters approve the plan.
“We can’t sit on the sidelines anymore and just hope that the far right will play fair or play by the rule book,” said Von Wilpert, 42. “If we don’t fight back now, I don’t know what democracy is going to be left for us to fight for in the future.”
San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa, whose Southern California district would be redrawn if voters approve the redistricting plan of California Democrats.
They are running to counter those efforts, but also to resist other administration policies that they believe threaten democracy and equality more broadly, and to advocate around local issues that are important to them and their neighbors, said Elliot Imse, executive director of the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute.
The institute, which has trained queer people on running for and holding political office since 1991, has already provided 450 people with in-person training so far this year, compared with 290 people all of last year, Imse said. It recently had to cap a training in Los Angeles at 54 people — its largest cohort in more than a decade — and a first-of-its-kind training for transgender candidates at 12 people, despite more than 50 applying.
“LGBTQ+ people have been extremely motivated to run for office across the country because of the attacks on their equality,” Imse said. “They know the risk, they know the potential for harassment, but those fears are really overcome by the desire to make a difference in this moment.”
“This isn’t about screaming we are trans, this is about screaming we are human — and showing that we are here, that we are competent leaders,” said Josie Caballero, voting and elections director at Advocates for Trans Equality, which helped run the training.
Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) at the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington on March 26, 2025. The summit brings together policymakers and influencers to discuss important issues facing the crypto industry.
(Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Across the country
Queer candidates still face stiff resistance in some parts of the country. But they are winning elections elsewhere like never before — Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware became the first out transgender member of Congress last year — and increasingly deciding to run.
Some are Republicans who support Trump and credit him with kicking open the political door for people like them by installing gay leaders in his administration, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Ed Williams, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBTQ+ organization, said his group has seen “a surge in interest” under Trump, with “new members and chapters springing up across the country.” He said that “LGBT conservatives stand with President Trump’s fight for commonsense policies that support our schools and parents, put America first, and create opportunities for all Americans.”
Ryan Sheridan, 35, a gay psychiatric nurse practitioner challenging fellow Republican incumbent Rep. Ann Wagner for her House seat in Missouri, said Trump has made the Republican Party a “more welcoming environment” for gay people. He said he agrees with Trump that medical interventions for transgender youth should be stopped, but also believes others in the LGBTQ+ community misunderstand the president’s perspective.
“I do not believe that he is anti-trans. I do not believe he is anti-gay,” Sheridan said. “I understand the fear might be real, but I would encourage anybody that is deeply fearful to explore some alternative points of view.”
Many more LGBTQ+ candidates, however, are Democrats or progressives — and say they were driven to run in part by their disdain for Trump and his policies.
LGBTQ+ candidates and prospective candidates listen to speakers at an LGBTQ+ Victory Institute training in downtown Los Angeles in September.
(David Butow / For The Times)
JoAnna Mendoza, a bisexual retired U.S. Marine, said she is running to unseat Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) because she took an oath to defend the U.S. and its values, and she believes those values are under threat from an administration with no respect for LGBTQ+ service members, immigrants or other vulnerable groups.
Mike Simmons, the first out LGBTQ+ state senator in Illinois, is running for the House seat of retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and leaning into his outsider persona as a gay Black man and the son of an Ethiopian asylum seeker. “I symbolize everything Donald Trump is trying to erase.”
Texas state Rep. Jolanda Jones, who is a lesbian, said she is running for the House seat of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), in a historically Black district being redrawn in Houston, because she believes “we need more gay people — but specifically Black gay people — to run and be in a position to challenge Trump.”
Colorado state Rep. Brianna Titone, who is running for Colorado treasurer, said it is critical for LGBTQ+ people — especially transgender people like her — to run, including locally. Trump is looking for ways to attack blue state economies, she said, and queer people need to help ensure resistance strategies don’t include abandoning LGBTQ+ rights.
“We’re going to be extorted, and our economy is going to suffer for that, and we’re going to have to withstand that,” she said.
Rep. Brianna Titone speaks during the general assembly at the Colorado State Capitol on April 23, 2025.
(AAron Ontiveroz / Denver Post via Getty Images)
Jordan Wood, who is gay, served as chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter of Orange County before co-founding the Constitution-backing organization democracyFIRST. He’s now back in his native Maine challenging centrist Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.
Collins, who declined to comment, has supported LGBTQ+ rights in the past, including in military service and marriage, and has at times broken with her party to stand in Trump’s way. However, Wood said Collins has acquiesced to Trump’s autocratic policies, including in recent budget battles.
“This is a moment with our country in crisis where we need our political leaders to pick sides and to stand up to this administration and its lawlessness,” Wood said.
Candidates said they’ve had hateful and threatening comments directed toward them because of their identities, and tough conversations with their families about what it will mean to be a queer elected official in the current political moment. The Victory Institute training included information on how best to handle harassment on the campaign trail.
However, candidates said they also have had young people and others thank them for having the nerve to defend the LGBTQ+ community.
Kevin Morrison, a gay county commissioner in the Chicago suburbs who is running for the House seat of Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), who is running for Senate, recently had that experience after defending a transgender high school athlete at a local school board meeting.
Morrison said the response he got from the community, including many of the school’s alumni, was “incredibly positive” — and showed how ready people are for new LGBTQ+ advocates in positions of power who “lead from a place of empathy and compassion.”
Maebe Pudlo, 39, is an operations manager for the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition and an elected member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council. She is also transgender, and running for the Central and East L.A. state Senate seat of María Elena Durazo, who is running for county supervisor.
Pudlo, who also works as a drag queen, said that simply existing each day is a “political and social statement” for her. But she decided to run for office after seeing policy decisions affecting transgender people made without any transgender voices at the table.
“Unfortunately, our lives have been politicized and trans people have become political pawns, and it’s really disgusting to me,” Pudlo said.
Like every other queer candidate who spoke to The Times, Pudlo, who has previously run for Congress, said her platform is about more than LGBTQ+ issues. It’s also about housing and healthcare and defending democracy more broadly, she said, noting her campaign slogan is “Keep Fascism Out of California.”
Still, Pudlo said she is keenly aware of the current political threats to transgender people, and feels a deep responsibility to defend their rights — for everyone’s sake.
“This whole idea of rolling back civil rights for trans people specifically — that should be concerning for anybody who cares about democracy,” Pudlo said. “Because if they’ll do it to my community, your community is next.”
Former Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton speaks at a training event for LGBTQ+ candidates and prospective candidates in L.A. in September. Also in the photo are, from left, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President Evan Low, West Hollywood City Councilmember Danny Hang, Culver City Councilmember Bubba Fish and Virginia state Sen. Danica Roem.
(David Butow / For The Times)
Juan Camacho, a 44-year-old Echo Park resident also running for Durazo’s seat, said he feels a similar responsibility as a gay Mexican immigrant — particularly as Trump rolls out the “Project 2025 playbook” of attacking immigrants, Latinos and LGBTQ+ people, he said.
Brought to the U.S. by his parents as a toddler before becoming documented under President Reagan’s amnesty program, Camacho said he understands the fear that undocumented and mixed-status families feel, and he wants to use his privilege as a citizen now to push back.
Veteran California legislative leader Toni Atkins, who has long been out and is now running for governor, said the recent attacks on LGBTQ+ and especially transgender people have been “pretty disheartening,” but have also strengthened her resolve — after 50 years of LGBTQ+ people gaining rights in this country — to keep fighting.
“It’s what it’s always been: We want housing and healthcare and we want equal opportunity and we want to be seen as contributing members of society,” she said. “We have a responsibility to be visible and, as Harvey Milk said, to ‘give them hope.’”
A coordinated online doxxing campaign has emerged in the wake of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing, targeting academics, teachers, government employees and others who have posted critical remarks about him.
At least 15 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs after discussing the killing online, according to a Reuters tally on Saturday based on interviews, public statements and local press reports. The total includes journalists, academic workers and teachers.
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On Friday, a junior Nasdaq employee was fired over her posts related to Kirk.
Others have been subjected to torrents of online abuse or seen their offices flooded with calls demanding they be fired, part of a surge in right-wing rage that has followed the killing.
