Marriage equality is officially the law of the land in Colorado after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a law repealing a provision in the state constitution that banned marriage between same-sex couples.
Polis, an out gay man, signed SB25-014 into law Monday, also known as the Protecting the Freedom to Marry act. The bill repeals the provision in Colorado statute that states that marriage is valid only if it is between a man and a woman, which has been unenforceable since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges.
“Colorado is for everyone, no matter who you are or who you love. Last November, the voters got rid of outdated language in our constitution that banned same-sex marriage,” Polis said in a statement. “This is a long overdue step in the right direction and today’s law I’m signing ensures that Coloradans can marry who they love in our Colorado for all.”
Colorado voters approved an amendment to the state constitution in 2006 that stated only the union of one man or one woman could be considered a valid or recognized marriage. Voters later passed an amendment to overturn the ban in 2024 with 63 percent in favor.
The new law ensures that even if the Supreme Court reverses Obergefell, marriage equality will still be legal in Colorado. Marriages between same-sex couples would still be recognized federally under the Respect for Marriage Act, which mandates that the federal government recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, and that all states recognize those performed in other states. However, the act does not require states to allow marriages between same-sex couples, allowing them to enact bans.
While the Supreme Court has made no official move to reconsider marriage equality, nine states have recently introduced resolutions asking the court to hear the case again, citing similar constitutional amendments banning marriage between same-sex couples that were nullified by Obergefell.
Democratic State Senator Jessie Danielson, who introduced the bill in tandem with Democratic Representatives Brianna Titone and Lorena García, said in a statement that the law is especially important now as marriage equality comes under attack.
“The freedom to marry who we love is a fundamental right,” Danielson said. “I cannot sit back and allow Coloradans to have their marriages and families put at risk. It’s especially important now, as the Trump Administration attacks the LGBTQ community, to secure everyone’s right to live safely in our state, and marry whomever they love.”
The report, “Understanding the Role of Gender Congruence and Affirming Care in Trans Men’s Body Image and Quality of Life” published in the International Journal of Transgender Health, surveyed 166 trans men, measuring their physiological, psychological, social, and environmental quality of life.
“Most research involving TGD [trans and gender diverse] populations has focused on clinical mental health outcomes such as suicidality,” the report states. “While such outcomes are crucial to explore, it is equally important to examine the broader well-being of TGD people, including factors that contribute to their overall quality of life (QoL).”
The report found that improving trans men’s gender congruence — the sense of alignment between one’s gender identity, body, and others’ perceptions of them — “can have cascading benefits for other dimensions of well-being, including body satisfaction and [quality of life], by reducing dysphoria and promoting a more cohesive sense of self.” The report concluded that gender congruence can be improved through gender-affirming care.
Gender-affirming care encompasses several forms of therapies that are meant to validate a person’s gender identity, including talk therapy, hormone therapy, or surgical procedures. The report found that chest surgery was “associated with improved physiological, psychological, and environmental QoL,” while hormone replacement therapy “improved psychological and environmental QoL.”
The report noted that while “gender-affirming care may not directly alter how individuals perceive their bodies,” it instead “fosters a sense of alignment between physical appearance and gender identity, a key driver of body satisfaction.”
“Our results highlight that fostering positive gender congruence, which enhances body satisfaction, significantly improves physical and psychological functioning,” it concluded. “This finding underscores the critical role of addressing body satisfaction within gender-affirming care.”
The body of a beloved gay yoga teacher in Arizona has been discovered almost a month after he went missing following a blind date.
Marcus Freiberger, 45, was found dead in a rock quarry last week about 6 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix police announced Tuesday in a press release. His cause of death is still “pending,” and the person he was meeting with has not yet been identified.
Freiberger was last seen at a parking garage near Second Avenue and Van Buren Street on February 21, driving a white 2021 GMC Sierra pickup with Arizona license plate 3MA66L. His family said that he was planning to meet a blind date, but they later suspected something was wrong when he left his two-year-old dog, Thomas, alone in his apartment, which they said he would never do.
