GLBTQ Issues / Public News Service

The Texas Diversity Council works with various groups to foster environments where people from marginalized groups feel seen and heard. (Ana Baraulia/Adobe Stock)

Texas Diversity Council remains steadfast in face of adversity

Since 2004, April has been designated "Celebrate Diversity Month," a time to recognize, understand and honor the differences between people. One …

The teal ribbon represents sexual assault awareness and prevention during the month of April. (sulit.photos/Adobe Stock)

Call for more inclusive coverage during Sexual Assault Prevention Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Advocates for sexual assault survivors in Idaho and across the country are pushing for a more …

A Republican-led provision included in legislation to avert a government shutdown last week effectively bans LGBTQ+ pride flags from flying over U.S. embassies. (Hodim/AdobeStock)

NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates

After 30 years of championing the rights of LGBTQ+ people, Equality New Mexico has its finger on the pulse of supportive legislation and has made its …

In 2023, the Vatican's doctrinal office announced that transgender people could potentially be baptized in the Catholic church and serve as godparents but noted any baptisms should not risk

Queer churches in MA and nationwide offer all identities safe, sacred spaces

By Sara Youngblood Gregory for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Commonwealth News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public …

Idaho lawmakers are scheduled to wrap up the 2024 legislative session soon. (Wissam/Adobe Stock)

ID anti-DEI bill in higher ed could have 'ripple effects' for state

Idaho lawmakers are considering a measure that would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs on college campuses. Critics say it could …

Religion is an important part of Black LGBTQ+ youth's lives, with 77% being raised with religious values. But the report notes most respondents said their religion was

Report finds Black LGBTQ+ youth hardships easing a bit

A new report said Black LGBTQ+ youth are seeing more equality, in Connecticut and the U.S. but it does not always mean greater opportunity. The …

The Hometown Organizing Project and Hometown Action helped win the first rural nondiscrimination ordinance in Montevallo, Ala., and have organized to fight against restrictions to reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights, including bans on transgender healthcare. (Adobe Stock)

A focus on LGBTQ solidarity amid Alabama legislative challenges

In the face of anti-LGBTQ legislation and the tragic loss of a nonbinary teen in Oklahoma, an Alabama group is working to provide what it calls a …

In a 2022 national survey of LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-18, nearly 54% of trans and gender-expansive youth reported feeling unsafe in at least one school setting. (Adobe Stock)

Oklahoma tragedy felt by LGBTQ advocates in ND

LGBTQ advocates in North Dakota have joined a nationwide coalition demanding accountability over the death of a non-binary teen from Oklahoma…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, elements all youth need, which are

NE advocates for LGBTQ+ rights hopeful after visits with state senators

State legislators across the country continue to introduce anti-LGBTQ bills and there have been a record number of them for four years in a row…

Missouri's Senate Bill 1314, similar to House Bill 2365, prohibits funds from being expended by any state department for interdepartmental programs, staffing or other initiatives associated with

New report reveals high economic risk of anti-DEI laws in Missouri

A new report finds some Missouri laws and prospective laws are perceived as discriminatory regardless of their actual intent - and it outlines some bi…

Nearly 16% of Idaho youth surveyed said they have experienced physical dating violence. (Waseem Ali Khan/Adobe Stock)

Promoting 'welcoming communities' key to preventing teen dating violence

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, and young people often find it hard to navigate experiences of harm…

At least 20 states have approved a version of a complete ban on transgender athletes playing on K-12 and collegiate sports teams. (Adobe Stock)

NH House reaffirms support for transgender 'bathroom bill'

New Hampshire lawmakers have voted to advance a so-called "bathroom bill," which opponents said will allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination. House Bill 396 …

Black and Latino youths are more likely to experience a gun homicide closer to their home when compared with white youths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock/Bettencourt/peopleimages.com)

NM lawmakers move gun-control bills forward

Gun control legislation is making headway in the 2024 New Mexico legislative session. On Wednesday, the New Mexico Senate passed a bill to ban guns …

Florida Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates are calling on the Republican-controlled Legislature to focus on what they describe as

FL GOP bill could ban rainbow flags in schools, government buildings

Another GOP proposal is sparking controversy in Florida over freedom of expression, as it aims to ban rainbow flags from being displayed. House Bill …

An Idaho law blocking gender-affirming care for youth went into effect this month. (ink drop/Adobe Stock)

Roundtable highlights push to protect trans rights in ID

The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence is taking part in a meeting with a U.S. health official this week to discuss ways to make …