Chaya Raichik, who runs the right-wing “Libs of TikTok” account and is known for her anti-immigrant activism, is at the forefront of the campaign. She has shared names, photos and workplace details of individuals who expressed little sympathy for Kirk’s death.
In one case, Raichik targeted a lecturer at California State University, Monterey Bay, who reportedly wrote in an Instagram story: “I cannot muster much sympathy, truly. People are going to argue ‘He has a family, he has a wife and kids.’ What about all the kids, the many broken families from the over 258 school shootings 2020–present?”
Raichik reposted the lecturer’s photo, accusing him of mocking Kirk’s assassination.
The lecturer has not commented, but several teachers across the United States – including in California, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas – have been suspended or dismissed over similar online remarks. Union leaders condemned Kirk’s killing, but also warned against punishing educators for free speech.
Raichik has also targeted members of the military. One Coast Guard employee is under investigation after posting a meme saying he did not care about Kirk’s death. A former Twitter worker was also singled out for criticising the New York Yankees for holding a moment of silence for Kirk.
A newly registered site, “Expose Charlie’s Murderers,” has 41 names of people it alleges were “supporting political violence online” and claims to be working on a backlog of more than 20,000 submissions.
A Reuters review of the screenshots and comments posted to the site shows that some of those featured joked about or celebrated Kirk’s death. One was quoted as saying, “He got what he deserved”, and others were quoted providing variations on “karma’s a bitch.” Others, however, were critical of the far-right figure while explicitly denouncing violence.
Some institutions have already taken disciplinary action. Middle Tennessee State University dismissed an assistant dean after she wrote: “Looks like ol’Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.” The comment referred to Kirk’s 2023 defence of gun violence, in which he argued: “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment … That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”
Even quoting that remark has been enough for some to be targeted.
Republican response
Some Republicans want to go further still and have proposed deporting Kirk’s critics from the US, suing them into penury or banning them from social media for life.
“Prepare to have your whole future professional aspirations ruined if you are sick enough to celebrate his death,” said conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a prominent ally of Trump and one of several far-right figures who are organising digital campaigns on X to ferret out and publicly shame Kirk’s critics.
The wave of firings and suspensions has raised concerns over free expression, while far-right activists celebrate what they see as a campaign of accountability.
US lawmaker Clay Higgins said in a post on X that anyone who “ran their mouth with their smart**s hatred celebrating the heinous murder of that beautiful young man” needed to be “banned from ALL PLATFORMS FOREVER.”
The US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on the same site that he had been disgusted to “see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.”
Republicans’ anger at those disrespecting Kirk’s legacy contrasts with the mockery some of the same figures – including Kirk – directed at past victims of political violence.
For example, when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, was clubbed over the head by a hammer-wielding conspiracy theorist during a break-in at their San Francisco home shortly before the 2022 midterm elections, Higgins posted a photo making fun of the attack. He later deleted the post.
Loomer falsely suggested that Paul Pelosi and his assailant were lovers, calling the brutal assault on the octogenarian a “booty call gone wrong.”
Speaking to a television audience a few days after the attack, a grinning Kirk called for the intruder to be sprung from jail.
“If some amazing patriot out there in San Francisco or the Bay Area wants to really be a midterm hero, someone should go and bail this guy out,” he said.
Sept. 1 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV confirmed his intent to include LGBTQ parishioners within the Catholic Church ahead of their planned Holy Year pilgrimage to Vatican City.
The pope met editor and author the Rev. James Martin of New York for 30 minutes and said he intends to continue Pope Francis‘ policy of inclusion for all, the National Catholic Reporter reported Monday.
Pope Francis refused to judge and expel a gay priest in 2013 and afterward allowed priests to bless same-sex couples.
Francis did not change the Catholic Church’s policy of teaching parishioners that homosexual acts are “disordered,” though.
Martin co-founded Outreach, which is a Catholic ministry that promotes LGBTQ inclusion, and will participate in the Holy Year pilgrimage to Vatican City on Friday and Saturday.
An estimated 1,200 people are expected to participate in the pilgrimage, which is not sponsored by the Vatican.
Leo and Martin met in the library of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, where the Pope clarified his position of inclusion for LGBTQ church members.
The pontiff’s position was in doubt after he criticized what he called the “homosexual lifestyle” in 2012 while serving the church and was still known as the Rev. Robert Prevost.
After being elevated to a cardinal in 2023, Prevost told Catholic News Service he did not oppose Pope Francis’ inclusion of members due to the choices that they make in their personal lives.
He confirmed the Catholic Church’s policy regarding homosexuality had not changed.
Leo also said church leaders were “looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church,” the Catholic News Service reported.
A new study revealed that LGBTQIA+ people in the US want to get married.
In 2015, the queer community achieved a massive victory when same-sex marriage was legalised across all 50 states – following the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case.
Over the last decade, thousands of LGBTQIA+ couples have exercised their right to get married, with many more considering the possibility.
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 59% of LGBTQIA+ US adults under 50 who have never been married say they want to get hitched. Comparatively, 63% of non-LGBTQIA+ individuals under the same age bracket say the same thing.
Upon further investigation, researchers found that of the surveyed LGBTQIA+ adults, those between the ages of 18 and 29 were more than likely to say they wanted to get married compared to those aged 30 to 49.
Non queer adults also displayed similar stats, with 79% of 18 to 29-year-olds embracing marriage, while only 49% of 30-49 year olds agreed.
When surveying those who are divorced, widowed or separated, 49% of LGBTQIA+ adults said they were more likely to get married again. The same couldn’t be said for their heterosexual peers, with only 33% expressing an interest.
The study also shed some light on the respective groups’ views about having children.
47% of non-LGBTQIA+ adults under 50, who don’t have kids, were shown to have more of an interest in starting a family, while only 33% of LGBTQIA+ adults shared the same sentiment.
However, a nearly equal portion of LGBTQIA+ adults (28%) and non-LGBTQIA+ adults (29%) were unsure if they wanted to have children.
Lastly, it was revealed that 37% of LGBTQIA+ women and 36% of LGBTQIA+ men want to have kids someday.
There was a bigger disparity between the straight individuals. 54% of non-LGBTQIA+ men were reported to want children, and 39% of non-LGBTQIA+ women shared the same interest.
The recent data comes at a time when marriage equality is facing a new wave of attacks from Republicans and conservative figures.
In July, former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis – who made headlines in 2015 when she refused to issue marriage licenses to LGBTQIA+ couples – filed a petition urging the US Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges.
In the filing, she described the ruling as being “grounded entirely on the legal fiction of substantive due process” and further claimed that it forced her to choose “between her religious beliefs and her job.”
For more information about the petition and whether the Court will hear the case, click here.
A key annual United States government report on global human rights abuses has drastically shifted focus, with references removed to abuses based on sexual orientation, and poor conditions downplayed in ally nations while taking aim at those who have clashed with President Donald Trump.
Released on Tuesday, the 2024 State Department Human Rights Report, was issued months late as Trump appointees altered an earlier draft dramatically to bring it in line with America First values, according to government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The report introduced new categories such as “Life”, and “Liberty,” and “Security of the Person.”
The department referred to its new report as “streamlined” and focused on remaining “aligned to the administration’s executive orders”.
While the 2023 report contains a lengthy introduction with numerous appendices and citations, the newest report has a single introductory page that stresses a desire to “minimize the amount of statistical data in the report”. An NPR analysis found individual country reports are, on average, one-third the length of the previous year’s.
Instead, the report sounds an alarm about the erosion of freedom of speech in Europe and ramped up criticism of Brazil and South Africa, both of which Washington has clashed with over a host of issues.
Any criticism of governments for their treatment of LGBTQ rights, which appeared in Biden administration editions of the report, appears to have been omitted.
The report’s section on Israel is much shorter than last year’s edition and contains no mention of the severe humanitarian crisis or death toll in Gaza. Some 61,000 people have died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, as a result of Israel’s military operations in response to an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October 2023.
While last year’s report underscored numerous acts of anti-Semitism in Hungary, noting that a local survey found half the population were “moderately or strongly anti-Semitic”, the new report says the close Trump ally has “made combating anti-Semitism a top priority, publicly emphasizing its welcoming and open environment for Jews”.