Freiberger was first reported missing on March 14, and was entered into the state and national database as a missing person. Police said that “no additional leads or evidence were discovered to determine if Freiberger left town or fell victim to any particular crime,” and that after working with friends and family, they were still “unable to determine Freiberger’s whereabouts.”
Officers responded to a call at a rock quarry near 15th Avenue and Broadway Road on March 19, where they discovered a body, which was later identified as Freiberger using fingerprints. The case is currently “being handled as a death investigation and is pending results from the Office of the Medical Examiner.”
Freiberger’s sister, Tina Hall, announced the news on Facebook, writing: “It is with a heavy heart that I share the tragic news that Marcus is no longer with us. Losing him feels like losing a part of ourselves and I know this will be just as difficult for you. We thank all of you for the love and support you have given Marcus and our family.”
Melrose Yoga, the studio were Freiberger taught, also mourned him on Facebook with a post reading “आत्मा को सद्गति प्राप्त हो; Atma ko Sadgati Prapt ho,” which translates to “may the soul attain salvation.” One of Freiberger’s last posts on Instagram was in December, celebrating becoming a yoga therapist.
“My life had been flip turned upside down over the last year and a half, without this journey I have no idea if I would be around anymore. I don’t say that lightly, I say that with all seriousness,” he wrote. “This journey is forcing me to go inward to find my answers, my peace, and to heal. I am so grateful for my life and the peace this journey brings allowing me to be calm in my storm. Today the storm isn’t so violent … just continues to bring me opportunities to be and do better. I’m not perfect, I’m a hell of a lot better than I was.”
Detectives are currently seeking the public’s assistance for anyone who has knowledge regarding the circumstances of Freiberger’s disappearance and death. Witnesses are encouraged to call CrimeStop at (602)262-6151, or Silent Witness if they wish to remain anonymous at (480) WITNESS.
LGBTQ+ youth are experiencing bullying, discrimination, physical violence, conversion therapy, and suicidality in all 50 states, according to The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People — though there are some regions that are worse for their well-being.
LGBTQ+ youth who live in the South were most likely to report wanting but being unable to access to mental health care, the highest rates being 63 percent in South Carolina and 60 percent in Texas. The South also had some of the highest rates of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, including 65 percent in Alabama and 66 percent in Arkansas, and some of the lowest levels of community acceptance, including 21 percent in Mississippi and 33 percent in Tennessee.
LGBTQ+ young people living in states across the Midwest reported the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, including 43 percent in Ohiowho experienced suicidal thoughts, and 45 percent in Nebraska. LGBTQ+ youth in the Midwest also reported some of the highest rates of physical threat or harm based on sexual orientation or gender identity, the highest being 24 percent in Wisconsin and 28 percent in Kansas.
“Similar to previous research, these data reinforce that LGBTQ+ youth are not disproportionately impacted by suicide because of who they are, but rather, because of how they are mistreated, stigmatized, and discriminated against,” said Jaymes Black CEO of The Trevor Project. “This is an incredibly difficult time for many LGBTQ+ young people – and these findings give us critical insight into the unique challenges they face in every state. We hope lawmakers, advocates, youth-serving professionals, and allies in every corner of the country use this research to better understand and support the young people in their communities.”
In comparison, LGBTQ+ youth in the Northeast reported significantly higher levels of community acceptance, including 90 percent in Massachusetts and 81 percent in Maine. They also had relatively lower rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts, with 26 percent in Connecticut experiencing suicidal thought and 36 percent in New Hampshire.
LGBTQ+ youth in the West had some of the highest rates of affirming home environments, including 54 percent in Montana and Oregon. However, they also reported some of the highest levels of depression, with 52 percent of LGBTQ+ youth in California experiencing symptoms of depression in the past year.
“Many of these state findings are grim, and they signal serious gaps in resources and outsized mental health challenges for already marginalized youth that we simply must address,” said Ronita Nath, Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project. “However, these data also give us a clear call to action: we must all do our part to make LGBTQ+ young people feel more welcome and accepted in the places they call home.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
As anti-LGBTQ+ laws take a toll on mental health, the queer community’s response could take a toll on local and state economies.
