Pride flag returns to Stonewall Monument defying Trump's policy

 

Activists in New York have restored the Pride flag at the Stonewall Memorial after it was controversially removed.

The flag, which had been flying near the monument in Greenwich Village, was taken down by the National Park Service. 

The Agency confirmed the removal was in line with updated Trump's guidance, limiting the types of flags permitted on government-managed flagpoles.

In a move of defiance against the Trump administration, who ordered it to be removed, it was restored in a ceremony at the same site.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Manhattan State Senator Erik Bottcher organised the re-raising of the flag as crowds gathered to see it returned.

Instead of the flag returning to its original place however, it was being raised on an alternate flagpole, to comply with government regulations, a move that left it essentially at half mast, displeasing many.

Two activists on the scene intervened stepped in to ensure the Pride flag went to its rightful place at the monument.

We won't be erased!!!

The price of dignity

 

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych wore a special helmet during his first training sessions on the Olympic track. 

It features portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – in total, it’s over 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches. 

But the IOC confirmed that Heraskevych won't be allowed to wear the helmet, saying it contravenes the Olympic Charter guidelines. He has finally been banned to participate in the games.

Shame on you IOC!! Stop War!! Stop Putin!!

Stand with Ukraine!!

It seems Republicans do not want to attack marriage equality for now, but until when?

 

A number of prominent conservative advocates recently launched a campaign with the explicit goal of organizing to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.

The Republican Party has been toning down its opposition to gay marriage in recent years. For decades, the party’s official platform declared that marriage was a union exclusively between a man and a woman. After Donald Trump returned to the White House and issued an executive order denying the existence of transgender people, his administration has taken several brazen steps against LGBTQ+ Americans. 

But, as the 2026 midterms approach, Republicans do not want to lean into it. They prefer to focus on issues people care about, and right now it’s pocketbook issues, namely the economy and immigration. Even Republicans who do oppose gay marriage the most aren’t interested in wrapping that messaging into their campaign strategy.

Of course, for Democrats, this issue offers them an opportunity to attack Republicans on an issue that’s politically unpopular, and all of them know it.

Polling also shows that most Americans overwhelmingly support keeping gay marriage legal. A May 2025 Gallup survey found that 68% of Americans believe that same-sex marriages should be considered valid under law. 

Reading this, it is pretty obvious who to vote for in the next U.S midterms elections.

The impact of Republican anti-trans legislation on youth Americans

 

More than half of U.S. transgender youth aged 13-17 live in a state with at least one law restricting their rights, according to a new study from the Williams Institute, a research organization at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. The study, titled The Impact of 2025 Anti-Transgender Legislation on Youth, looks at laws enacted in 2025 and previously.

An estimated 724,000 Americans in this age group identify as transgender, the institute notes. Of these, 382,800, 53 percent, live in one of the 29 states, most of them Republican, that has enacted one or more laws banning access to gender-affirming care, participation in sports, use of bathrooms and other sex-separated facilities, or gender affirmation through pronoun use.

But nearly 40 percent, or 285,300 teens, live in jurisdictions that have “shield laws” that protect access to gender-affirming care. 17 states and Washington, D.C., most of them Democrat, have these laws, which protect care providers and families from actions originating in states where this care has been restricted and, in some cases, from intrusion by the federal government.

The study also notes Donald Trump’s many anti-trans executive orders, such as those denying the existence of trans, nonbinary, and intersex people; using various means to further restrict young people’s access to gender-affirming care; and threatening states and schools that allow trans student athletes to participate in sports under their gender identity.

Download the full the study here.

A record number of LGBTQ athletes compite in Milan Winter Olympics 2026

 

There will be at least 43 publicly out gay, lesbian, bi and queer athletes competing at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. There will be 9 out men and 34 out women, 22 of whom are out ice hockey players, making it by far the sport with the most LGBTQ athletes.

The one major sport where out male athletes outnumber women is figure skating, with Milan having at least six men and one woman. Other sports represented by out athletes are skiing (both alpine and freestyle) with five; speed skating, four; skeleton, two; and one each from snowboarding, curling and biathlon.

The number of out athletes continues a trend at the Olympics, both Winter and Summer. Out Olympians say visibility and the desire to be themselves and not have to hide are reasons for coming out. 

There were 36 out Olympians at the 2022 Winter Games, 15 in 2018 and seven in 2014, which means there has been a sixfold increase in 12 years. Athletes on Team LGBTQ for the Milan Winter Olympics include: Brittany Bowe, Amber Glenn, Gus Kenworthy, Conor McDermott-Mostowy and Lewis Gibson. The 2024 Paris Summer Games also saw a record, with 199 out athletes competing.