The report claims “no credible reports of significant human rights abuses” in El Salvador – where Trump has gained help from President Nayib Bukele, whose country is receiving $6m from the US to house migrant deportees in a high-security mega-prison.
Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement that the report “purposefully fail[ed]” to capture rights abuses in a number of countries.
This year’s Human Rights Report from the U.S. State Department reveals a disturbing effort by the Trump administration to purposefully fail to fully capture the alarming and growing attacks on human rights in certain countries around the globe.
This year’s Human Rights Report from the US Department of State shows a visible effort by the Trump administration to purposefully fail to fully capture the alarming and growing attacks on human rights in certain countries around the globe.
On Monday, rights group coalition the Council for Global Equality sued (PDF) the State Department to release report documents, alleging the department had potentially manipulated its latest human rights report.
For decades, the State Department’s congressionally mandated Human Rights Report has been used as a blueprint of reference for global rights advocacy.
This year’s report was prepared following a major revamp of the department, which included the firing of hundreds of people, many from the agency’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which takes the lead in writing the report.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in April, wrote an opinion piece that said the bureau had become a platform for “left-wing activists,” saying the Trump administration would reorient the bureau to focus on “Western values”.
Taking aim at Brazil and South Africa
In Brazil, where the Trump administration has clashed with the government, the State Department found the human rights situation had declined, after the 2023 report found no significant changes. This year’s report took aim at the courts, stating they took action undermining freedom of speech and disproportionately suppressing the speech of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, among others.
Bolsonaro is on trial before the Supreme Court on charges he conspired with allies to violently overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Trump has referred to the case as a “witch hunt” and called it grounds for a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods.
In South Africa, whose government the Trump administration has accused of racial discrimination towards Afrikaners, this year’s report said the human rights situation significantly worsened. It stated that “South Africa took a substantially worrying step towards land expropriation of Afrikaners and further abuses against racial minorities in the country.”
In last year’s report, the State Department found no significant changes in the human rights situation in South Africa.
Trump, earlier this year, issued an executive order that called for the US to resettle Afrikaners, describing them as victims of “violence against racially disfavored landowners,” allegations that echoed far-right claims but which have been contested by South Africa’s government.
Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, which launched in 2013, was supported by all clubs in England’s top flight.
The initiative encouraged all Premier League players to wear rainbow-coloured laces and captains rainbow armbands to show support for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, inspire acceptance among children and young people, and promote equality and diversity.
Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, a Muslim, decided not to wear the rainbow armband last season, with the club saying it was because of his “religious beliefs”.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi wrote ‘I [heart] Jesus’ across his armband, while Manchester United abandoned plans to wear a jacket supporting the LGBTQ+ community because a player refused to wear it.
Meanwhile, Premier League players have agreed to continue taking the knee in 2025-26.
But they will perform the gesture, which is linked to the Premier League’s “No Room for Racism” campaign, on just two occasions during October’s Black History Month.
The Sussex Beacon has made history with its latest LGBTQIA+ initiative.
On 16 July, the Brighton-based charity announced that it was “refreshing its approach to palliative and end of life care services,” by becoming Britain’s first hospice dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Under the “landmark development,” The Sussex Beacon will offer inclusive care with expertise in specialist HIV care.
While the organisation is setting up a new one-of-a-kind hospice service, it has decades of experience offering accessible health care for those living with HIV.
Since 1994, The Sussex Beacon has been a prominent and cherished resource for local residents in the Brighton and Hove, as well as the surrounding Greater Sussex communities.
In a statement, CEO Rachel Brett expressed her excitement over the charity’s incredible feat.
“The LGBTQ+ community built The Beacon, and now we will be giving it back, stronger and more inclusive than ever. It was originally founded to offer care in a safe, accepting space for people dying with AIDS-related illnesses,” she said.
“Thanks to advances in HIV treatment, our focus has moved to ensure that people across local communities are getting the help and support they need. Further to this, we are delighted that we can use the fantastic facility that we have to refresh our offer of hospice care for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Fortunately, the new inclusive palliative care will be delivered with the support of the NHS. However, to achieve long-term sustainability, The Sussex Beacon will be relying on charitable funding.
“It’s fair to say we need our community behind us now more than ever. The next few years will be challenging as we make this transition, but with collective support, we’ll create something truly transformative,” Brett concluded.
In a separate statement, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex, Amy Dissanayake, showcased support for The Sussex Beacon, writing: “We are delighted to be working with The Sussex Beacon as they make this step to enhance the high-quality service they can provide to the local community.
“In addition to the hospice care, their experience in providing specialist community care for people living with HIV is invaluable and fully supports our ambition to bring care out of hospitals where possible, and into communities, either in people’s homes directly or in their local neighbourhood at community hubs.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the team at The Sussex Beacon to make this a reality for our population.”
In addition to offering inclusive palliative care, the longstanding charity will serve as a national resource to other hospices seeking to enhance their services for LGBTQIA+ patients.
For more information on The Sussex Beacon and their new LGBTQIA+ inclusive initiative, click here.
University of Pennsylvania removes times set by trans swimmer as part of resolution to civil rights investigation.
A top university in the United States has agreed to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports and erase records set by a prominent trans swimmer following pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump.
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and the US Department of Education on Tuesday announced the agreement to resolve a federal civil rights investigation focused on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
Thomas, who was born male and came out as a trans woman in 2018, won a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I title in 2022, becoming the first trans athlete to accomplish the feat.
Thomas, who began hormone replacement therapy in 2019 as part of the transition from male to female, also set UPenn records in five women’s events, including the 100-metre and 500-metre freestyle competitions.
Thomas’s accomplishments became a focal point in the debate about fairness in sport, with LGBTQ campaigners hailing the swimmer’s participation as a victory for inclusion and critics, including some of Thomas’s teammates, casting it as an attack on women’s rights.
Larry Jameson, UPenn’s president, said in a statement that the university recognised that some student athletes had been disadvantaged by the NCAA eligibility rules that had been in place at the time of Thomas’s participation.
The NCAA changed its eligibility rules to limit participation in women’s events to female-born athletes in March, following Trump’s executive order denying funding to educational institutions that allow trans girls and women to compete.
“We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time,” Jameson said.
“We will review and update the Penn women’s swimming records set during that season to indicate who would now hold the records under current eligibility guidelines.”
UPenn later on Tuesday removed Thomas from its website’s list of “All-Time School Records”, and added a note stating that Thomas set records during the 2021-22 season under “eligibility rules in effect at the time”.
UPenn’s move comes after the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights in April announced that it had determined the university to have violated Title IX by “permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities”.
US Education Secretary Linda McMahon called Tuesday’s agreement a “great victory for women and girls”.
“The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law,” McMahon said in a statement.
Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, two of the biggest LGBTQ advocacy organisations in the US, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
UPenn’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves to limit trans people’s participation in sport in the US and elsewhere since Trump returned to the White House in January.
Opinion polls have pointed to growing public opposition to trans women and girls competing against female-born athletes.
In a New York Times/Ipsos poll published in January, 79 percent of Americans said that trans women should be barred from female sports, up from 62 percent in 2021.
University of Pennsylvania erases records set by trans swimmer as part of resolution to civil rights investigation.
A top university in the United States has agreed to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports and erase records set by a prominent trans swimmer following pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump.
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and the US Department of Education on Tuesday announced the agreement to resolve a federal civil rights investigation focused on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
Thomas, who was born male and came out as a trans woman in 2018, won a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I title in 2022, becoming the first trans athlete to accomplish the feat.
Thomas, who began hormone replacement therapy in 2019 as part of the transition from male to female, also set UPenn records in five women’s events, including the 100-metre and 500-metre freestyle competitions.
Thomas’s accomplishments became a focal point in the debate about fairness in sport, with LGBTQ campaigners hailing the swimmer’s participation as a victory for inclusion and critics, including some of Thomas’s teammates, casting it as an attack on women’s rights.
Larry Jameson, UPenn’s president, said in a statement that the university recognised that some student athletes had been disadvantaged by the NCAA eligibility rules that had been in place at the time of Thomas’s participation.
The NCAA changed its eligibility rules to limit participation in women’s events to female-born athletes in March, following Trump’s executive order denying funding to educational institutions that allow trans girls and women to compete.
“We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time,” Jameson said.