In the face of over 1,000 anti-LGBTQ+ laws proposed by state legislatures across the U.S. in the past two years, and 126 passed into law, 44.3 percent of LGBTQ+ adults and 63.5 percent of transgender adults now report that the legislation has harmed their or their loved ones’ mental health, according to the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 Climate Survey. Over 12 percent of LGBTQ+ adults experienced increased harassment, violence, and/or discrimination in the past year, as well as 22.9 percent of trans adults.
Many of the laws explicitly target transgender people through bans on gender-affirming care, sports participation, and bathroom usage. More than 41.1 percent of trans people reported that they and/or someone close to them lost access to gender-affirming care in the last year, and over 28.4 percent reported that they or someone close to them were prevented from accessing restrooms and/or locker rooms, or playing sports.
Shoshana Goldberg, Public Education & Research Program Director at the HRC, tells The Advocate that “when lawmakers pass gender-affirming care bans, they supersede the autonomy and rights of patients, families, and their physicians — often at a significant cost to transgender patients.”
“Research has consistently found that transgender and nonbinary people who are able to access desired gender-affirming care have better mental health outcomes … Those who are unable to access desired care, however, face increased mental distress and suicidality,” she says, adding, “There is also the harm that can result simply from the passage of these bills, through the transphobic rhetoric that arises in discussions of these bills, and the messages they send about the ‘validity’ of transgender people.”
Such laws are short-sighted, Goldberg says, as even if lawmakers do not care about how they affect well-being, they are also likely to impact the economy in the years to come. Half (49.5 percent) of LGBTQ+ adults reported that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has impacted their choices of where to live and/or work in the last year, including 56.7 percent of trans adults, 43.9 percent of cis LGBQ+ men, and 50.2 percent of cis LGBQ+ women.
Nearly 19 percent of LGBTQ+ adults are currently considering moving to a new state, and 4 percent have already moved to a new state or taken concrete steps to do so.
“The LGBTQ+ Community holds $1.4 trillion in purchasing power, and unsupportive companies stand to lose us as customers — as well as lose allies, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who data shows are looking to spend their money on those companies that support their values of equality,” Goldberg explains.
Those numbers are likely to increase, as “in addition to losing customers, companies that abandon DEI practices are at risk of being unable to recruit and retain top talent,” Goldberg says. One in 20 (5 percent) of LGBTQ+ adults are trying to change their job because of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including over one in 10 (11.1 percent) trans adults. 2.8 percent of LGBTQ+ adults and 5.4 percent of trans adults have already changed their jobs.
“I think states stand to lose economically by continuing to support these laws. They risk losing the tourism and business travel dollars, such as those from the 30 percent of LGBTQ+ adults, in the last year alone, who have avoided, canceled, and/or refused to travel to states with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation,” she says. “They risk losing the taxable income from LGBTQ+ adults, and families of LGBTQ+ youth, who are looking to move to a new state where they and their children can live openly and freely … and companies headquartered in these states risk losing customers.”
While Goldberg’s advice to companies and legislators is to seriously consider the harm their policies do, her advice to LGBTQ+ people is to “find your joy, to fiercely protect it, and to not let this administration or these laws take it away.”
“These attacks are scary and horrible, yes, but our community has been through many of these attacks before, be it the Lavender Scare of the 1950s, the moralizing crusades of Anita Bryant in the1970s, or the AIDS crisis of the 1980s,” Goldberg says. “And each time we got through it, and only emerged stronger. We have always existed, we will always exist, and no law or administration can take that away.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
Indiana State University is being sued for First Amendment violations by an LGBTQ+ group that claims the school is refusing to let them hold a Pride festival on campus.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on behalf of The Pride Center of Terre Haute, claims that ISU officials have prohibited the group from hosting a 2025 Pride celebration on the university’s Quad, an outdoor student area explicitly designated for “expressive activity,” despite allowing and sponsoring the event in 2023 and 2024.
The Pride Center, an LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit dedicated to creating a positive impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals in Vigo County, accuses the university of securing an agreement with the city of Terre Haute to hold this year’s festival at an off-campus city park without the group’s knowledge or consent. It maintains that holding the celebration off-campus would defeat the purpose of the event, which is to show that the campus is welcoming to LGBTQ+ students, staff, and visitors.
