LGBT News

From the National Enquirer: After nearly 1,000 days in hiding and a sudden hospitalization, The National ENQUIRER can now reveal the bombshell reason why Richard Simmons is no longer the man his fans used to know: He’s changed into a woman! In an explosive world exclusive, The ENQUIRER can now reveal jaw-dropping never-before-seen photos of Simmons draped in furs and …

NOTE: An important clarification is below. Earlier: That was amazingly fast. Patch.com reports: A stay has been issued in the case of a Virginia school’s transgender bathroom policy, meaning the case will go before the Supreme Court of the United States, according to a report. The Gloucester County School Board passed a policy restricting students to restrooms reflecting their “biological …

Last month the Fourth Circuit Court refused to revisit its ruling, so we knew this was coming. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: A case challenging the Obama administration’s interpretation of existing civil rights laws as providing protections from discrimination for transgender people will be headed to the Supreme Court this summer. Because the court is soon recessing for the summer, …

Via press release: The Washington Capitals and goaltender Braden Holtby [photo] are proud to announce their support and take part in the Capital Pride Alliance’s 2016 Capital Pride Parade presented by Marriot Rewards, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, in Washington DC. Holtby will participate in the Pride Parade walking with Capitals mascot Slapshot, Red Rockers, Washington Wizards …

Just in from GLSEN: Today, the NBA announced a partnership with Teespring, a leading on-demand commerce platform, and GLSEN on a 2-week campaign supporting LGBT Pride month. As part of this, Teespring will offer PRIDE shirts featuring all 30 NBA teams with officially licensed logos. Each will have a black background with the team logo emblazoned in rainbow. All of …

Via Barbados Today: The Barbados Government “will not change the law” to allow for same-sex marriages, an adamant Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has declared. However, Brathwaite warned the island had no room for discrimination on the basis of sexuality. “As a lawmaker, if Jane decides she wants to live with Janice, that is their business as far I am concerned. …

In a press release that name-checks pioneering gay activists Frank Kameny and Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, the Department of Defense celebrates LGBT Pride Month. They write: Diversity is one of our nation’s greatest strengths. During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride month, we celebrate our rich diversity and renew our enduring commitment to equity. The dedication and contributions of our …

Via Pink News: The newest winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bob the Drag Queen, is urging people to take the anti-HIV medication, PrEP. The Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada can reduce people’s chances of being infected with HIV by up to 99 percent, if taken daily. In the latest HIV Beats video by the #endHIV campaign, Bob says: “Oh hey! …

Via White House press release: On June 5, 1981, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report on what would later be understood as the first documented cases of AIDS. The past 35 years tell a story that bends from uncertainty, fear, and loss toward resilience, innovation, and hope. We’ve learned that stigma and silence don’t just fuel …

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade: A prominent LGBT rights activist in Honduras was murdered this week. La Prensa, a Honduran newspaper, reported Rene Martínez’s family reported him missing on Wednesday after he left his home in the city of San Pedro Sula’s Chamelecón neighborhood and got into someone’s car. La Prensa reported that Martínez’s relatives identified his body …

From the Winston-Salem Journal: Gov. Pat McCrory said he will continue to fight for a “respect for privacy” in the face of a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit over the state’s controversial “bathroom bill.” McCrory was speaking at North Carolinians for Home Education’s annual conference, being held this week at the Benton Convention Center. McCrory praised the several hundred families …

From the Jerusalem Post: The Tel Aviv Gay Pride parade drew hundreds of thousands of participants to the march on Friday. The parade, which took off from Tel Aviv’s Gan Meir at noon and included music, festivities, speeches and shows, is the largest Pride Parade in the Middle East. This year’s event spotlighted “Women for a Change,” an organization that …

Following a 2010 ruling by Mexico’s Supreme Court, same-sex marriage is recognized in all 31 Mexican states, but currently only nine states have enacted laws that allow gay couples to marry locally without going to court. Last month President Enrique Nieto proposed a constitutional change to force the remaining states to comply. Yesterday he authored a Huffington Post column explaining …

Via the Associated Press: Florida taxpayers are going to pay nearly $500,000 for the state’s losing battle to keep intact a voter-approved ban on gay marriage. State officials have now reached settlements with two separate groups of attorneys representing same-sex couples that challenged the state’s ban. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office reached a final settlement on Wednesday that brought the …

Tribune News Service reports: A growing number of Americans are having gay sex, or at least admitting to it. And that’s OK with more of us. “People over time are reporting more same-sex sexual experiences than ever before,” said Brooke Wells, a social psychologist at Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies. The behavioral trend, reflected in an annual survey …

Via press release from the US Navy: The Navy joins the nation in recognizing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride month during the month of June. Established by Presidential Proclamation in 2000, LGBT Pride Month is held annually and recognizes the importance of diversity within our society as well as the many achievements of LGBT individuals. This year’s theme is …

From Israel National News: A Tel Aviv court on Wednesday struck down dozens of restraining orders Israeli police had issued against opponents of this Friday’s planned gay pride parade. The orders, which would have barred the individuals from approaching the route of the parade in Tel Aviv, were issued against dozens of haredi and national religious activists. Police had called …

From the Moscow Times: Kremlin-backed experts have described condoms as the main cause of Russia HIV epidemic, the Kommersant newspaper reported Tuesday. The report from the Russian Institute for Strategic Research (RISR) described the country’s HIV problem as part of information war against Russia. The institute’s deputy director Tatyana Guzenkova said that HIV and AIDS were used as part of …

Chris Johnson report at the Washington Blade: President Obama predicted on Wednesday courts will settle which public restroom transgender students should be able to use amid continuing controversy over the issue. Obama made the remarks in response to a question during a town hall on “PBS News Hour” with Gwen Ifill as part of a trip to Elkhart, Ind., in …

From GLAD: “This is an incredible moment. After years of brave and steadfast work by transgender people, family members, allies, businesses, faith leaders, and community organizations, we are inches from full equality for transgender people in our state. This bill will not only ensure fair and long overdue protections for transgender people, but enshrine in law a recognition of the …