LGBTQ+ news covering civil rights, healthcare access, legislation, culture, and community-led advocacy.
Washington state voters approved an initiative restricting transgender girls from competing in girls' sports, reversing longstanding gender identity policies. The measure requires female athletes to submit documentation verifying biological sex through genital checks, hormone tests, or chromosome testing. The passage in a normally Democratic state marks a win for conservative groups like Let's Go Washington.
An LGBTQ advocacy group is exploring legal challenges against Washington's Initiative 638, which bans transgender girls from school sports. The Gender Justice League may challenge the measure on privacy grounds, as the ban requires verification of birth sex through medical testing.
Transgender Texans express cautious optimism following Democratic landslide victories in the 2026 midterm elections, reversing fears driven by Republican anti-trans advertising. While relieved, some residents remain skeptical of new leadership's commitment, particularly regarding bureaucratic discrimination and restrictive policies like Senate Bill 8.
Survivors of gay conversion practices are providing testimony to Parliament's Joint Committee to advocate for a legislative ban. Ian Smith shared his experience of trauma from exorcisms and counseling, supporting the Draft Conversion Practices Bill amid current legal gaps in England and Wales.
This personal narrative recounts the author's separation from her husband after he fell in love with another man. The piece focuses on the emotional complexity of the breakup, describing the visceral dread mixed with relief, and highlights a poignant final moment where the husband asks for cooking instructions before leaving their Chicago apartment.
South Korea revised a youth counseling manual that previously classified homosexuality as juvenile delinquency in editions from December 2019 and December 2025. The Korea Youth Counselling and Welfare Institute attributed the error to outdated reference material carried over by the writing team, following criticism from human rights groups.
Jaelynn Scott is set to become Washington's first openly transgender state legislator after securing 87% of the vote in Position 2 of the 37th Legislative District. The milestone occurs alongside voter approval of restrictions on transgender girls in school sports.
Medical psychotherapist Dr. Az Hakeem argues that UK Labour's new legislation creates a professional minefield for clinicians treating gender dysphoria, warning that standard therapeutic questioning could lead to arrest for alleged conversion therapy.
A reader argues that The Boston Globe exhibits selective coverage by ignoring state-level bans on transgender participation in women's sports, suggesting this erodes media trust. The commentary contends that legacy outlets fail to acknowledge the nuanced public view supporting sex-based categories in sports alongside other protections for transgender individuals.
Democrat Allison Montgomery flipped a Republican-held Alabama House seat, becoming the state's first openly transgender lawmaker. She won with 53.3 percent of the vote in a district previously won by Donald Trump three times, campaigning on issues like AI data center moratoriums and healthcare costs rather than identity politics.