The Pride Center claims that this is “part of a recent pattern of ISU preventing or discouraging actions and events that are intended to support the LGBTQ+ community,” according to the lawsuit, and that the “actions of ISU in not allowing Pride Fest 2025 to occur on campus violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
“ISU’s failure to provide Pride Fest an on-campus location is directly related to the message of inclusivity, equality, and support conveyed by all Pride festivals,” ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk said in a statement. “It is clear that the university is censoring Pride Fest because of its support of the LGBTQ+ community. The Pride Center has a First Amendment right to hold their festival in the Indiana State University Quad – a space explicitly designated as a place for free expression.”
A disabled college student is speaking out after conservative figures online bullied and mass reported him when he posted about his gender transition.
Micah Leroy, who ran the account known as “Disabled Trans Boy” on Instagram, became the subject of a right-wing hate campaign after he posted a video celebrating his double mastectomy, also know as top surgery. The 19-year-old has cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders that affect body movement and muscle coordination, which is the most common lifelong physical disability according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
“It is important to note that nowhere in this definition does it imply that cerebral palsy negatively impacts an individual’s ability to comprehend the world, make autonomous decisions or understand the concepts of gender and sex,” Leroy told MPR News.
Leroy is a student at the University of Minnesota focusing on disability studies, LGBTQ+ studies and political science. He said that he hopes to one day hold public office, whether in the state legislature or in Congress.
Leroy uses a wheelchair as well as an Eyegaze communication device, though he prefers to communicate with his voice, with the help of his personal care assistants. Leroy, who came out as transgender at the age of 14, emphasized to the outlet that he was the one who sought out and scheduled his medical appointments and took all the steps to legally change his name and gender.
Leroy’s video about his transition went viral, resulting in negative attention from conservative figures such as failed college athlete Riley Gaines, who lied and said Leroy is “non-verbal” while implying doctors performed the surgery without his consent. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the life-saving procedure performed on a legal adult “criminal.”
Conservatives mass-reported the video, causing it to be removed by Meta, which suspended Leroy’s Facebook and permanently removed his Instagram account for supposedly breaking the platforms’ “Community Standards on child sexual exploitation, abuse and nudity.”
Leroy, who repeated that “I am the one who is posting and I’m over 18,” said that Meta still rejected his appeals, while allowing the abusive comments and messages he received to remain. Still, he said that he hasn’t been deterred from speaking out.
“Even with all the hate this has stirred up, I do believe that any publicity is good publicity in furthering my goals,” Leroy continued. “This experience has only made me want to speak out more about disabled and trans issues as the negative responses I got have shown a side of the world that is intolerant and discriminatory based on what they perceive others can and cannot do.”
The popular vote might not have worked, but you can always vote with your dollar and/or time.
A second term under Donald Trump endangers the well-being of LGBTQ+ people, women, immigrants, people of color, and everyone else. It will also most likely lead to more censorship and rolling back protections against climate change. But the activists and organizations advocating for these causes aren’t going quietly — they’re getting louder. Many have resisted during Trump’s first term, and are ready to do so again.
The fight does not end with donations, but it’s still a great way for those with the means to make their priorities known and impact change. For those who aren’t able to give, consider using your time and other skills in your community instead.
For those who are able to give, here are 26 groups whose work is going to be critical during a second Trump administration that you can donate to. If you can’t contribute money, many also list other ways to contribute.
Elevated Access
Nonprofit Elevated Access is dedicated to helping patients receive reproductive health care, offering flights at no cost to those who must travel for abortions and gender-affirming care.
This national progressive advocacy organization focuses on preserving the rights of the marginalized in court, fighting against book bans and to preserve democracy and voting rights.
The Transgender Law Center fights to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.
As the biggest LGBTQ+ group in the U.S., HRC lobbies for queer rights and candidates, fighting to “ensure that all LGBTQ+ people, and particularly those of us who are trans, people of color and HIV+, are treated as full and equal citizens.”
PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.