“We will review and update the Penn women’s swimming records set during that season to indicate who would now hold the records under current eligibility guidelines.”
UPenn later on Tuesday removed Thomas from its website’s list of “All-Time School Records”, and added a note stating that Thomas set records during the 2021-22 season under “eligibility rules in effect at the time”.
UPenn’s move comes after the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights in April announced that it had determined the university to have violated Title IX by “permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities”.
US Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the agreement a “great victory for women and girls”.
“The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law,” McMahon said in a statement.
Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, two of the biggest LGBTQ advocacy organisations in the US, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
UPenn’s announcement is the latest in a series of moves to limit trans people’s participation in sport in the US and elsewhere since Trump returned to the White House in January.
Opinion polls have pointed to growing public opposition to trans women and girls competing against female-born athletes.
In a New York Times/Ipsos poll published in January, 79 percent of Americans said that trans women should be barred from female sports, up from 62 percent in 2021.
Thousands to march in Hungary’s capital despite government ban, highlighting EU-wide resistance against anti-LGBTQ laws.
A record number of people are expected to attend a Pride march in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, defying a ban that marks an unprecedented regression of LGBTQ rights in the European Union.
The event on Saturday comes after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling coalition earlier this year amended laws and the constitution to ban the annual celebration. Orban’s government has consistently argued that the legislation defends traditional family values and protects children.
While the prime minister has been emboldened by the anti-diversity offensive of President Donald Trump in the United States, his own initiatives have drawn protests at home and condemnation from the EU and rights groups.
The nationalist leader on Friday said that while police would not “break up” the 30th edition of the Pride march, those who took part should be aware of “legal consequences”.
Despite the risk of a fine, more than 35,000 people are expected to gather at 2pm (12:00 GMT) near Budapest’s city hall, an hour before the march begins.
Ministers from several EU countries and dozens of European politicians are expected to attend in defiance of the ban, reminiscent of events in Moscow in 2006 and Istanbul in 2015.
“We’re not just standing up for ourselves … If this law isn’t overturned, Eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures,” Pride organiser Viktoria Radvanyi said.
Earlier this week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on the Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban.
Thirty-three countries have also spoken up in support of the march.
While parade organisers risk up to a year in prison, attendees can face fines up to 500 euros ($580). The latest legal changes empower the authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who take part.
Freshly installed cameras have appeared on lamp posts along the planned route of the march.
However, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony has insisted that no attendee can face any reprisals as the march – co-organised by the city hall this time – is a municipal event and does not require police approval.
“The police have only one task tomorrow, and it is a serious one: to ensure the safety of Hungarian and European citizens attending the event,” Karacsony said during a briefing with visiting EU equalities commissioner Hadja Lahbib.
Far-right groups have announced multiple counterprotests along the planned route of the procession.
Justice Minister Bence Tuzson this week sent a letter to EU embassies cautioning diplomats and staff against participating because of the police ban.
Several EU countries have informed their citizens of the potential of fines through travel advisories.
Since Orban’s return to power in 2010, the country of 9.6 million people has been steadily rolling back LGBTQ rights.
Legal changes have, in effect, barred same-sex couples from adopting children, prevented transgender people from changing their name or gender in official documents, and a 2021 law forbade the “display and promotion” of homosexuality to under-18s.
In March, politicians passed a bill targeting the annual Pride march, amending the 2021 law to prohibit any gathering violating its provisions.
A month later, parliament also adopted a constitutional change to strengthen the legal foundations for the ban.
“Orban is employing a tried-and-tested recipe ahead of next year’s election by generating a conflict,” political analyst Daniel Mikecz told the news agency AFP. Orban was “polarising society”, he added.
Voter opinion polls suggest Orban’s Fidesz party has been losing ground to the opposition.
The first Pride march was held in 1970 in New York to mark the anniversary of the city’s Stonewall riots in June 1969, which created the gay rights movement.
Picture books are not usually the stuff of Supreme Court rulings. But on Friday, a majority of justices ruled that parents have a right to opt their children out of lessons that offend their religious beliefs — bringing the colorful pages of books like “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding” and “Pride Puppy” into the staid public record of the nation’s highest court.
The ruling resulted from a lawsuit brought by parents in Montgomery County, Md., who sued for the right to remove their children from lessons where LGBTQ+ storybooks would be read aloud in elementary school classes from kindergarten through 5th grade. The books were part of an effort in the district to represent LGBTQ+ families in the English language arts curriculum.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that schools must “notify them in advance” when one of the disputed storybooks would be used in their child’s class, so that they could have their children temporarily removed. The court’s three liberals dissented.
As part of the the decisions, briefings and petitions in the case, the justices and lawyers for the parents described in detail the story lines of nine picture books that were part of Montgomery County’s new curriculum. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor even reproduced one, “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” in its entirety.
Here are the nine books that were the subject of the case:
Pride Puppy Author: Robin Stevenson Illustrator: Julie McLaughlin
Book “Pride Puppy” published by Orca Book Publishers.
(Orca Book Publishers)
“Pride Puppy,” a rhyming alphabet book for very young children, depicts a little girl who loses her dog during a joyful visit to a Pride parade. The story, which is available as a board book, invites readers to spot items starting with each of the letters of the alphabet, including apple, baseball and clouds — as well as items more specific to a Pride parade.
Lawyers representing the parents said in their brief that the “invites students barely old enough to tie their own shoes to search for images of ‘underwear,’ ‘leather,’ ‘lip ring,’ ‘[drag] king’ and ‘[drag] queen,’ and ‘Marsha P. Johnson,’ a controversial LGBTQ activist and sex worker.”
The “leather” in question refers to a mother’s jacket, and the “underwear” to a pair of green briefs worn over tights by an older child as part of a colorful outfit.
Love, Violet Author: Charlotte Sullivan Wild Illustrator: Charlene Chua
Book “Love Violet” published by macmillan publishers.
(macmillan)
The story describes a little girl named Violet with a crush on another girl in her class named Mira, who “had a leaping laugh” and “made Violet’s heart skip.” But every time Mira tries to talk to her, Violet gets shy and quiet.
On Valentine’s Day, Violet makes Mira a special valentine. As Violet gathers the courage to give it to her, the valentine ends up trampled in the snow. But Mira loves it anyway and also has a special gift for Violet — a locket with a violet inside. At the end of the book, the two girls go on an adventure together.
Lawyers for the parents describe “Love, Violet” as a book about “two young girls and their same-sex playground romance.” They wrote in that “teachers are encouraged to have a ‘think aloud’ moment to ask students how it feels when they don’t just ‘like’ but ‘like like’ someone.”
Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope Author: Jodie Patterson Illustrator: Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
Book “Born Ready” published by Random House.
(Random House)
In “Born Ready,” 5-year-old Penelope was born a girl but is certain they are a boy.
“I love you, Mama, but I don’t want to be you. I want to be Papa. I don’t want tomorrow to come because tomorrow I’ll look like you. Please help me, Mama. Help me be a boy,” Penelope tells their mom. “We will make a plan to tell everyone we know,” Penelope’s mom tells them, and they throw a big party to celebrate.
In her dissent, Sotomayor notes, “When Penelope’s brother expresses skepticism, his mother says, ‘Not everything needs to make sense. This is about love.’ ”
In their opening brief, lawyers for the families said that “teachers are told to instruct students that, at birth, people ‘guess about our gender,’ but ‘we know ourselves best.’ ”
Prince and Knight Author: Daniel Haack Illustrator: Stevie Lewis
“Prince and Knight” is a story about a prince whose parents want him to find a bride, but instead he falls in love with a knight. Together, they fight off a dragon. When the prince falls from a great height, his knight rescues him on horseback.
When the king and queen find out of their love, they “were overwhelmed with joy. ‘We have finally found someone who is perfect for our boy!’ ” A great wedding is held, and “the prince and his shining knight would live happily ever after.”
“The book Prince & Knight clearly conveys the message that same-sex marriage should be accepted by all as a cause for celebration,” said Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority opinion, a concerning message for Americans whose religion tells them that same-sex marriage is wrong.
“For young children, to whom this and the other storybooks are targeted, such celebration is liable to be processed as having moral connotations,” Alito wrote. “If this same-sex marriage makes everyone happy and leads to joyous celebration by all, doesn’t that mean it is in every respect a good thing?”