Good luck!!

‘Heated Rivalry’ stars named Winter Olympics torchbearers

Maspalomas, about going back into closet when gets old

Maspalomas, a Spanish gay-themed film directed by Jose Mari Goenaga, reflects on what it means to be a gay man in old age and the importance of safe spaces for the community. After years fighting for normalizing the coming out, there still are problems to have places for old queer people and most of them have to go back into the closet again when stay in nursing homes.

Vicente (Jose Ramon Soroiz), now 76 years old, came out of the closet and left his wife and daughter when he was 50. He has spent the last 25 years living happily with his partner in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria). However, everything is turned upside down when Vicente suffers a stroke that leaves him in a coma. When he wakes up, he is faced with an unexpected reality: he has been moved back to Donostia, and his daughter (Nagore Aranburu) has placed him in a nursing home. 

Vicente decides not to offer any explanation about his sexual orientation. At first, he doesn’t think it’s necessary. And so, almost without realizing it, Vicente returns to where he started—he goes back into the closet, renouncing everything he worked so hard to achieve.Brilliantly exploring bilingualism and elder solidarity, this is a life-affirming look at how it’s never too late to improve ourselves.

Watch the trailer below:

A nurse killed by Trump's madness

 

Justice for Alex Pretti

Russian publishing house pro LGBT literature finally closes

 

Popcorn Books, a young adult-focused imprint of Russia’s largest book publisher, Eksmo, has shut down after being targeted by the Russian government for allegedly violating the so-called "law on the propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors", and known as the "anti-gay propaganda law”.

Popcorn Books launched in Moscow in 2018. Its website states that it is for 18+ readers and describes its books as “exciting fiction for young adults and adults that touches on topics which are still regarded as controversial in today’s Russia”.

In May of last year, the distribution director for Eksmo, Anatoly Norovyatkin, was detained by law enforcement officials, along with 10 other people associated with the company. Officials seized books from Popcorn and accused detainees of spreading LGBTQ+ “propaganda” in violation of Russian law. Three Popcorn Books managers are still under house arrest and face up to 10 years in prison.

In another case, three Eksmo employees (including one who worked for Popcorn) were charged with using their official positions to organize extremist activity by publishing and selling LGBTQ+ content. One person, Individual Print publishing house executive director Dmitry Protopopov, was designated as a terrorist.

Popcorn Books recently announced its closure: "Popcorn Books is closing. We are very grateful to everyone who has been with us during these seven years: the authors, partners and, of course, you, dear readers. It was your support that helped us to continue working in any conditions, even when we barely had enough strength. But we have always found strength in you".

Under Russian law, any LGBTQ+ content or activity have been banned in the presence of minors since 2013. In late 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation expanding the 2013 law to effectively outlaw any public expression of LGBTQ+ life in the country. And in 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court declared the international LGBT social movement an “extremist organization”.

‘Heated Rivalry’ stars named Winter Olympics torchbearers

 

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the stars of breakout gay hockey drama Heated Rivalry, have officially been named as torchbearers for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Seeing Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) as torchbearers is almost a case of life imitating art. In Season 1 of Heated Rivalry, the characters play for Canada and Russia respectively at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The two are among the most famous hockey players of their generation, rivals but at the same time united by an ever-deeper bond. ​​Together they pursue glory on the ice and at the same time struggle to manage their feelings outside the competition.

Remember, in Sochi (Russia) was in force Putin's anti-gay law, with no exceptions for athletes and visitors. The law effectively bans all gay rights rallies and it is used to prosecute anyone voicing support for homosexuals. The situation of LGBTQ+ people in Russia has became increasingly difficult and the homophobic climate has reached unacceptably levels.

Here is the moment, congratulations!

Pillion, a surprising queer BDSM movie

 

Pillion, written and directed by Harry Lighton, is a fascinating glimpse into a world that isn't often explored in film, centering around the BDSM relationship between commanding biker and his timid new submissive.

The film follows Colin (Harry Melling), a socially awkward parking attendant whose life takes a sharp turn when he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a confident, enigmatic biker. Their relationship quickly develops into a Dom/Sub dynamic, with Colin stepping into the submissive role.

Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray's world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is for him.