Planned Parenthood is nonprofit organization that provides reproductive and sexual healthcare and sexual education, including abortions and birth control.
American Civil Liberties Union (and Drag Defense Fund)
The ACLU is a nonprofit that assists in legal cases where civil rights are involved, including abortion care, trans people’s right to live freely, and people’s right to vote. It also hosts the Drag Defense Fund, which legally defends drag performers’ freedom of speech and self-expression.
Midwest Access Coalition (MAC) is a practical abortion fund that helps people traveling to, from, and within the Midwest to access a safe and legal abortion.
The SPLC is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights, fighting to strengthen democracy, counter white supremacy, end mass incarceration, and eradicate racial inequality in the American South.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People remains the longest-serving organization dedicated to fighting for civil rights of people of color.
The Sherlock’s Homes Foundation provides housing, employment opportunities, and a loving support system, for homeless LGBTQ+ young adults so that they can live fearlessly as their authentic selves.
CAIR has worked for decade both to educate the public on mainstream Islamic faith and prevent legal obstructions to their rights, such as the many policies proposed and enacted by Trump’s first administration.
Sylvia Rivera Law Project seeks to guarantee people’s freedom to self-determine and express their gender identity, fighting for both financial and legal empowerment for everybody across the spectrum of gender.
Americans for Immigrant Justice
Americans for Immigrant Justice (AI Justice) is a nonprofit law firm that fights for justice for immigrants through a combination of direct representation, impact litigation, advocacy, and outreach.
Know Your IX was named for its mission to educate college students about their Title IX rights. The group also gives voice to survivors of sexual assault and offers channels for reporting sexual harassment.
A project of the American Immigration Council, this organization will be lobbying against deportation policy both from the White House and the halls of Congress.
Emily’s List is an organization that trains Democratic women (who are pro-choice) in the basics of running for office, from school board to senator. The group had a hand in getting Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Maggie Hassan elected.
This group fights for the rights of scientists to conduct, publish, and discuss their research and advocate for science without the threat of political harassment, censorship, or legal intimidation.
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is an organization focused on protecting the children of immigrants, fighting against deportation and family separation.
ORAM provides legal assistance, advances economic inclusion through livelihood programs, champions the rights of LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees on the global stage and provides critical emergency response to underserved communities.
ProPublica uses a nonprofit model to produce and disseminate investigative reporting, and has continuously fact-checked the Trump Administration to dispel the misinformation surrounding his campaign.
The global organization works to “fight abuses of human rights, bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws, and free people jailed just for voicing their opinion.”
The hubs and duds of queer life in modern America have been revealed, thanks to a report from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The good news: wherever you are, you’re not alone. Overall, 14.1 million people reported that they “identify as LGBT” between 2020 and 2021, making up a significant portion of the population at 5.6 percent. By state, there wasn’t a single area with an LGBTQ+ population of less than 4 percent.
However, compared to others, some states still have less than half as many queer people proportionally.
While the report did not give any reasoning as to why some states have larger LGBTQ+ demographics than others, the states with the lowest percentages of queer people all but one have pushed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation this year.
Here are the states with the smallest queer communities, and the legislation facing them.
5. South Carolina (Tie)
South Carolina’s 192,800 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.9 percent of the state’s population. There were 32 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed this year, according to the ACLU’s legislation tracker, with one passed into law — an extreme ban against gender-affirming care for youth, as well as requiring school staff forcibly out them to their guardians.
5. North Dakota (Tie)
North Dakota’s LGBTQ+ population also accounts or 4.9 percent of its overall population, but their queer community is fewer in number, with 28,400 members. There were no anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed this year in the state, which pushed 17 anti-LGBTQ+ bills last year, 10 of which became law.
4. Iowa
Iowa‘s 113,600 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.7 percent of the population. 37 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been considered in the state in 2024, four of which passed — including religious exemptions for discrimination.
3. Alabama
Alabama has 173,000 LGBTQ+ people, making up 4.6 percent of the population. Four anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed in the state this year one of which passed that forces universities to implement trans bathroom bans.
2. North Carolina
North Carolina‘s LGBTQ+ population accounts for 4.4 percent of the state’s population, with 353,100 people. There were six anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in the state, none of which have yet been defeated or advanced.
