Blythe del Kuzio

While nearly all the Republican candidates are in thrall to the MAGA wing of the GOP, Mayes isn't running to play games with democracy. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/attorney-general-candidate-kris-mayes-running-serve-arizona-instead-trump/

Most queer people have heard the terms "top," "bottom," and "versatile." But there's a fourth sex role that many folks haven't heard of yet: a "side." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/what-is-a-side-are-you-one/

A grandfather updated his family photos after his grandson came out as trans source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/internets-heart-melting-grandpas-beautiful-gesture/

Yoga, prayer, and "wellness treatments" don't fall under conversion therapy bans since they aren't performed by a medical professional, but they're still used to try to "cure" queer people. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/superstition-isnt-cure-queer-people/

Beyonce's album drop may be the gayest thing to happen this week. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/week-lgbtq-twitter-synchronized-swooning-beyonces-renaissance/

Ted Haggard moved the church’s services and study sessions to his home, with a "youth ministry room" in the basement. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/disgraced-evangelist-ted-haggard-faces-new-allegations-gay-sex-abuse-drug-use/

Amelia Earhart's likeness depicts the aviator in a flight jacket with cap and goggles in hand, topped by the flyer's familiar short bob. She grins knowingly. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/amelia-earhart-statue-unveiled-capitol-rotunda-represent-kansas/

"She used to say 'Mom, I’m going to be famous one day,'" her mother said. "You couldn’t help but love her. Ain’t hurt nobody. Loved everybody." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/man-arrested-shooting-death-transgender-woman/

Advocates hope that by winning these lawsuits, they will establish some measure of protection for the LGBTQ community. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/lgbtq-advocates-sue-ghanas-government-human-rights-workshop-raid/

Wondering what the nonbinary symbol is and how it's used? Here's a look at the various symbols that have been used to represent nonbinary people. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/all-about-the-nonbinary-symbol/

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) is worried that groups that oppose same-sex marriage “will be challenged on their tax policy and will immediately become a target of this federal government.” source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/gop-senator-announces-opposition-sex-marriage-bill-taxes/

“I believe in approaching things that scare you, and part of why I ended up here was because I took a direction that scared me, and that’s important.” source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/journalist-embraces-cultural-sexual-duality-covers-war/

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said that new federal protections under Title IX “are not binding law." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/florida-instructs-schools-ignore-federal-protections-transgender-kids/

One Million Moms is outraged by "Dead End: Paranormal Park" and "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/christian-conservatives-target-netflix-showing-gay-relationships-two-cartoons/

Touting the monkeypox virus as a ‘gay disease’ endangers both queer and non-queer people. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/monkeypox-not-gay-disease-painted-way-worldwide/

Bishop Lamour Whitehead lobbed anti-gay slurs during an online radio show appearance this week. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/anti-gay-slur-slinging-brooklyn-bishop-accused-stealing-90000-congregant/

“I just think the timing could not have been worse and it came totally out of the blue," Sen. Susan Collins said. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/gop-senator-says-climate-bill-spell-doom-marriage-equality-bill/

The singer has spoken about her uncle, who was HIV-positive, many times throughout her career. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/beyonce-thanks-gay-uncle-new-album-renaissance-liner-notes/

“They predict a red wave, but here, because of the awful candidates that have made their way to the nominations, and the baggage they carry, we’ll end up with a pink tidal pool.” source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/ran-nevada-republican-party-just-endorsed-democrats-next-election/

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also cautioned against “stigma and discrimination” related to the outbreak. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/world-health-organization-says-gay-men-reduce-sexual-partners-slow-spread-monkeypox/

After Rep. Lauren Boebert claimed that the COVID-19 vaccines "don't work," she went into a rant about how trans people are hogging all the baby formula. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/lauren-boebert-says-trans-men-causing-baby-formula-shortage-wont-chestfeed/

"I’ve done all those things. I am a gay man, I have turned 50, and I have experienced a break-up in midlife." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/tuc-watkins-gay-dating-50-netflixs-uncoupled/

He is the fifth person - and the oldest - to ever be cured of HIV. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/66-year-old-man-diagnosed-hiv-1988-just-got-cured/