The film received critical acclaim, receiving several nominations and awards, including two British Independent Film Awards and a Gotham Independent Film Awards. Watch the trailer below:

LGBTQ+ Americans Under the Trump Administration

 

On Inauguration Day, Donald Trump issued an executive order to remove gender identity from federal policy. It was the first of many actions the Trump Administration has taken in an effort to erase and silence LGBTQ+ Americansl. 

Over the last 12 months, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has been closely tracking the toll the Trump Administration’s actions have taken on LGBTQ+ Americans. The Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey asked nearly 10,000 LGBTQ+ adults aged 18 about their experiences and sentiments since the start of the Trump Administration. 

Before Trump took office, visibility and representation among LGBTQ+ Americans was as high as it had ever been. There was a new generation of Americans sharing the truth of who they are. In 2024, more than one in five members of Generation Z said they were part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Now, the Trump Administration threatens to undo this progress by erasing LGBTQ+ Americans from federal policy and American history—and driving fear that makes LGBTQ+ Americans feel unsafe and less free to be out. The research carried out by HRC illustrates devastating impact of Trump administration on LGBTQ+ Americans. 

Three in ten (29.7 per cent) LGBTQ+ adults believe acceptance of LGBTQ+ people has decreased in the last year while nearly half (47.5 per cent) report being less out somewhere in their lives during the last 12 months. People being less out was reported as including workplaces (26.5 per cent), healthcare (25.4 per cent), and public spaces (28.3 per cent).

“We need and deserve leaders that treat everyone with dignity, give everyone the chance to thrive, and advance equality for all,” said Human Right’s Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. 

Totally agree, you can check the whole research here.

Twelve US states sue over Health and Human Services grant conditions targeting trans people

 

New York and 11 other states are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the Trump administration’s demands that states comply with anti-trans executive orders or face the loss of federal funding.

The lawsuit alleges that the Department of Health and Human Services is unlawfully requiring states to comply with Executive Order 14168, officially titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” as a condition of federal funding. 

The executive order, signed by Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration on Jan. 20 of last year, effectively erases the federal government’s recognition of transgender individuals.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island and also included Oregon, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. 

“The federal government is trying to force states to choose between their values and the vital funding their residents depend on,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

“This policy threatens health care for families, life-saving research, and education programs that help young people thrive in favor of denying the dignity and existence of transgender people. New York will not abandon our values, our laws, and above all, our residents. My office is suing to block this cruel and unjust directive,” she added.

France moves to restore justice for victims of anti-homosexuality convictions

 

The LGBTQ+ Rehabilitation Law represents a landmark moment in France’s ongoing journey toward equality and justice. 

The French National Assembly passed this historic law, designed to rehabilitate and compensate individuals convicted of homosexuality under discriminatory statutes—laws that were in force from the early 1940s until their repeal in 1982. 

This legislation, widely covered in both national and international media, is being hailed as a crucial step in acknowledging historical wrongs, restoring dignity, and promoting a more inclusive society.

The LGBTQ+ Rehabilitation Law officially annuls convictions handed down solely on the basis of sexual orientation. This means that all judicial records related to such convictions are erased, and the individuals concerned are legally recognized as having been wrongfully prosecuted. 

The law goes further by establishing a process for symbolic and financial reparation. Eligible survivors receive a lump sum of 10,000 euros, supplemented by 150 euros per day of imprisonment served. Importantly, the law allows relatives of deceased victims to apply for posthumous rehabilitation, acknowledging the intergenerational impact of these injustices.

Late but welcomed!

A mother of 3 murdered by Trump's madness

 

Justice for Renee Good 

gofundme

NYC new mayor appoints first out gay Fire Department commissioner

 

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named Lillian Bonsignore commissioner of the Fire Department of New York, making her the second woman and first out gay person in that post.

Bonsignore was born in the Bronx. She joined the FDNY in 1991 as an emergency medical technician and served 31 years, retiring in 2022. She was named chief of the FDNY’s Emergency Medical Services division in 2019, becoming the first woman to head the division and first uniformed woman to be a four-star chief in the department. During her tenure, she was a first responder in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and led the EMS division during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some day in our world, we will not have to talk about the fact that I am a woman, or about being openly gay when I received a promotion like this. But today is not that day," Bonsignore said when appointed.

Elon Musk wrote in a post on X, which he owns, to attack Bonsignore, fallaciously claiming that "people will die because of this." Mamdani was quick to point out. He wrote in post directly replying to Musk, “Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS. You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?”

Fortunately, things don't have to be the way Trump and Musk want them to be, there is still hope.

Happy New Year 2026!!!

 

Happy New Year 2026!!!