Uncle Bobby’s Wedding Author: Sarah S. Brannen Illustrator: Lucia Soto
In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a little girl named Chloe learns that her beloved uncle is engaged to his partner, a man named Jamie. At first, she worries that the marriage will change her close bond with her uncle. But she soon embraces the celebration and the joy of getting another uncle through the union.
In the majority opinion, Alito wrote that the book sends children the message that “two people can get married, regardless of whether they are of the same or the opposite sex, so long as they ‘love each other.’ ” That viewpoint is “directly contrary to the religious principles that the parents in this case wish to instill in their children.” Parents ability to “present a different moral message” to their children, he said, “is undermined when the exact opposite message is positively reinforced in the public school classroom at a very young age.”
In her dissent, Sotomayor includes the entire book, writing that, “Because the majority selectively excerpts the book in order to rewrite its story.”
The majority’s analysis, she writes, “reveals its failure to accept and account for a fundamental truth: LGBTQ people exist. They are part of virtually every community and workplace of any appreciable size. Eliminating books depicting LGBTQ individuals as happily accepted by their families will not eliminate student exposure to that concept.”
Jacob’s Room to Choose Author: Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman Illustrator: Chris Case
Book “Jacob’s Room To Choose” published by Magination Press.
(Magination Press)
“Jacob’s Room to Choose” is a follow-up to “Jacob’s New Dress,” a picture book listed as one of the American Library Assn.‘s top 100 banned books of the last decade.
Jacob wears a dress, and when he tries to use the boy’s bathroom, two little boys “stared at Jacob standing in the doorway. Jacob knew what that look meant. He turned and ran out.” The same thing happens to his friend Sophie, who presents as a boy and is chased out of the girl’s bathroom.
Their teacher encourages the whole class to rethink what gender really means. The class decides everyone should be able to use the bathroom that makes them feel comfortable, and makes new, inclusive signs to hang on the bathroom doors.
“After relabeling the bathroom doors to welcome multiple genders, the children parade with placards that proclaim ‘Bathrooms Are For Every Bunny’ and ‘[choose] the bathroom that is comfy,’ ” lawyers for the parents wrote.
IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All Author: Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council and Carolyn Choi Illustrator: Ashley Seil Smith
Book “IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All” published by Dottir Press.
(Dottir Press)
“IntersectionAllies,” written by three sociologists, is a story about characters with different identities, including one who uses a wheelchair, and another, Kate, who identifies as transgender. One page shows Kate in a gender-neutral bathroom, saying, “My friends defend my choices and place. A bathroom, like all rooms, should be a safe space.”
In the majority opinion, Alito describes a discussion guide included with the book that he said asserts: “When we are born, our gender is often decided for us based on our sex . . . . But at any point in our lives, we can choose to identify with one gender, multiple genders, or neither gender.” The guide asks readers, “What pronouns fit you best?” Alito wrote.
What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns Author: Katherine Locke Illustrator: Anne Passchier
“What Are Your Words” is a picture book about a child named Ari whose pronouns are “like the weather. They change depending on how I feel. And that’s ok, because they’re my words.” Ari’s Uncle Lior (who uses they/them pronouns) is coming to visit, and Ari is struggling to decide which words describe them.
“The child spends the day agonizing over the right pronouns,” the lawyers for the parents wrote. At the end, while watching fireworks, Ari says, “My words finally found me! They and them feel warm and snug to me.”
My Rainbow Author: DeShanna Neal and Trinity Neal Illustrator: Art Twink
“My Rainbow” tells the true story of a Black child with autism who self-identifies as a transgender girl. Trinity wants long hair, just like her doll, but has trouble growing it out. “The mother decides that her child knows best and sews him a rainbow-colored wig,” lawyers for the parents wrote.
This article is part of The Times’ early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to age 5. For more information about the initiative and its philanthropic funders, go to latimes.com/earlyed.
Leaders in the LGBTQ+ rights movement are taking stock and looking for lessons after a difficult few years.
When the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark Obergefell vs. Hodges case 10 years ago that same-sex couples have a right to marry nationwide, the sense of triumph was palpable. Celebrations broke out in the streets, and courthouses were flooded with newlyweds.
But that wasn’t the only response.
Opponents of LGBTQ+ rights immediately began implementing new strategies to limit the decision’s reach and reverse the broader momentum toward LGBTQ+ acceptance, including by casting a small, less understood subset of the queer community — transgender people — as a growing threat to American families and values.
“Right after Obergefell, every effort to advance any equality measure was met with an anti-trans backlash,” said Chase Strangio, a transgender attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union and one of the nation’s leading voices on LGBTQ+ legal rights.
In statehouses and governors’ mansions across the country, the number of bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights have increased year after year, with 800 being introduced this year alone. The Trump administration also has embraced the shift, with federal agencies aggressively investigating California and threatening its funding over its trans-inclusive policies. Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that states may ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
The White House is lighted in rainbow colors in 2015 after the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage.
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press)
The strategy has delighted many conservatives. But it has also frightened a community that had seen itself as being on a path toward progress, reviving discussions about the legacy of the Obergefell decision and igniting a fierce debate within the community about the wisdom of its political strategy over the past decade.
Some have questioned whether the efforts since Obergefell to broaden transgender rights were pursued too fast, too soon, playing into the hands of the movement’s political foes. Others say those concerns sound strikingly similar to ones raised during the fight for marriage equality, when some argued that same-sex couples should settle for civil unions to avoid alienating religious moderates.
The conversation is not a comfortable one. Nerves are raw and fear is palpable. Some worry that pointing the finger will further embolden those working to dismantle LGBTQ+ rights. But others argue that a strategic reassessment is necessary after years of setbacks.
“This can be an inflection point for how we move forward — whether we galvanize resources in [an] aligned effort to push back, [or] continue to let ourselves be divided by campaigns and movements and strategies that seek to divide us,” Strangio said. “That’s the real question for this moment.”
The shifting debate
Strangio, now co-director of the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project, had worked on the Obergefell case and was outside the Supreme Court the day the decision came down. He thought about his younger self, and how impossible such a ruling would have seemed just years before — when state marriage bans were sweeping the country.
But he didn’t have much time to dwell on the victory, he said, as it became clear “within minutes” that anti-LGBTQ+ forces were already regrouping and preparing for the next fight.
One of their first targets was transgender people’s use of public bathrooms. Within months of the Obergefell decision, voters in Houston rejected an anti-discrimination measure after opponents falsely claimed that the ordinance’s gender-identity protections would allow sexual predators to enter women’s bathrooms.
In 2016, North Carolina passed the nation’s first law barring transgender people from using bathrooms aligned with their identities. The measure sparked huge backlash and statewide boycotts, led in part by corporate America — and the bill was rolled back in 2017.
People gather in North Carolina in 2016 to protest the state’s restrictive bathroom bill.
(Emery P. Dalesio / Associated Press)
LGBTQ+ activists were jubilant, viewing North Carolina’s embarrassment as a clear sign that history was on their side and that expanded transgender rights and protections were inevitable. And there would be big wins to come — including the 2020 Supreme Court ruling that the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination nationwide.
However, the tide was already beginning to shift, including as right-wing groups began to identify specific transgender issues that resonated with voters more than bathrooms, and as Trump — in his first term — began taking aim at transgender rights.
Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, said his organization “poll tested all of these issues, the bathrooms, the showers, the locker rooms,” and found that many were “incredibly unpopular to voters” — but some more than others.
One of the issues that resonated the most, Schilling said, was kids’ healthcare and competition in girls sports. So his group ran with that, including in the 2019 race for governor in Kentucky, when it ran an ad suggesting the Democratic candidate and ultimate victor — Andy Beshear — supported boys competing in girls’ wrestling competitions, when in fact Beshear supported policies barring discrimination based on kids’ gender identity.
Schilling said it was “the left’s insistence that we need to start trans’ing kids” that made the issue a political one. But his group’s strategy in Kentucky helped wake conservatives up to the political value of highlighting it.
“We’re really just tapping into a real vulnerability that Democrats started for themselves,” Schilling said.
