Top Stories
Europe has a new best country for LGBTQ+ rights
ILGA Europe has published its annual Rainbow Map and LGBTQ+ rights index, and Spain has now claimed the number one spot for the most LGBTQ+-positive laws and policies. Spain displaced Malta from the number one spot, a position that Malta had held for the last 10 years. ILGA explained in its report that, “Spain’s rise to the top reflects a combination of achievements, including a fully functioning depathologization of trans identities in healthcare, new legal protections, new national LGBTI and trans strategies, a new independent equal treatment and non-discrimination authority, and a determined fightback against far-right attempts to dismantle national trans […]
Trans salutatorian’s powerful graduation speech puts Mississippi school’s mistreatment on display
His commencement speech was greeted with applause and even cheers, but Jonas Hole, Salutatorian of the Class of 2026 at his Mississippi high school, had to endure being called “young lady,” being misgendered, and deadnamed by the same administrators who handed him his diploma. “Despite my own self-acceptance, others judged me without understanding me. I became my label, and it felt as if my achievements, hardships, personality, all became irrelevant for the sole fact that I present myself differently,” he said. Hole identifies as transmasculine. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your […]
Art scholarship to be established for trans student found dead
Friends, loved ones, and community members are mourning the death of Murry Foust, a 22-year-old trans man and student at Northern Kentucky University, whose body was found on Sunday night after a month-long search. “While our hearts are broken and this is not the outcome we were hoping for, we can only pray that finding them provides closure and comfort to everyone who is hurting,” Foust’s family wrote in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday, May 26. Foust, who used he/they pronouns, was last seen alive on April 27, captured on security footage in Covington, Kentucky’s Latonia neighbourhood. After nearly a […]
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. […]
