Pride season may be largely in the rearview mirror, but Equality California is gearing up for a busy fall. On August 3–4, we’ll convene our annual LGBTQ+ Leadership Summit in Sacramento, bringing together LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials from across California to discuss the challenges facing our communities, develop strategies for the future, and hear from distinguished leaders, including former U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler.

Just one week later, we’ll return to the state Capitol for our final Leadership Academy of the year. This special Gender Equity Edition will help prepare lesbian, bisexual and queer women, as well as transgender and nonbinary people, to run for office and serve their communities.If you’re interested in applying or know someone who’d be a great fit, learn more!

To read more stories, join our mailing list, and sign up for the weekly Equality Brief, visit eqca.org/equalitybrief.

• Governor Newsom Signs Budget That Includes Funding for Trans Healthcare, Uncompensated Care, LGBTQ+ Centers:
  On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a pro-equality budget that specifically seeks to preserve access to healthcare for transgender Californians in addition to monies for Uncompensated Care and LGBTQ+ community center support. With the federal government threatening to withhold Medicare and Medicaid funding for hospitals and providers that offer transition-related care, Equality California and a coalition of civil rights, LGBTQ+ and healthcare organizations had lobbied for $26 million to set up a state pathway for such care. Read our statement alongside reactions from our coalition partners, as well as our list of thank-yous to the legislators who championed our ask.
  
• 6-3 Supreme Court Ruling Lets Transgender Athlete Bans Stand:
  The conservative majority court ruled on Tuesday that state bans on transgender girls participating in school sports do not violate the Constitution, and may be enforced. However, as disappointing as the ruling is, the decision was limited to the specific questions before the Court and does not resolve broader questions about protections for transgender people. Schools and states can continue to adopt inclusive policies that ensure every student is treated with dignity and respect. Read our statement here.
  
• California AG Releases Hate Crimes Report; LGBTQ+ Numbers a Mixed Bag:
  On Monday, July 6, California AG Rob Bonta’s office released the 2025 Hate Crimes in California report, tracking hate incidents throughout the state. While overall reported hate crimes decreased by 3.4%, and those with a sexual orientation bias fell by more than 35%, anti-transgender incidents saw a 23.4% increase. There is absolutely no place for hate in California. Transparent and accessible data is a critical part of understanding where we are and how we can end hate crimes in our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta.
  
• Merck Enlists Seven Drugmakers for Generic Version of New PrEP Drug:
  Pharmaceutical company Merck has announced that it will license seven generic drugmakers to produce a low-cost alternative to a new PrEP medication, alimatravir. The move is meant to make stockpiles of the drug available pending the anticipated positive outcome of two late-stage clinical trials occurring next year. UNAIDS reported 1.2 million new HIV infections in 2025; efforts to decrease transmissions have taken a hit in the wake of Trump administration decisions to pull American funding from global HIV/AIDS initiatives.
  
• Trump HHS Department Ends Rule Protecting LGBTQ+ Foster Children:
  The Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary RFK, Jr., has formally rescinded a hard-won Biden era rule that protected LGBTQ+ foster youth throughout the placement and reunification processes. The rule ensured that LGBTQ+ foster children would be placed in affirming homes, help them report mistreatment, request alternate placements, and prohibit so-called conversion therapy. LGBTQ+ foster youth are overrepresented in the system due in part to family rejection and fears for their safety. LGBTQ+ minors are also less likely to be reunified with their families of origin, adopted, or placed permanently with relatives.
  
• Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Parental Rights Case Next Term:
  The conservative majority Supreme Court will take up a case in its next term involving parental rights and the ability of youth to access certain services independent of parental consent. The lawsuit, International Partners for Ethical Care v. Ferguson, brought by a Chicago-based Christian nonprofit, challenges Washington state laws that allow minors to access shelter services, mental health and gender-affirming care without parental consent. The Ninth Circuit Court had refused to hear the case, stating the parents lacked standing because none of their teenagers had actually run away and sought state shelter.
  
• Pete Buttigieg Targeted by False CPS Report, Resulting in Temporary Parental Separation:
  After a false anonymous complaint was filed against Buttigieg accusing him of putting his children at risk, the former Secretary of Transportation and Presidential candidate was separated from his children temporarily while law enforcement and CPS completed an investigation. After the report was determined to be false, Buttigieg and husband Chasten were reunited with their 4-year-old twins Gus and Penelope. On his Substack, Buttigieg wrote about what he called “every parent’s nightmare,” noting he believed it was no coincidence that the events transpired during Pride Month.
  