Dismiss the notion that the south of France is only for elite travelers. Nice can be surprisingly affordable if you know where to look. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/96-mostly-queer-hours-exploring-french-riviera/

The Respect for Marriage Act will protect same-sex and interracial marriages. But these conservatives say it will legalize "marriages involving a minor or relative." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/83-conservative-organizations-claim-sex-marriage-bill-will-legalize-polygamy-incest/

Arizona’s Congressional Primary is Tuesday, August 2. State lawmaker Daniel Hernandez is poised to advance on to November’s general election as his sisters get ready to serve in the state legislature together. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/congressional-candidate-daniel-hernandez-ready-lead-political-dynasty-hes-32/

The first word in the Constitution is a pronoun. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/gop-candidate-becomes-joke-twitter-claiming-no-pronouns-constitution/

Supplies are short in the U.S., so some people are going abroad to get vaccinated. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/gay-bi-men-going-canada-get-monkeypox-vaccines/

Black magic finally seems attainable for queer Nigerians. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/feature/call-name-lil-nas-x-become-queer-icon-nigeria/

The states argue that federal civil rights laws don't require them to treat LGBTQ students equally. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/22-states-sue-biden-administration-right-ban-trans-students-school-sports/

"We love it when they find their one true love, especially when they become a part of our families then. That’s what we’re rooting for," Rep. Glenn Thompson said. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/republican-voted-marriage-equality-gave-moving-speech-sons-gay-wedding/

The order was a blow to Indiana legislators who passed a law banning transgender students from participating in all-female school sports. The state's Republican governor vetoed it, warning that this would be the result. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/federal-judge-allows-10-year-old-trans-girl-rejoin-school-softball-team/

The rugby players chose to sit out a match instead of wearing a rainbow jersey. source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/seven-rugby-players-refuse-wear-lgbtq-pride-jerseys/

"Police had to escort me out of the building and make a human shield because they were literally chasing me." source https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/07/conspiracy-theorists-storm-drag-queen-story-hour-shout-cops-arrest-performers/

YouTube screenshot When Marvel Studios recently dropped the trailer for their upcoming film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , LGBTQ fans buzzed with excitement over the news that Black actress and writer Michaela Coel will play the role of Aneka, a female warrior who is canonically queer in the Marvel comic books series. However, because Marvel's past films have had very little queer content in them, it's uncertain just how queer Aneka will be. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news The 2018 Black Panther film introduced viewers to the fictional African land of Wakanda — a technologically advanced, Afro-futuristic country untouched by colonialism. In it, the country's crown prince T'challa moonlights as Black Panther, a skilled hunter clad in an armored, super-powered bodysuit that also has nifty claws for climbing and tearing bad guys apart. The Black Panther and his family were protected by Ayo, the head of the country's elite r...

Shutterstock Come June of each year, corporations roll out the pink carpet for the LGBTQ community, emblazoning their boring corporate logos with rainbows and tweeting vaguely inspirational messages about pride. But in recent years, more discerning consumers have voiced their concerns about the effects of “pinkwashing” on the community and how seemingly well-meaning businesses and institutions end up doing more harm than good. But what is pinkwashing? What does it look like? And what does it really do to the LGBTQ community? Read on to find out. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news Pinkwashing: Definition And Origin Of The Term Pinkwashing refers to how corporations and institutions appropriate the LGBTQ movement and culture to promote a product, corporation, or entity. This is most prominently seen during Pride Month when brands and organizations step forward “in support” of the LGBTQ community with rainbow-fied logos and queer-themed promos. The...

Shutterstock Hardly a day goes by without some pundit or politician (generally not a Republican) talking about the need to restore America to a sense of normalcy. Democracy is at stake, and if we don't manage to getting the system working again the way it used to, we may enter a period where our institutions die a slow death and the great experiment that was America comes to an end. All of which is very frightening. The problem is that for most Americans it's apparently already well underway. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news According to a new survey by The New York Times and Siena College, a majority of Americans believe that the system is already broken, perhaps irretrievably. As might be expected, Republicans who reside within a closed media bubble believe that the system is corrupt because Donald Trump won the 2020 election. But Democrats are equally pessimistic about the political system. They believe that the deck is stacked aga...

