US Supreme Court rules in favor of parents who don't want LGBTQ education on public schools

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a group of Maryland parents who challenged their school district's decision to deny them the ability to opt their elementary-aged children out of instruction featuring storybooks that address gender identity and sexual orientation.

The high court said in a 6-3 decision that the government burdens parents' religious exercise when it requires their children to participate in instruction that violates the families' religious beliefs. Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinion, with the Trump-appointed justices siding, whereas the three liberal justices in dissent.

“The Court does not accept the Board’s characterizations of the LGBTQ+-inclusive instruction as mere ‘exposure to objectionable ideas’ or as lessons in ‘mutual respect,'” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. “The storybooks unmistakably convey a particular viewpoint about same-sex marriage and gender. The question in cases of this kind is whether the educational requirement or curriculum at issue would substantially interfere with the religious development of the child or pose a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices the parent wishes to instill in the child,” he added.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor read her dissent aloud from the bench. In her opinion, simply being exposed to beliefs contrary to your own does not amount to prohibiting the free exercise of religion. The result will be chaos for this nation's public schools. Requiring schools to provide advance notice and the chance to opt out of every lesson plan or story time that might implicate a parent's religious beliefs will impose impossible administrative burdens on schools," she added.

“This ruling is a deeply disappointing blow to the right to read under the First Amendment,” said U.S. Free Expression Programs staff attorney for PEN America Elly Brinkley in a statement. “It is a fundamental betrayal of public schools’ duty to prepare students to live in a diverse and pluralistic society. By allowing parents to pull their children out of classrooms when they object to particular content, the justices are laying the foundation for a new frontier in the assault on books of all kinds in schools.”

A new step back in Trump's regime!

Tens of thousands defy Orban's ban at Budapest Pride 2025

 

Over 200,000 people marched at Budapest Pride 2025 to protest Hungarian’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws. All of them proved that the spirit of Pride is still alive in Hungary as they turned out to march at Budapest’s 30th annual Pride event despite Orban's ban.

The participants came together to celebrate Budapest Pride against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile legislative environment for LGBTQ+ citizens in Hungary, under Orban regime.

Most of the European countries support the Budapest Pride and stand for members of the LGBTQ+ community and their rights to equality and non-discrimination, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and freedom from violence.

The European Commission decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over a Hungarian law which discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. We expect the ruling this year.

We stand with Hungary!!!

Australian hockey team wear rainbow socks to support gay teammate

Members of Australia’s national field hockey team have sported rainbow socks to mark Pride month and support a gay teammate. 

Davis Atkin was accidentally outed as gay to his coach at the University of Canberra in 2021. Now, he told: “I said to the boys this morning that I really appreciate everyone being as inclusive as they are, and this was as simple as wearing socks. It paves the way for other people to follow that journey as a high-performance athlete.

Atkin also said: “Being able to run out on to the pitch with Pride socks together as a team was something truly special. The inclusivity, the support and the joy in this group made it all feel surreal".

“You can’t be what you can’t see, and even something as simple as rainbow socks can be a powerful sign to someone out there that they are seen, valid and belong,” he added.

This support is very important when a quarter of LGBTQ+ people do not feel welcome during live sporting events, according to research commissioned by Stonewall. 

Happy pride at sports also!!!

Davis Atkin is doubly proud

US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on youth gender-affirming care

 

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth in the case of U.S. v. Skrmetti. It has been a 6-3 decision, with the Court’s Republican appointees (most by Donald Trump) opposing trans rights and the Democratic appointees supporting them. 

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the majority, and Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote dissenting opinions. Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas wrote concurring opinions.

Skrmetti concerns three families of transgender youth, as well as a doctor, who argued that they’re victims of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. They argued that they were being deprived of essential medical care on the basis of their sex, since the gender-affirming care ban only bans such care for trans youth. 

Roberts, in the majority opinion, wrote that the law doesn’t discriminate on the basis of sex or on the basis of transgender status, saying that it only makes distinctions based on a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. 

That is the same definition of trans identity that the Trump Administration is using for the trans military ban, which also bars people with “symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria” from joining the military.

With this ruling, the Supreme Court is greenlighting the eradication of trans people from society. The are allowing the 25 states that currently have such bans on the books to continue to enforce them.

Thousands take part in Seoul LGBTQ Festival despite protests

 

Thousands of Koreans across the country took to Seoul's streets and joined in the 26th annual Seoul Queer Culture Festival in the heart of the city, one of the largest in Asia.

Jung-gu, central Seoul, was packed with festival participants clad in rainbow-colored garments and flags as some 70 promotional booths were set up in streets.

The event culminated with a pride parade from Jonggak Station to Euljiro Station, passing city landmarks including the Myeongdong Cathedral and Seoul Square. They hoisted signs with this year's slogan "We will not stop."

As in previous years, embassies from major allies of Korea participated in this year's event, as did representatives of universities from across the country.

The parade encountered a large-scale protest against the queer parade, particularly members of Christian communities who blasted gospel songs and held up signs that said, "Same-sex relationship is sin! God will judge!"

Police were dispatched adjacent to the protests to prevent possible altercations between the two groups, but no conflicts occurred outside of the jeers and boos.