Trump had pursued various anti-transgender policies during his first term, including a ban on transgender service members. But during his campaign for reelection, he centered transgender issues like never before, dumping millions of dollars into anti-transgender ads that cast his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as an extreme progressive on such issues.
“Kamala is for they/them; President Trump is for you,” one ad said.
Once in office, Trump moved even more aggressively against transgender rights than the community had feared — prompting various lawsuits from LGBTQ+ organizations that are still pending.
He issued an executive order declaring there are only two genders, and suggesting transgender people don’t actually exist. He again banned transgender people from serving in the military. He threatened the funding of states such as California with trans-inclusive school policies. He ordered transgender athletes out of youth sports. He said federal law enforcement would target those who provide gender-affirming care to minors. And his administration said it would stop providing transgender people with passports reflecting their identities.
President Trump signs an executive order in February banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
(Jabin Botsford / Washington Post via Getty Images)
Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, said the American people “voted for a return to common sense,” and Trump was “delivering on every campaign promise.”
“President Trump’s historic reelection and the overall MAGA movement is a big tent welcome for all and home to a large swath of the American people,” Fields said.
From offense to defense
Reggie Greer, who served as a senior advisor on LGBTQI+ Persons at the State Department in the Biden administration, remembers being in North Carolina during the 2016 bathroom bill fight. While local Democrats were pleased with how it had backfired on Republicans, it was clear to him that “hate is lucrative,” Greer said — with the anti-rights groups raising hundreds of millions of dollars.
He now sees the episode as an early warning of what was to come.
Nick Hutchins handled public affairs around the Obergefell case before joining the Human Rights Campaign, where he worked on state affairs and communications. Traveling through conservative states, he watched as more Republicans began seizing on LGBTQ+ issues after Trump’s 2016 victory.
“It was a moment when Republicans saw an opening and wanted to chip away at LGBTQ rights in any way they could,” Hutchins said. “That’s where you began to see a spaghetti-against-the-wall approach from their end, pursuing the bathroom bills that evolved into various education-focused bills, and healthcare.”
Inside the HRC during Trump’s first term, leadership felt confident that public opinion remained on their side. LGBTQ+ rights organizations had secured victories in statehouses on bathroom and healthcare issues, and were buoyed by Trump’s electoral defeat in 2020.
Yet, several warning signs emerged. Internal state polling by the HRC found large majorities of Americans supported trans rights, but a plurality opposed allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports.
One former HRC staffer, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said the organization had not paid much attention to the issue until a series of political attacks in conservative states. The governor’s race in Kentucky was one, followed by a statehouse push in Louisiana.
Still, other battles — including “confronting whiteness in the movement” — took precedent, the former staffer recalled.
“There were significant generational divides within the organization between the older teams and their younger staff that were more diverse on these issues,” the staffer said. “It was a distraction.”
Hutchins said LGBTQ+ organizations today are having “autopsy conversations” to take stock of how things have played out in recent years and identify lessons to be learned.
Leaders look ahead
Among the most prominent leaders of the modern LGBTQ+ movement, there is consensus on many things.
It’s a scary time for LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable groups, including immigrants and women. Trump represents an existential threat to American democracy. The LGBTQ+ rights movement needs more resources to continue fighting back. Nobody is going to throw transgender people under the bus just because some Democrats have suggested it would help them rebound politically.
“No one person, no one community, is expendable. End of story,” said Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the marriage case.
The actor Laverne Cox, one of the most recognizable transgender women in the country, said the marriage victory in 2015 left the right in need of “a new boogeyman,” and they picked transgender people — a tiny portion of the U.S. population, at around 1%.
They further picked on transgender people in sports — an even tinier group — in order to focus the conversation on “hormones and physical ability,” which is “a great way to objectify trans people, to reduce us to our bodies, and thus dehumanize us,” Cox said.
The best way to fight back, she said, is to refocus the conversation on transgender people’s humanity by allowing them to tell their own stories — rather than allowing their narratives to be “hijacked by propaganda.”
The actor Laverne Cox, shown in April, said trans people should be able to tell their own stories.
(Andy Kropa / Invision / Associated Press)
“We’re just like everybody else in terms of what we want, need, desire, our hopes and fears,” she said. “Living authentically and being able to be oneself is where the focus should be.”
Evan Wolfson, an attorney and founder of the advocacy group Freedom to Marry, which is widely credited with securing the 2015 victory in the Obergefell case, said there are “three significant factors” that got the country to where it is today on transgender issues.
The “most important factor by far,” he said, “is the right-wing attack machine and the political agenda of some who are trying to attack and scapegoat and divide” the country around transgender issues.
A second factor, he said, is that transgender identities are still a “relatively new” concept for many Americans, and “that conversation is just not as far along as the very long conversation about who gay people are.”
A third and far less significant factor, he said, are the “missteps” by LGBTQ+ advocates in the last decade, including some vocally renouncing anyone who is not 100% supportive of trans rights.
“We worked hard in the Freedom to Marry campaign to bring people along and to distinguish between those who were our true opponents, those who were really anti-gay, anti-rights, anti-inclusion on the one hand, and those who I called the ‘reachable but not yet reached’ — people who weren’t with us, but weren’t our true opponents, people who were still wrestling with the question,” Wolfson said.
Allowing people a bit more time and space to be brought along on transgender issues will be necessary moving forward, he said — though he stressed that does not mean that advocates should slow down or pull back.
Wolfson rejected the idea that the LGBTQ+ community is moving too fast on transgender rights, which was also argued about marriage, and the idea that transgender rights should be abandoned as a political liability. “There is no reason to believe that we would profit from selling out our principles and doing the wrong thing just to avoid this tough moment,” Wolfson said.
Strangio said the fight for LGBTQ+ rights today cannot be viewed in a vacuum, and that zooming out, “there are a lot of reasons to be concerned about basic constitutional principles and civil rights protections” for all sorts of vulnerable people under the Trump administration.
Still, he said, he believes in the queer community’s “ability to move through setbacks” and come out on ahead of the “billion-dollar global campaigns to undermine equality protections” that began after the Obergefell decision.
“Fighting back was the right course,” he said, “and continuing to assess how we can effectively build support for the entire community is going to be a critical part of this next decade.”
June is Pride month, and what better thing to throw on your screen than some of the best LGBTQIA+ series out there, from reality shows to period dramas and romance?
07:00, 18 Jun 2025Updated 07:42, 18 Jun 2025
If you’re looking for bingeable LGBTQIA+ series to celebrate Pride with, look no further (Image: Ben Blackall 2019)
Pride month is officially here, and for those days you’re not spent celebrating with friends at festivals and parades, you can still embrace the moment while cosied up at home. Turn on your TV, tuck into your blanket and allow these queer shows to add a touch of magic to your month.
Whether you’re wanting to see some familiar queer faces in a reality TV show or fall in love on screen, there’s so much great LGBTQIA+ storytelling waiting to be shared. To make life a little easier, we’ve compiled a quick list of what there is on offer, across all genres, that you may not have seen just yet.
Killing Eve is an award-winning show with LGBTQ+ themes(Image: BBC America,BBC America/David Emery)
Overcompensating (Amazon Prime)
This new addition from Amazon Prime is the talk of the town this month, as the comedy drama sees a guest appearance from Charli XCX. Not to mention, a whole load of cameos from online queer comedians, including the creator and lead actor, Benito Skinner, better known as Bennydrama.
Viewers can watch him star as a high school jock, fresh into college at Yates University, grappling with his sexuality. The popular kid is a closeted gay guy and finds himself in all kinds of situations to mask his true identity and fit in with his heterosexual classmates.
Feel Good (Netflix)
Feel Good is a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama created by and starring Mae Martin. The non-binary actor plays a fictionalised version of themself as they struggle to cope with addiction and their attachment to their girlfriend George.
Charlotte Richie, known for her roles in Fresh Meat and Call The Midwife, stars as Mae’s complicated partner whom they live with. In a series of hilarious, quintessentially British and awkward moments, George struggles to come out to her loved ones but falls madly in love with Mae. The touching TV show also stars none other than Friends actress Lisa Kudrow, who plays Mae’s over-the-top Canadian mother.
