Top Stories
63 years ago, the Quakers stood up for gay dignity & they’re still fighting for our LGBTQ+ rights
Quakers, like most Protestant denominations, hold differing views of homosexuality within their ranks. But no other mainstream Protestant religion has embraced LGBTQ+ identity like the Quakers, known officially as the Religious Society of Friends. The clearest example is a text promulgated over seven years in meetings by a group of Quaker writers, psychiatrists, psychologists, and teachers, assembled to consider issues surrounding homosexuality. Published in 1963, “Towards a Quaker View of Sex” asserted, “An act which expresses true affection between two individuals and gives pleasure to them both, does not seem to us to be sinful by reason alone of the fact that […]
Running for office while LGBTQ+ increasingly means preparing for violence
After years of escalating anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in American politics, a new national report suggests the consequences are no longer confined to campaign ads, legislative fights, or online outrage. For many LGBTQ+ candidates, the threats have become intensely personal and increasingly physical. The threats arrive in direct messages, voicemail inboxes, comment sections, and late-night emails. Sometimes they follow candidates home. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week. One LGBTQ+ candidate reported that a neighbor shot at their house after they advocated for transgender rights. Another described being shoved off a […]
Trans students made to use outdoor porta-potties as new bill signed in South Carolina
Trans students may be forced to use outdoor porta-potties if no single-occupancy toilets are available (Image: Getty Images) South Carolina governor Henry McMaster has signed House Bill 4756, a “privacy” law that allows schools to treat outdoor porta-potties as an acceptable single-occupancy toilet option for trans students if no indoor single-user bathroom is available. The Campaign for Southern Equality warned in an Instagram post that the measure could make going to the toilet “difficult and even dangerous” for trans and non-binary young people. The bill, titled the South Carolina Student Physical Privacy Act, requires multi-person bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities […]
Local News
Positive Images Creates The SoCo GAMA (Gender-Affirming Medication Access) Fund
The SoCo GAMA (Gender-Affirming Medication Access) Fund was created with a simple but urgent purpose: to remove financial barriers to gender-affirming medication for members of our community. We launched it in response to what we were hearing every day. People were navigating systems that were confusing, under-resourced, and too often inaccessible when it mattered most. At its core, the fund has always been about access. Access to care. Access to dignity. Access to the ability to live fully and authentically. The fund was launched at a critical time, when access to care was threatened for all, but especially for our trans youth, who faced the reality […]
Wake Up Sonoma Hosts A Screening of The Mom’s Club June 25
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT SCREENINGS YET – NOT YET RELEASED! PREMIERE SCREENINGJune 25 – 6-8 pmDoors open at 5:15Movie at 6 – Panel right after will the full cast of moms THE MOMS CLUBTICKETS AVAILABLE NOWMoms Club | Press Democrat News GroupHere is the trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rotwfFTZFY When a surge of extremist candidates takes over their local school boards, a group of suburban moms — fierce, funny, and fed up — launches a covert resistance to defend their LGBTQ+ kids and protect public education. Armed with open-source intelligence, “sock puppet” accounts, and a Signal chat that turns into a digital command center, these unlikely activists […]
Arts & Entertainment
Summer at Transcendence is Officially Underway
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION Friday, June 19 | Ain’t Too Proud We are proud to honor Juneteenth National Independence Day — centering the stories and lived experiences of Black Americans, while celebrating freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality. Telling the story of The Temptations, this evening recognizes a legacy rooted in Black excellence. PRIDE NIGHT Saturday, August 29 | Mamma Mia! Our annual Pride Night returns — a vibrant, affirming celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. The pre-show picnic transforms into a colorful, joy-filled gathering, followed by Mamma Mia! under the stars — a show that celebrates love, friendship, and self-expression. ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES Ain’t Too […]
Frameline Announces Lineup for Landmark 50th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Today, queer media nonprofit Frameline announced the full lineup for the landmark 50th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline50) — the largest, longest-running, and most widely recognized queer film exhibition in the world. Taking place June 17–27, Frameline50’s 11 days of programming feature over 140 films from 35 countries. “It is an unbelievable privilege to lead this organization during our landmark 50th festival. The lead up to this anniversary has happened alongside this looming, all-pervading sense that a revolution — both political and moral — is mounting. Now, the 50th is here. And so is the revolution. Our rights are being taken away […]
State News
San Francisco YMCA updates women’s locker room rules after complaint over one trans patron
A San Francisco YMCA has updated its locker room guidelines following complaints from some members about a trans member’s conduct in the women’s changing facilities. The Stonestown Family YMCA introduced new signage outlining expectations around nudity, privacy, and appropriate use of shared spaces, as reported by The Daily Mail on 25 May. The updated rules state that nudity should be “discreet, limited, and brief”, and that it is permitted only while actively showering. Members are also instructed to maintain personal space and use common areas in a manner that respects the privacy of others. According to reporting, the changes follow a period of dispute involving a […]
Long Beach Pride Festival Canceled Over Permit Issues
Los Angeles’s ABC affiliate reports: The city of Long Beach announced Friday it has canceled this weekend’s Long Beach Pride Festival, citing apparent permitting issues, though Sunday’s parade will still take place. City officials said the festival, which had been scheduled to start Friday at 5 p.m. with Teen Pride and continue Saturday and Sunday, will not move forward as planned. “Unfortunately, one event, the Long Beach Pride Festival, will not be able to take place this year as sufficient information to safely permit the event has not been made available by the event organizers,” the city said in a statement. […]