Happy Pride Koreans!!!

TV celebrity Hong Seok-cheon did not miss it

Tel Aviv Pride Parade canceled again

 

Tel Aviv’s Pride Parade, one of the largest public events in Israel, has been canceled due to escalating security concerns following Israel’s overnight military offensive against Iran. The Pride Parade had been scheduled to take place on Friday June 13th.

The Israeli airstrikes targeted nuclear and military facilities in Iran and killed two top nuclear scientists and the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Iran in response to the airstrikes launched more than 100 drones towards Israel, but the Israel Defense Forces said it intercepted them.

The Pride Parade, which typically draws hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators, has been officially postponed along with other major events, all educational activities, public gatherings and nonessential work across the country until further notice. 

Authorities, in consultation with local LGBTQ activists, last year cancelled the Tel Aviv Pride parade out of respect for the hostages who remained in the Gaza Strip after Oct. 7.

World remains split on being a good place, or not, for gay and lesbian people, but less

 

This Pride Month, new Gallup data reveal a persistent global divide in whether people believe their own communities are good places for gay and lesbian people to live. In 2024, a median of 39% across more than 120 countries said their city or area was a good place for gay and lesbian people, slightly below the 45% who said it was not.

Despite this division, global views have changed considerably over time. When Gallup began tracking these perceptions in 2007, 23% viewed their local areas as good places for gay and lesbian people rather than 55% who said it was not good places. Then, the 39% who now view their area as a good place is nearly double the 2007 percentage. 

Since 2007, many countries have introduced legal changes affecting gay and lesbian people. There has been a steady increase in both the number of countries where same-sex relationships are legal and those that recognize same-sex marriage.

Check the data and more here.

Tens of thousands attended Pride march in Bucharest demanding equality

 

Over 30,000 people joined Pride march in Bucharest, demanding civil union partnership legislation and equal rights after  presidential election last month buoyed the far right in Romania.

With music, rainbow flags and colorful balloons, the procession marched through the streets of the center of the Romanian capital in a festive and cheerful atmosphere. Held since 2005, the event marked Bucharest Pride’s 20th anniversary.

Romania decriminalised homosexuality in 2001, decades later than other parts of the EU, but still bars marriage and civil partnerships for same-sex couples. Romanian authorities ignored a 2023 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which found Romania had failed to enforce the rights of same-sex couples by refusing to recognise their relationships.

After the 2024-2025 election cycle the far right parties have gained ground, and the country registered a huge increase in hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community, more people complaining about being harassed on the streets or being attacked.

Happy pride with rights!!!

Bucharest Pride celebrates 20th anniversary!

World Pride begins in Washington despite Trump

 

WorldPride 2025 wraps up in Washington, D.C., this weekend with festivities including a parade that kicked off Saturday in one of the city's historic gay neighborhoods and conclude in front of the U.S. Capitol.

This is the first time that D.C. has hosted the international LGBTQ+ festival since WorldPride's inaugural event in Rome in 2000. The U.S. capital won the bid to host World Pride years before Trump's re-election. 

In January, the event's organisers had projected the celebration, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Washington's first Pride march, would attract three million visitors and contribute nearly $800 million to the local economy.

But their expectations have now dropped to about a third of their previous estimates. Hotel occupancy rates are also down compared to last year. Some international travellers are choosing to skip the biennial event over travel fears, while others are protesting Donald Trump's policies.

WorldPride is brimming with events and celebrations, musical performances, fashion shows, discussion groups and subcommunity gatherings such as Trans Pride, Latinx Pride, Youth Pride and beyond. The festival culminates with the city’s Pride Parade on June 7 and a massive rally and march from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol on June 8.

The official theme for WorldPride DC 2025 has been labeled Fabric of Freedom. More info here.

Happy WorldPride!!!

Trump orders US Navy to strip Harvey Milk name from a ship

 

Donald Trump has ordered the US Navy to strip the name of prominent gay rights activist and navy veteran Harvey Milk from a ship. 

The order to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a fleet replenishment oiler, is in a memorandum from the office of the Secretary of the Navy. The renaming is being done to ensure alignment with Trump objectives and priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture.

The US Navy named the ship for the gay rights icon Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. He served as a diving officer from 1951 to 1955. 

Milk won a seat on the San Francisco board of supervisors. As one of the US’s first openly gay politicians, he became a forefront figure of the gay rights movement across the country before his assassination in 1978.

Hope Will Never Be Silent!

An Open Letter to LGBTQ+ Youth by The Trevor Project

 

According to a recently leaked proposed budget, Donald Trump‘s administration is considering defunding the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which helps connects callers in a mental health crisis with specially trained counselors with similar life experiences.

The Trevor Project, a non-profit devoted to suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth, wrote an open letter to save LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention hotline. The open letter starts:

"We are heartbroken by the proposal to eliminate federal funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services — a move that will have devastating, life-threatening consequences for young people across the country. As artists, creators, and public figures, our platforms come with responsibility. And today, that responsibility is clear: we must speak out to protect the mental health and lives of LGBTQ+ youth. We will not stay silent."

Read and sign the letter here.