Queer Eye (Netflix)
The 2018 reboot of an old reality show saw Queer Eye turn into an impressive nine-season run, with its all-LGBTQ+ hosts gaining traction worldwide. Five experts in their fields – fashion, grooming, interiors, cooking, and lifestyle – transform the lives of everyday people in an attempt to improve their lives, using their years of experience and knowledge.
Travelling across the US, the Fab Five team are met with people from all walks of life, including those that may even have views against the queer community, where they face an even bigger task. It is emotional and heartwarming as you see people who don’t take the time for themselves be given the gift of compassion, care and, of course, a whole new makeover.
Queer Eye has over 80 episodes (Image: Netflix)
It’s A Sin (Channel 4)
One short series packs in a strong punch in what is a highly acclaimed show with an outstanding cast. It’s a Sin is set in 1980s London, during the AIDS crisis, and follows the lives of young men, who moved to the city in search of a new life and were met with tragedy.
While the series is a celebration of the queer community in the 80s, it retells a vital and heartbreaking story of the young homosexual men that lost their lives to AIDS. Not only that, but it deals with the prejudice the community faced as a result of the HIV virus at the time.
Killing Eve (BBC iPlayer)
Killing Eve is an unstoppable spy thriller that follows an investigator tasked with capturing an insane assassin, Villanelle. As she chases down her latest case, her obsession becomes stronger, and Villanelle enjoys the thrill of being wanted. Each episode sees their unusual connection grow into toxic mind games that leave you questioning what is genuine and what is all one big mind game.
The first two series were critically acclaimed, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, who went on to win numerous BAFTA Awards and Golden Globes for their roles. The obsessive pair’s violent, emotional and sexual relationship grows and flows throughout the four seasons of the show, and all of them are available to binge-watch on BBCiPlayer and Netflix.
Heartstopper (Netflix)
Olivia Coleman appears in the award-winning series (Image: Samuel Dore/Netflix)
This is a heart-warming coming-of-age show, based on a teen fiction novel with the same name, that tells the touching story of two young boys falling in love. It deals with a group of teenagers as they face coming out, friendship struggles, first times, sexuality and identity.
Heartstopper gained critical acclaim and high praise for its tasteful portrayal of LGBTQ+ people and went on to receive a number of Emmy nominations. Within just a few days of its release, it became one of the top ten most-watched English language shows on Netflix and remains a staple queer show for many TV fans.
Gentleman Jack (BBC iPlayer)
A period drama based around a 19th-century lesbian love affair, Gentleman Jack is seeped in history and makes for the perfect binge-watch. Set in the Yorkshire hills during the 1830s, it follows Anne Lister, an industrialist and landowner, whose real-life diaries helped to build the plot of the show.
Decades upon decades later, the diaries were discovered, many of which were written in a secret code that details a lifetime of the businesswoman’s lesbian relationships. Each episode takes you on a journey, based on these stories, in what becomes a sensual and steamy romance.
Since the start of 2025, a number of beloved LGBTQIA+ figures have sadly passed away, leaving behind family, friends, fans and their incredible legacies. While they are no longer with us, their impact and work will never be forgotten. See below for a list of all the LGBTQIA+ stars who have crossed over.
BBC
The Vivienne
Date of passing: 5 January 2025
Age: 32
Known for: The Vivienne rose to fame as the winner of the first-ever season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019. Three years later, she made an iconic return for All Stars 7, the franchise’s first winners’ season, making history in the process as the first international contestant to crossover to the U.S. series. Following her victory, The Vivienne quickly became one of the UK’s most recognisable drag entertainers, with appearances on shows such as Celebrity Juice, Emmerdale, Celebrity Mastermind,Celebrity Karaoke Club, and I Like to Watch UK. In 2023, she made history again as the first drag artist to compete on Dancing on Ice, where she placed third.
Cause of Death: On 17 March, The Vivienne’s family and publicist Simon Jones shared that the beloved performer died “from the effects of ketamine use, causing a cardiac arrest.” “James’ family and I feel it is important to say how James tragically died… I hope that by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do your body,” Jones said in a statement.
Instagram: @TimKruger_Reloaded
Tim Kruger
Date of passing: 1 March 2025
Age: 44
Known for: Born in Dűsseldorf, Germany, Tim Kruger made his debut in the adult film industry in 2006. Three years later, he co-created the popular TimTales website with his longtime partner Grobes Geraet. In addition to running one of the biggest gay porn platforms of all time, Kruger also appeared in material for other studios and worked as a director and producer.
Cause of Death: In a statement posted on the TimTales website, presumably from Geratet, it was revealed the late adult entertainer’s death was a result of “a tragic, yet simple accident at home.” “There were no drugs involved, nor was there any indication of foul play or suicide,” he wrote. “Though my heart is broken into pieces, I find solace in the countless memories he gifted us. And I know that he died knowing he was loved. Tim’s legacy of compassion, love, and joy will live on in all who knew him.”
Jiggly Caliente
Date of passing: 27 April 2025
Age: 44
Known for: Jiggly Caliente first rose to fame as a breakout star on the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race (2012), winning over fans and judges alike with her lovable, larger-than-life personality. She also delivered one of the franchise’s most unforgettable moments when she lip-synced to Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ in her now-iconic “Baked Potato Couture.” After coming out as a trans woman in 2016, Caliente established herself as an actress, starring in acclaimed shows such as Broad City, Search Party, and Pose. She made her long-awaited Drag Race return for the sixth season of All Stars. Although her stint was short-lived, she later transitioned from contestant to judge on the highly acclaimed Filipino spin-off.
Cause of Death: On 24 April, it was reported that Caliente had experienced “a serious health setback” due to a severe infection, during which she was hospitalised and had to undergo the amputation of most of her right leg. On 27 April, the late drag superstar’s family announced with “profound sorrow” that the drag icon, whose real name was Bianca Castro-Arabejo, had “passed away peacefully” at 4:42 a.m. that same day.
Damien Stone
Date of passing: Was announced on 11 March by his family.
Age: 32
Known for: Originally from Moldova and raised in the United States, Stone was active in the adult industry from 2017 to 2021. Over the course of his career, he featured in approximately 120 scenes for well-known sites including TransAngles, Bromo, NakedSword, MEN, WhyNotBui, TheGuySite, ManUpFilms, and more. Following his retirement from studio-produced adult films, Stone focused on his career as a bodybuilder and launched an OnlyFans account. On his LinkTree profile, which links to his OF and OmegaLabs, Stone was “raising awareness, driving donations and sharing information in support of racial justice and equality”.
Cause of Death: Stone’s cause of death, as confirmed by his family, was complications related to an enlarged heart.
AJ Bediako
Date of passing: 27 May 2025
Age: 32
Known for: AJ Bediako was one of the original ‘Brit Crew’ members on the first-ever season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, appearing in episodes three, five and six. According to his Instagram, he worked as a certified fitness coach, offering lessons online and in person at F45 Training Brixton and PureGym Clapham. In his bio, he proudly displayed that he was “O.G. BritCrew”. As an actor, he appeared alongside Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth in The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016) as a Huntsman, as well as in episodes of Venus vs. Mars (2015) and One Crazy Thing (2016).
Cause of Death: A cause of death has not officially been announced.
Instagram
Roman Mercury
Date of passing: February 2025
Age: 45
Known for: Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, but based in the United States, Mercury first got his start in the adult film industry in 2022. Over the course of his career, which lasted up to his death, the 45-year-old talent starred in 93 scenes for well-known sites including Raging Stallion, Menatplay.com, Hotoldermale.com, Nasty Daddy and more (per Internet Adult Film Database). In addition to his studio work, Mercury also had popular pages on OnlyFans and JustFor.Fans.
Cause of Death: On 11 March, Mercury’s close friend and industry peer, Greg Dixxon revealed to Out that the late star’s death stemmed from a heart attack. “I was informed by the family that his passing was due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease, meaning he suffered from a heart attack,” he told the news outlet.
Kolby Falks
Date of passing: May 2025
Age: 39
Known for: The Australian native, known as Anthony Cox to his family and friends, made his debut in the adult film world in 2022. Although his time in the industry was brief, he starred in 76 projects and amassed over 400,000 followers across Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube. He also led a fruitful career as a content creator on the subscription-based websites OnlyFans and JustFor.Fans.
