Top Stories
“Dodge, discredit, deflect”: Democrat called out for refusing to talk about trans rights positions
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), the incumbent candidate for Congress in Missouri’s Second Congressional District, launched an attack ad this month about her Democratic opponent, Fred Wellman, focusing on his support for trans rights. And it seems, like most Democrats, Wellman is experimenting with how to respond. In this case, he’s chosen silence. The 30-second ad claims Wellman wants to “force his socialist agenda on America” and says he has “dangerously radical ideas,” like allowing “biological men in girls’ sports” and taxpayer-funded “gender-mutilating procedures for minors.” On September 19, Wellman posted on social media decrying “the Republican desperation in Missouri to […]
Donald Trump has never been weaker than he is right now
The midterms are just six weeks away, and the election is going to focus on one thing: Donald Trump. The good news for Trump is that being the focus will gratify his ego. The bad news for Trump (and good news for Democrats) is that he has never been so weak. Last week saw Trump hit yet another new low in polls. Depending on the polls, at best, Trump’s approval rating is 39%. At worst it’s at 29%, which is getting into Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush territory. On every issue–the economy, immigration, relations with allies–Trump is below water with voters. His standing among […]
Election Distrust is Not Just a Republican Thing
Distrust in elections has been more recently a defining feature of modern conservative politics. But that’s not the case anymore. Since President Donald Trump and his allies falsely claimed that Joe Biden did not win the 2020 presidential election, conspiracy theories about voter fraud have moved from the political fringe into the mainstream that has reshaped how millions of Americans view the country’s elections. Election distrust has largely been portrayed as a conservative phenomenon. But a recent LOOKOUT survey of 127 people found that Democrats and Independents also harbor deep skepticism about American elections — just not for the same reasons. While […]
Local News
Wake Up Sonoma’s “No Kings Rally” Happens October 17
For over a year, millions of people have come together to send a clear message: in America, we have no kings. Power does not belong to billionaires, strongmen, or politicians who believe they are above accountability. Power belongs to the people, but only if we use it. On October 17th Wake Up Sonoma is JOINING with Indivisible to organize a No Kings Vote Early action in Sonoma and we need you! THIS IS NOT A PROTEST GATHERING, BUT RATHER A WAY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT, ABOUT HOW CRITICAL VOITING IS THIS YEAR. TIME: 10am -12pmDATE: October 17th,WHAT: JOIN US – to help us with get out […]
Arts & Entertainment
“Slave Play” Opens September 25 at The Left Edge Theatre
What happens when the past refuses to stay in the past?At the MacGregor Plantation, the old South lives on, in the cotton fields, in the master’s house, and in the complicated relationship between fear, desire, race, gender, and power. In SLAVE PLAY, acclaimed playwright Jeremy O. Harris rips open the history we think we know and brings it into conversation with 21st-century America. Provocative, explosive, and unflinching, this daring play challenges audiences to confront the ways race, gender, sexuality, and power continue to shape our lives. SLAVE PLAY has been recognized with the Rosa Parks Playwriting Award, Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, Lotos […]
Friday, September 25 @7 pm/Sunday Sept. 27 @ 3 pm : Acorn MusEcology Project: ‘The Earth Says’ at Occidental Center for the Arts
Friday, September 25 @7 pm/Sunday Sept. 27 @ 3 pm : Acorn MusEcology Project: ‘The Earth Says’ at Occidental Center for the Arts. Directed by Sarah Dupre, Acorn MusEcology Project is proud to present the Northern California premiere of Alex Berko’s Sacred Place, an immersive exploration of ecological spirituality set to the words of Wendell Berry, John Muir, William Stafford, and Rabindranath Tagore. Acorn’s 27-voice ensemble will be joined by violin, cello, and piano to offer up this song cycle of reverential texts within a richly-layered soundscape. Additional original music by co-directors Sarah Dupre and Robin Eschner includes a new setting of poetry by […]
State News
Gavin Newsom moves to shield California transgender patient records from federal scrutiny
California is adding new medical privacy protections for LGBTQ+ adults facing federal subpoenas and expanding access to injectable medicines for HIVprevention. That is thanks to a spate of six new bills passed by the Democratic-led state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday. Newsom said he signed the bills to strengthen LGBTQ+ rights in the state amid a federal crackdown on such protections. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week. “The Trump administration has launched an all-out assault on the LGBTQ community, using medical records […]
MAGA Rages Over Republican CA Gov Candidate’s “Lesbian Lovers” Ad Titled “Just Try It, California”
A provocative, sexually suggestive ad by GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is drawing heat from his fellow Republicans while drawing millions of viewers online. Two young women sit on a bed, with an LGBTQ+ flag in the background, with one urging the other to try a new experience. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” one woman says, and the other replies. “Don’t be nervous. It’s not that bad … Just try it. Look, give me your hand. Close your eyes, and I’ll do all the work.” She leads the hesitant woman’s hand to mark her ballot for Hilton rather than […]