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters A Republican Congressmember is facing public scrutiny for attending his own son's wedding with another man just days after he voted against same-sex marriage rights. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) voted against the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) last Tuesday. If passed, the bill would require states and the federal government to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed by other states should the Supreme Court take away those rights in the future. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news Three days later, on Friday, he attended his son's wedding to another man. This past Monday, Thompson's son told NBC News that he "married the love of [his] life" on Friday, and Thompson's press secretary Maddison Stone confirmed that the Congressmember attended. "Congressman and Mrs. Thompson were thrilled to attend and celebrate their son’s marriage on Friday night as he began this n...

Twitter screen shot Yes, Donald Trump tried to overthrow the duly-elected government of the United States, but give him credit for one thing: calling Marco Rubio small. Little Marco, the diminutive senator from Florida and failed presidential candidate, just got smaller when his response to the marriage equality question facing the United States Senate failed spectacularly, x 4. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news First, Rubio, of all the senators asked by CNN's Manu Raju whether they would support the Respect for Marriage Act, or RMA, was the only one to respond with... smallness, shouting through closing elevator doors that the vote was a "stupid waste of time." Second, those elevator doors closed on Rubio and Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin (D), who is gay. Trapped, Rubio had to endure the embarrassment of insulting one of his colleagues in front of the Washington press corps and hear from Baldwin about why he was wrong. "You...

Screenshot A queer, Latina teen named Olivia Julianna has brilliantly mocked far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who is under federal investigation for allegedly sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl , after he tried to use sexism, body-shaming, and his personal Twitter account to insult Julianna and other pro-choice activists. Last Saturday, Gaetz made sexist and fat-phobic remarks, calling pro-choice activists "disgusting" while speaking to conservative college students on Saturday at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida. Turning Point USA is a youth conservative organization whose members regularly spout anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news "Have you watched these pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies?" Gaetz asked the crowd. "The people are just disgusting. Why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having a...

Twitter/Greg Abbott After the Texas GOP Convention in June added language to their platform declaring that “homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice"; after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an order this year equating transgender care for minors with child abuse; after the Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2021 banning transgender kids from sports teams that align with their identity; and after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) declared this weekend that his pronouns are "kiss my ass"... Texas Log Cabin Republicans are finally admitting the obvious: "We failed." The group of gay Republicans, founded in the late 1970's as a safe space for LGBTQ establishment types in the GOP, is looking on in disappointment as the few gains they did make over four decades evaporate under the Texas sun. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news “We failed to moderate the Republican party,” said Paul von Wupperfeld, now a 56-year-old Democrat wh...

Twitter screenshot Web commenters are mocking anti-LGBTQ bigot Ethan Schmidt after he recorded himself being thrown out of a PetSmart store after repeatedly demanding that its employees remove a "Satanic" rainbow Pride flag display. A video reposted by Patriot Takes — a watchdog Twitter account — shows Schmidt harassing employees and refusing to leave the store as a supervisor refuses to take down the flag and threatens to call the police if he doesn't leave. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news The video begins with Schmidt asking an employee, "I'm just curious, what is that flag right there?" while pointing to a rainbow flag hanging above the employee's checkout register. The employee responds, "I think it's a Pride flag." Schmidt then asks, "Can you take it down please, right now?" The employee asks, "For what purpose?" Schmidt answers, "It offends me greatly." Without w...

Michael Jensen Things look pretty bleak in America right now. Has anyone noticed? Sorry. Too soon? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest LGBTQ news In fact, things are so bleak that record numbers of Americans are thinking about leaving the country. Europe is a very popular destination. And I totally empathize. Michael and I decided to leave America the night that Donald Trump was elected president. We’ve spent the last five years as nomads, living in Europe about half that time. (Important caveats: just because we left America, that doesn’t mean we’ve given up “the fight.” And, yes, leaving America requires some degree of privilege.) Americans seem to have two views on Europe, depending on their political beliefs. Europe is a perfect paradise with no social problems, and where Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s views would make her a moderate conservative. or Europe is an over-regulated, dysfunctional hell-hole where innovation is discouraged and ambition goes to d...