Carlos J. Mejia Vijil, 23 (left), and John Maragioglio, 82, share a bonding moment outside the Anita May Rosenstein campus, where Maragioglio lives in senior housing. Mejia Vijil lived in the youth housing on the campus before getting his own apartment. (Francesco Da Vinci/YES! Media)

Making the rainbow connection at Los Angeles' LGBT Center

By Greg Hernandez for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News …

Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Alliance and Scottsbluff are among Nebraska cities and towns to celebrate Pride Month in 2023. (Manny DaCunhay/Adobe Stock)

OutNebraska advocates for LGBTQ+ at NE Capitol, statewide

With the start of the Nebraska Unicameral's 2024 session this week, guarding against the divisiveness experienced last session is top of mind for …

A report by DataHaven showed health inequities have led to around 14,000 deaths in Connecticut, predominantly among the state's Black population. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Discrimination rampant in CT, US health care

Despite efforts to the contrary, people across Connecticut and the U.S. experienced discrimination in health care. A DataHaven report found between 1…

There were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles, however no books have been banned in the state, according to the American Library Association. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Legislation aims to classify book bans as federal civil rights violations

New federal legislation would classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights law. The Books Save Lives Act would ensure …

In March, House Republicans in Florida passed a wide-ranging education bill targeting how teachers and students can use pronouns in schools, adding to the state's parental rights law, which critics called

FL teachers sue state over restriction on pronoun use

Three Florida teachers filed suit Wednesday over a Florida statute they claim targets transgender and nonbinary teachers for being themselves at work…

In an AARP survey, nearly half of LGBTQ participants said they were concerned about having enough family and social supports to rely on as they age. (Adobe Stock)

ND aging plan: Making older LGBTQ residents feel included

This week, older North Dakotans will have a chance to learn about housing discrimination as part of a long-term aging plan for the state. Advocates …

Young farmers, ranchers and others want issues of equitable land access, retention and transition addressed in the next Farm Bill. (StockMediaProduction/AdobeStock)

Eager but cash-strapped farmers seek Farm Bill solutions

Advocates for America's small farmers say younger folks express a growing interest in agriculture, but without necessary capital, they can't get a …

the National Young Farmers Coalition delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership signed by 175 national, regional and local organizations in support of the Increasing Land Access, Security and Opportunities Act. (Johnstocker/Adobe Stock)

Young farmers advocate for climate changes, face land-access issues

Young Farmers in Michigan hope the new Farm Bill will include key benefits regarding land access so they can continue to pursue farming passionately…

Land-access keeping young farmers from leading climate action

Young farmers in Missouri hope the new farm bill will include key benefits regarding land access so they can continue to pursue farming passionately…

Black Americans represent 13% of the U.S. population, but 40% of people with HIV. Latinos represent 18.5% of the population, but 25% of people with HIV, according to HIV.gov. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio marks World AIDS Day

Today marks the 35th anniversary of World AIDS Day. LGBTQ+ advocates in Cleveland have organized events that include educational seminars, HIV …

Today marks the 35th anniversary of World AIDS Day. (Nito/Adobe Stock)

On World AIDS Day, NM activists say more money is needed for prevention

New Mexico activists are tapping today's World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, to announce they'll ask the State Legislature to provide more money for treatment …

Ryan White died in April 1990. He is buried in Cicero, Ind. (Joe Ulery)

World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit

As World AIDS Day turns 35, the mother of an Indiana teen who became the public face of the disease is a reminder of the importance of never …

After her doctor retired in 2020, Albuquerque's Anne Withrow faced a long waiting list for transgender health care. (photo courtesy of Cecilia Nowell)<br />

NM's gender-affirming policy generates waitlists for health care

By Cecilia Nowell for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Serv…

For a proposed initiative to qualify for a California ballot, backers must gather more than 546,000 signatures by next April. (Mariusz/Adobe Stock)

Signature gathering starts for CA initiative to restrict transgender student rights

Three proposed ballot initiatives affecting transgender students are now in the signature-gathering stage in California. The group Protect Kids …

Attendees pose for a picture at a recent open house for the Transformation Project's new Prism Center in Sioux Falls. (Photo courtesy of the Transformation Project)

SD celebrates state's first LGBTQ resource center

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for next week as a South Dakota organization begins serving LGBTQ individuals at its new resource space…

People with additional years of education beyond high school tend to be more civic-minded and interact more with neighbors and family members, according to a recent Gallup poll. (Tyler Olson/Adobe Stock)

Increasingly, politics make their way into students' college choices

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News …

College students walk on the quadrangle lawn of the Foellinger Auditorium on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. (Adobe Stock)

