Top Stories
Trump-backed House candidate tied to New Mexico church with extreme anti-women & anti-LGBTQ+ views
A Republican candidate for Congress in New Mexico is running on a platform shaped by a megachurch that condemns same-sex relationships, rejects transgender identities, and calls abortion murder. Greg Cunningham, backed by former President Donald Trump, has cast his campaign in explicitly ideological terms. Cunningham has called advancing the national Republican agenda his “number one priority” and has repeatedly framed his candidacy as rooted in faith, crediting his pastor with helping him enter politics. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week. That pastor, Steve Smothermon, leads Legacy Church, an Albuquerque-based megachurch whose official doctrine […]
Bill To Fund State Dept Is Full Of Anti-LGBTQ Riders
The Washington Blade reports: As Congress finalizes its funding for fiscal year 2027, Republicans are attempting to include five anti-LGBTQ riders in the National Security and Department of State Appropriations Act. A rider is an unrelated provision tacked onto a bill that must pass — in this instance, the bill provides funding for national security policy and for the State Department. The riders range from restricting Pride flags in federal buildings to banning transgender healthcare, but all aim to limit the visibility and rights of LGBTQ Americans. Section 7067(c) restricts the United States’ ability to appoint special envoys, representatives, or coordinators unless […]
Under New Extremism Laws, LGBTQ Russians Must Fight to Survive
Natalia Soloviova always knew she was putting herself at risk. As the chair of the Russian LGBT Network, the largest queer advocacy group in the country, she had spent years preparing detailed security protocols for what she would do if the government came after her. But it was still a nasty shock when she had to use them. In November 2023, almost two weeks before Russia’s supreme court would designate the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organization, Soloviova’s heart sank when she watched Channel One, a state-funded TV network, air a reportabout her organization. They flashed her and her colleagues’ […]
Local News
Pride Events in Rohnert Park & Cotati Info Announced
Come Out and Play – Queer Joy is Resistance! We invite you to participate! We believe your values and support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community helps build awareness, reduces self-harm, and promotes inclusion, community, friendship, and love – increasing wellness, health, and safety in Rohnert Park, The Friendly City and Cotati, The City with a Heart. This year, more than ever, it matters that we gather and be visible. Rohnert Park Pride @The Farmers’ Market **LOCATION CHANGE** Rohnert Park Community Center 5401 Snyder Lane June 12th – 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm Cotati Pride @Cotati Community Farmers’ Market LaPlaza Park June 17th – 4:30 pm […]
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 […]
Arts & Entertainment
CAAMFest 2026’s Array of LGBTQ Films
CAAMFest is returning for its 44th year, May 7-10, 2026, featuring over 60 films that capture the current zeitgeist of Asian American communities. The festival’s completely in-person screenings, panel discussions, and other programs will be centered around the AMC Kabuki in San Francisco Japantown, highlighting the city’s long history as a hub for Asian American community building with national impact. SHOWCASECENTERPIECE NARRATIVE: ForgeDirected by Jing Ai NgIn Miami, siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang’s art forgery ring flourishes when they encounter a disgraced millionaire in need of their expertise. Meanwhile, FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee moves to Miami to investigate a series […]
Occidental Community Choir: Postcards at OCA May 1 – 10
May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9,10. Occidental Community Choir: Postcards. Directed by Gage Purdy.The Occidental Community Choir invites audiences to its Spring concert series, a musical journey through memory, connection, and the moments that shape our lives. In times that can feel uncertain or isolating, even small gestures of connection -a postcard, a call, a simple message – can remind us that we are not alone. Postcards is built around that spirit of reaching out. Each piece in the program serves as a musical postcard: a snapshot from a particular time and place, carrying stories of joy, longing, hope, and reflection. Join our choral community this […]
State News
SF Pride Announces Grand Marshals
Join our 2026 Grand Marshals, Peaches Christ, and Honey Mahogany at the Castro Theatre for the official Kickoff Variety Spectacular. Buy Kickoff Tickets 2026 Community Grand Marshals Images and bios provided by Grand Marshals. Marcel Pardo Ariza they/he Public Choice Marcel Pardo Ariza is a proud Colombian trans migrant and a visionary force in the Bay Area’s cultural landscape. As an artist and activist, they transform cultural institutions into spaces of radical visibility and power for queer and trans people of color, often collaborating with performers, artists, policymakers, and community organizers. Marcel curated the retrospective of drag icon Juanita MORE! at […]
NLGJA-LA to Honor Greg Gordon and Lucia Chappelle of This Way Out Radio at 2nd Annual Journalism Awards
The Los Angeles chapter of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists is set to celebrate Southern California journalists and newsrooms at its second annual Press Pride Prom journalism awards gala on May 9, 2026, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The ceremony will honor Greg Gordon and Lucia Chappelle of This Way Out Radio with the Troy Masters Legacy Award for Visionaries in Media. Presented in collaboration with the Los Angeles Blade, the award honors a journalist or news media professional whose work reflects a dedication to the craft of journalism. The award is named in honor of Troy Masters, veteran queer journalist and former publisher […]