Cause of Death: As of this writing, a cause of death has not been announced.
Jonathan Joss
Date of passing: 1 June 2025
Age: 59
Known for: The beloved voice actor and musician was best known for his roles as John Redcorn in King of the Hill (1997-2009) and as Chief Ken Hotate in Parks and Recreation (2011-2015). Other notable credits include Ray Donovan (2016), Tulsa King (2022), Walker, Texas Ranger (2023).
Cause of Death: Joss was shot and killed outside his home by Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, his neighbour. In a statement, the late actor’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, opened up about Joss’ final moments, telling NBC News: “I just kept telling him: ‘It’s OK. You need to cross over. You don’t need to keep struggling. You need to go ahead and cross over easy.’”
Sha’Vi Lewis
Date of passing: 24 February 2025
Age: 39
Known for: Sha’Vi Lewis rose to fame as a competitor on Project Runway’s 18th season. Before showing off his designing skills on the hit fashion series, the late talent served as creative director for the menswear brand Stephen F. He also had his own clothing line.
Cause of Death: As of this writing, a cause of death has not been announced.
According to GLAAD’s 13th annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI), there was a decrease in LGBTQ+ representation in films last year.
The report “maps the quantity, quality, and diversity of LGBTQ characters in films released by the seven film studio distributors that had the highest theatrical grosses from films released in the 2021 calendar year.”
The distributors that the SRI analysed were as follows: The Walt Disney Studios, Apple TV+, Warner Bros., Paramount Global, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Lionsgate.
The percentage of LGBTQIA+-inclusive films from major studios in 2024 decreased to 23.6%, compared to 27.3% in 2023 and the record high of 28.5% in 2022.
Trans representation was abysmal in the 250 films tracked, with only two major movies featuring trans characters, and both included either inauthentic casting or harmful stereotypes.
When it came to analysing screen time, it was revealed that 38% of LGBTQIA+ characters had less than one minute of screen time, while 27% had over 10 minutes, representing a significant decrease from the 38% in 2023.
In terms of racial diversity among the 181 LGBTQIA+ characters tracked, 115 were white (64 percent), 19 were Black (17 percent), 12 were Latine (seven percent), 18 were Asian/Pacific Islander (10 percent), nine were multiracial (five percent), three were Indigenous (two percent), and two were Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) (one percent).
While the number of Indigenous LGBTQIA+ characters slightly increased in 2024, there was a decrease in Black, Latine, MENA, and Multiracial representation.
LGBTQIA+ characters living with HIV were not included in any of the studied films, and only 4% had a disability.
Amid the troubling data, there were slight wins for the community, with LGBTQIA+ women seeing an increase in representation (50%) – outnumbering LGBTQIA+ men (48%) for the first time in five years.
The report also tracked “the quantity, quality, and diversity of LGBTQ characters in the year’s slate, as well as actions from the studios and parent companies that either supported or harmed the LGBTQ community.”
A24 was the only studio to receive a “good” rating, while NBCUniversal and Amazon were awarded a “fair” ranking. The remaining studios earned either “insufficient” or “poor” grades.
Lastly, under the SRI’s Bechdel Test-inspired Vito Russo Test – which analyses whether the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters within the narrative actually “matters” – only 18% of the total 250 films passed.
This marked a two percent decrease from 2024 (20%) and a four percent decrease from 2023 (22%).
GLAAD CEO & President Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement: “This year’s findings are a wake-up call to the industry. At a time when LGBTQ people are facing unprecedented attacks in politics and news media, film must be a space for visibility and truth.
“Representation isn’t about checking a box — it’s about whose stories get told, whose lives are valued, and creating worlds that mirror our own society today. When done authentically, LGBTQ representation builds audience and buzz, while humanising LGBTQ people as those in power are actively working to take away our humanity.”
Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Research and Analysis, echoed similar sentiments, adding that the “majorities of LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ 18-24 year olds (93% and 85%, respectively) reporting actively seeking out queer media.”
“The LGBTQ community is a powerful and growing audience with significant buying power and cultural clout that can drive success for a film,” she said.
“More than 1 in 5 (23.1%) Gen Z U.S. adults – a key ticket and subscription buying audience – are LGBTQ. Further, LGBTQ Americans 13-39 are more likely than non-LGBTQ peers to say they are a “diehard fan” of something, rating movies as the top thing they fan over.
“It’s clear that companies who are looking to grow their revenue should be deliberately courting this community with inclusive storytelling, targeted and specific marketing, and merchandise. When studios don’t tell LGBTQ stories, they’re ignoring an audience that represents over one trillion per year in U.S. spending power, and leaving profit on the table.”
You can read GLAAD’s full SRI report for 2025 here.
The nightclub is being replaced with a permanent memorial to one of the US’s worst mass shootings in modern history.
Survivors and family members of the 49 victims killed at an LGBTQ+ friendly nightclub in the United States have gotten their first chance to walk through it before it is demolished and replaced with a permanent memorial to what at the time was considered the worst mass shooting in modern US history.
In small groups over four days starting Wednesday, survivors and family members of those killed plan to spend half an hour at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where Omar Mateen opened fire during a Latin night celebration on June 12, 2016, leaving 49 dead and 53 wounded. Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS), was killed after a three-hour standoff with police.
The Pulse shooting‘s death toll was surpassed the following year when 58 people were killed and more than 850 injured among a crowd of 22,000 at a country music festival in Las Vegas.
The city of Orlando purchased the Pulse property in 2023 for $2m and plans to build a $12m permanent memorial that will open in 2027. These efforts follow a fumbled attempt to create a memorial over many years by a private foundation run by the club’s former owner.
The existing structure will be razed later this year.
“None of us thought that it would take nine years to get to this point, and we can’t go back and relitigate all of the failures along the way that have happened. But what we can do is control how we move forward together,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said two weeks ago, when county commissioners pledged $5m to support the city of Orlando’s plan.
The opportunity to visit the nightclub comes on the ninth anniversary of the mass shooting.
About 250 survivors and family members of those killed have responded to the city’s invitation to walk through the nightclub this week. Families of the 49 people who were killed can visit the site with up to six people in their group, and survivors can bring one person with them. The club has been cleaned, and lighting has been installed ahead of the walk-throughs.
The people invited to visit are being given the chance to ask FBI agents who investigated the massacre about what happened.
Mental health counsellors will be available to talk to those who walk through the building in what could be both a healing and traumatic moment for them.
“The building may come down, and we may finally get a permanent memorial, but that doesn’t change the fact that this community has been scarred for life,” said Brandon Wolf, who survived the massacre by hiding in a bathroom as the gunman opened fire. He does not plan to visit the site.
“There are people inside the community who still need and will continue to need support and resources.”
Identity.vc has shared new information on LGBTQ+ founders in the European and UK startup ecosystem.
On 3 June, Europe’s first venture capital fund backing LGBTQ+ founders launched its 2025 LGBTQ+ Startup Report.
The new study, which maps LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship in the European startup sector, surveyed over 500 founders from more than 20 countries.
Based on their findings, 17.6% of startups have at least one LGBTQIA+ co-founder.
However, due to the growing number of Gen Z founders identifying as part of the community, the share is projected to rise to 26.1% by 2030.
The report also revealed that LGBTQIA+ founders exhibit the qualities that investors value in early-stage teams, such as a highly resilient attitude, an impact-driven approach, and a strong work ethic.
When analysing the number of out LGBTQIA+ founders, the data revealed that only 64% are open about their sexuality, while 35.8% have not disclosed their identity.
Lastly, the study found that only 14% of founders frequently utilise the expansive and powerful network of the LGBTQIA+ community, despite 72% recognising its value.
In a statement, Identity.vc founding partner Til Klein expressed the importance of the report, stating that it “uncovers a massive, untapped opportunity in European tech.”
“Innovation happens when we break the norm – and few communities embody that better than the LGBTQ community. Disruption is in our DNA,” he said.
Fellow founding partner Jochen Beutgen echoed similar sentiments, describing the study as a “visibility breakthrough.”
“For the first time, we have a data-driven foundation to inform how the venture community can understand, support, and invest in LGBTQ+ founders across Europe.”
To get more information about Identity.vc and the 2025 LGBTQ+ Startup Report, click here.