1. Mississippi (Tie)
Mississippi’s 93,300 LGBTQ+ adults account for 4.1 percent of the population. There were 23 anti-LGBTQ+ bills been proposed in the state this year, four of which passed. The laws include a ban against trans people using the public facilities that align with their identities, and a legal redefinition of gender that incorrectly conflates it to biological sex.
1. West Virginia (Tie)
West Virginia’s LGBTQ+ community also accounts for 4.1 percent of the population, but their 60,000 queer adults are less in number than Mississippi. West Virginia has considered 33 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year, one of which passed — enacting barriers to accurate legal identification.
Takeaways
The states with the fewest queer people are also some of the states proposing the most anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
While there is no data (yet) around mass queer exoduses from these states, some could be moving to avoid legislation. Others may not feel comfortable coming out for census data.
And while it may not seem as if the South is a popular place for LGBTQ+ people, by raw population, the region actually has the largest percentage of queer adults. The 5.2 million LGBTQ+ people in southern states account for 36.9 percent of the queer people in the U.S.
While we may not be the majority, LGBTQ+ people across the country have an enormous and undeniable presence wherever they call home.
The United States’ first Black and gay professional tennis player isn’t letting her identity define her, even as it changes. After starring in her own reality show and competing in the ITF World Tennis Tour, Johnson is now focused on giving back to her community through private tennis clinics catering to underrepresented groups.
“People are either going to support you or not,” Johnson tells The Advocate. “So, you need to know what your journey is, and whatever you need to do to make yourself feel comfortable, you need to do that as long as you’re not hurting anyone.”
Johnson made history in 2020 when she came out as gay while playing professionally. She made waves again a few years later by coming out as nonbinary, and has since fully realized her identity as a trans-femme person. Though it’s been an uphill battle, it’s one that the athlete takes great pride in.
Johnson’s journey was partially documented in the reality series about her life, Deuces and Love. When you have a television show about your life, “you just have to get used to people being in your business and talking good and bad about you,” Johnson says, though she adds that she’s “definitely at the level of fame where I’m comfortable at.”
“I really felt that it was important to show my story just because of me being a double minority,” she says. “There isn’t really anyone out there right now [publicly] going through what I’m going through.”
This is especially true in the world of professional tennis, where Johnson says “there’s always a white male that I have to go through to.” In New York, where Johnson is based, it’s also especially “expensive to even get tennis lessons.”
That’s why Johnson has launched her own tennis club that offers private and group lessons for all levels. The sessions are priced at an affordable rate, but for those who “can’t afford a private lesson or other classes, we usually help them out.” Johnson explains that “we typically do a sliding scale for queer people and people of color.”
“Tennis is a very elusive sport,” Johnson says. “I wanted to create a tennis club that offered tennis lessons in a fun, relaxed environment and also an affordable price as well.”
Johnson actively seeks to help LGBTQ+ get involved in sports at a time when transgender people are being banned from sports that align with their gender identity. Donald Trump, U.S. president, recently signed an executive order that specifically banned trans women from women’s sports.
While ITF rules would allow Johnson to compete in the women’s category after spending at least four years on hormone replacement therapy, Johnson said that she is content to stay where she is for the sake of her career. She even celebrates being the “first trans-femme to play professional tennis on the men’s tour.”
“Right now I want to continue to represent my country how I started,” she says. “I’m still going to be representing America as a black gay athlete. … I’m the first gay black tennis player. Whether I transition or not, that’s still a part of me. I don’t want that to get taken away.”
Still, Johnson intends to use her platform to continue speaking out for underrepresented communities, as she believes now more than ever “we need to come together.” She’ll be hosting an ongoing anti-racism tennis clinic throughout February in honor of Black History Month in an effort to educate athletes about the disparities minority groups face in sports.
“Words have power. In this day and age, athletes have power,” Johnson says. “Athletes have the power to change the world, because the spotlight’s on us whether we’re winning or losing on the court. We have that mic and we can talk about whatever we want to talk about, and people are going to listen to us whether they like us or not.”