America’s 'culture wars' influence students' choice of college campuses

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service Co…

Military veterans report that the biggest barrier returning to college is feeling that they won't be welcomed. (Adobe Stock)

America’s culture wars advancing on college campuses

High school graduates are considering state and university positions on a number of hot-button issues - including abortion, gun, and anti-LGBTQ laws -…

At the federal level, hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. (Argus/Adobe Stock)

Kansas City reassures residents after MO spike in religion-based hate crimes

Some Missourians fear an increase in hate crimes in the wake of a six-year-old's murder in Illinois this week - an incident authorities say was motiva…

School boards play integral roles in how school districts are governed. (designbydx/Adobe Stock)

Far-right candidates running in WA school board races

Extreme candidates are running for school boards across Washington state, and if they win, opponents warned they could threaten the safety of some …

NM observes 35 years of 'National Coming Out Day'

Unlike more conservative states, New Mexico has seen prominent advances in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in recent decades; a good …

The National Institutes of Health encourages older people to practice safe sex no matter how old they are, as cases of HIV/AIDS among older people are on the increase. (Adobe Stock)

AARP-VA holds workshops on sexual health, dating after 50

Sex and relationships after age 50 are the topics of a series of online workshops hosted by AARP Virginia, starting tonight. The group says the idea …

Until recently, school boards were often free of politics. But pushback against COVID-19 measures, teachings about race and book-ban movements have made them a part of culture war debates in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Concerns mount over 'extreme' school board candidates in MN

Nearly 100 school board elections are coming up in Minnesota this fall, with some gaining attention because of the candidates who are running…

Republican lawmakers have introduced 40 bills targeting colleges and universities since 2022 in an effort to end practices including DEI trainings, and classes that deal with systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado College offers HAVEN for transfer students from anti-DEI states

In a growing backlash since the nation was rocked by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, five states have now passed anti-diversity…

In 2021, more than 36,000 people received an HIV diagnosis in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day calls for testing, prevention

Today is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and Nevada is one of the 10 states with the highest HIV infection rates. In 2021, more than 11,00…

Seven in 10 Oregonians over age 45 have been caregivers for a loved one. (anut21ng Stock/Adobe Stock)

Assisted Living Week: Access to Long-Term Care Critical, Oregonians Say

This week is National Assisted Living Week, highlighting the hard work put in to help older people and people living with disabilities. Many …

According to the Anti-Defamation League, there were 356 reported anti-LGBTQ hate incidents between June 2022 and April 2023. They

Survey: LGBTQ Youth Affected by Drumbeat of 'Anti-' Policy Coverage

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youths in Nebraska and across the country are exposed to a steady stream of news about anti-LGBTQ …

Unlike independent congregations, United Methodist churches are part of a larger international network that elects representatives to govern the denomination. It operates under a representative democracy, much like the federal government, complete with checks and balances. (Adobe Stock/Kit Leong)

Church Leaders Outline Disaffiliation Risks for Rural NC

By Sarah Melotte for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for North Carolina News Service Service for the Public News Service/Daily Y…

In 2023, 566 anti-trans bills have been introduced in 49 states including 65 in Texas, according to Trans Legislation Tracker. (inkdrop/AdobeStock)

TX High Court Not Persuaded to Protect Transgender Health Care

Texas has adopted some of the strictest gender-affirming transgender restrictions in the nation. And the leader of a trans advocacy group says it has …

The Right Time initiative conducted an online survey of 1,000 Missouri residents between April 27 and May 3. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Is Birth Control Legal? Many Missourians Unsure

One in four Missourians either doesn't believe or doesn't know that using birth control pills is legal in the state. The Right Time, an initiative …

A memorial has spring up outside Lauri Carleton's store in Cedar Glen, Calif., in the wake of her murder. (Michael Feddersen)

Lake Arrowhead Community Reels after Woman Murdered Over Pride Flag

Community members in the Lake Arrowhead area are planning to distribute free rainbow flags this week - in memory of Lauri Carleton, a 66-year-old …

Queer Bike Brigade participants are among approximately 3 million LGBTQ+ people estimated to live in rural America. (Ilana Newman)

Breaking Barriers for LGBTQ+ in the Outdoors

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

Oregon high school students felt less engaged last year than the year before, according to the YouthTruth survey. (coachwood/Adobe Stock)

Survey of OR Students Provides Guidance as School Returns

The new school year is approaching and schools in Oregon are using data to figure out what students need to feel like they belong. The organization …

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LGBTQIA+ Issues