Top Stories
Oregon to pay $295K to trans woman imprisoned until 2049
As the Trump administration has stopped considering gender identity in its prison policies, Oregon officials will pay $295,000 to settle a lawsuit from a transgender woman who said she was abused while housed in a men’s prison, where a judge later found she was likely subjected to repeated harm. Zera Lola Zombie filed a federal lawsuit in 2021 alleging abuse during her time at Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla, in eastern Oregon. While she was later transferred to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a women’s prison in Wilsonville, south of Portland, the Oregon Department of Corrections settled the case this week. Stay up to date […]
Court rules trans people have right to accurate IDs: “Trans discrimination is sex discrimination”
The Supreme Court of Montana ruled on Tuesday that trans residents of the state have a right to update their legal documents to accurately reflect their genders. “Transgender discrimination is, by its very nature, sex discrimination,” Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote in the court’s decision. “Government issued identification documents are necessary to access public life. When they do not accurately reflect a person’s sexual identity, the transgender Montanan is prevented, based on their sex, from obtaining the same attributes of public life that a cisgender Montanan may obtain. Hence, the inability of transgender Montanans to receive government-issued identification documents accurately reflecting their […]
Missouri Republicans advance bill to police trans people’s bathroom access
Another state is trying to police who can use what restroom. Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives have passed a bill requiring public entities to divide their bathrooms and changing areas by sex assigned at birth or face financial penalties. HB 2536 passed along party lines on Monday. The bill would codify definitions of “male” and “female” based on an individual’s “reproductive system” at birth. Institutions that receive state funds, like schools, shelters, and jails, would have to use these definitions to establish “single-sex” restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters. State colleges and universities would be required to separate dorms by sex assigned at birth. Stay up […]
Local News
Celebrate Pride with Purpose – Advance, Advocate, Act Up with Us! Sonoma County Pride Parade and Festival Booth Registration Is Now Open
We’re excited to officially open registration for the 2026 Sonoma County Pride Parade & Festival, and we’d love for you to join us again! You’re receiving this because you’ve been an important part of our Pride family—whether as a vendor, parade participant, or community partner—and we’d be honored to have you back as we come together for another unforgettable weekend of visibility, celebration, and community. This year’s theme, “Pride & True: Advance, Advocate, Act Up,” is a call to action. It honors the progress we’ve made while reminding us that Pride has always been rooted in advocacy, visibility, and collective power. From the parade route […]
Food For Thought Plant Sale and Garden Tour Happens April 24 & 25
Special Preview for FFT Supporters (Friday, April 24 9:00–11:00 am Public Sale:Saturdays, April 25 and May 29:00 am–12:00 pmGuided tours of the garden and food bank available by request. Get your garden started with ours! Our Garden Manager, Oliver, and Food For Thought volunteers have been busy sprouting hundreds of seedlings for our annual plant sale. You’ll find a wonderful selection of flowers, herbs, and veggies—perfect for spring planting.A big THANK YOU to these generous donors for contributing additional plant starts and potting supplies to support this fun FFT fundraiser:California Flora NurseryChokmalichi FarmsEmerisa GardensHarmony Farm SuppliesSweetwater NurseryWillow Creek Ranch
Arts & Entertainment
Tickets Now Available for “Avenue Q” at Left Edge Theater May 22 – June 7
Winner of the Tony “Triple Crown” for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, Avenue Q is part flesh, part felt and packed with heart. The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that, although the residents seem nice, it’s clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Avenue Q is a Tony Award-winning musical that follows a group of twenty-somethings, played […]
Occidental’s First Annual Ukulele Festival happens at OCA April 25
Saturday April 25 at Occidental Center for the Arts. Join us for Occidental’s First Annual Ukulele Festival! Musicians of all experience levels are welcome at this inclusive event. With a festival ticket you’ll enjoy: workshops and jams, performances including evening headliner George Kahumoku ,local Ukulele Clubs’ networking, Open Mic, and more! You will also be able to join a special, optional workshop with George Kahumoku (separate fee applies for the workshop). Don’t miss this fun fest for Ukulele players and enthusiasts! This event is sponsored by Warming Trends of Sonoma County. Tickets are $50 for the festival, $40 for OCA […]
State News
California Bill Would Extend Statute Of Limitations For Medical Malpractice Claims By Ex-Gay Torture Victims
Cal Matters reports: California lawmakers are advancing a new strategy to discourage efforts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Colorado law banning the practice. The strategy: Extend the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims. A bill introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, would increase the time period during which someone could file a malpractice suit against a mental health professional for trying to change their sexual orientation or gender and harming them in the process. Depending on the age of the person who files the […]
Gavin Newsom’s homophobic Grindr controversy explained
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates after his press office used Grindr as a punchline in posts targeting conservative commentator Benny Johnson—the latest controversy for the governor, who is widely seen as positioning himself for a potential 2028 presidential run. The backlash comes amid broader unease among LGBTQ+ leaders over Newsom’s recent comments urging Democrats to be more “culturally normal” and to spend less time on “pronouns” and “identity politics,” remarks critics say echo language historically used to marginalize LGBTQ+ people. What happened The controversy stems from a series of social media posts by Newsom’s press office during an ongoing […]