• Federal Judge Questions Pentagon on Blatant Double Standard Around Testosterone:
  Judge Ana Reyes, currently overseeing a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s transgender military ban, ordered the government to address Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recently-announced “testosterone screening and treatment” policy and explain how it is any different from hormone therapy prescribed to transgender servicemembers. At the heart of Reyes’ order is the fundamental question: Why can testosterone be treated as a “tool of health and readiness” for cisgender troops, but serve as “evidence of unfitness” when prescribed to transgender men?

STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Equality California’s priority sponsored legislation continues to move through the legislative process. As we come out of summer recess in August, we will update you on the status of these critical LGBTQ+ bills. To view our entire 2026 state legislative package, visit eqca.org/legislation

UPCOMING EVENTS

Our premier event of the year, the Los Angeles Equality Awards, is happening on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 6:00-10:00 PM at the gorgeous Fairmont Century Plaza. And this year, we’re making Monét moves — Drag Race All-Stars winner, comedian, actor, and presenter Monét X Change will serve as emcee! We’ll also honor Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur with the Equality Leadership Award. More details will be announced soon, but tickets are on sale now! Don’t miss out!

The Trump administration will install temporary warning signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History after releasing a report accusing the museum of promoting what it calls “radical” gender ideology and other politically biased content.

According to the Executive Order, “For purposes of policy formulation under EO 14253, this review of the National Museum of American History concludes that NMAH, by the intention and at the direction of current Museum and Smithsonian leadership, has become subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love.”

Executive Order 14253 refers to what the White House has deemed the “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” order. Therefore, the Trump administration has said it will take all available steps to ensure that the issues in the report are addressed and rectified.

Without specifying, the White House has stated that warnings will be posted along NMAH to alert visitors to sections of the museum it has deemed are in violation according to the report.

“The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) and in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall install temporary signage along the NPS-maintained sidewalks and walkways used by the public to access the Museum, informing visitors of the findings of the Report and of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order,” the Executive Order states.

The warnings were raised in a 162-page report issued by the Domestic Policy Council. The report detailed ways in which the National Museum of American History (NMAH) has “poorly” portrayed American history and insufficiently highlighted the founding story during America 250th celebrations.

The report outlined key findings of the NMAH. One of these findings was the Center for Restorative History within the museum, which has stated its purpose is to “encourage systemic change” by highlighting diverse groups. However, the report states that it highlights every group of Americans except for straight and white Americans.

The Domestic Policy Council accused the museum of engaging in “transgender activism.” According to the report, examples include referring to “biological men” as women or girls, displaying what it describes as sexually suggestive content, and incorporating discussions of gender fluidity, gender identity, and gender nonconformity into the museum’s educational curriculum, “Becoming US.”

The report also criticizes the curriculum for using the term “transgender” when discussing gender-nonconforming people and encouraging individuals to ask a person’s pronouns when meeting them. It further objects to exhibits stating that “transgender, nonbinary, and cisgender female athletes” continue to struggle for and demand equality.

It also condemns what it refers to as explicit content in an exhibition, “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)”, such as chest binders, questioning gender testing in women’s sports, and referring to biological females as “people inhabiting female bodies.”

Additionally, the report accuses the museum of no longer participating in flag-celebrating ceremonies because it was “too busy” preparing for June Pride and WorldPride events. It states, “As Director Hartig explained in a June 2024 presentation, all her attention was focused on flying the Smithsonian Pride Alliance’s ‘intersexual pride flag during June’ in 2023 and 2024.”

On July 9, the American Historical Association issued a statement rejecting the report’s findings.

In regard to the report, it states, “Its anonymous authors overlook a central lesson of the nation’s founding: the United States was forged by finding common purpose amid intense divisions, conflicts, and disagreements.” They argue that only “honest history” can tell the true history of the nation.

House Republicans led a subcommittee hearing that questioned Smithsonian Director Hartig extensively. A main focus of the questions was on the exhibits related to gender identity and whether they were appropriate. In the hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace asked: “When was your gender revealed to you, Dr. Hartig?”

In response to questioning, Hartig stated that the institution is nonpartisan and does not push a specific agenda.

Hartig published a two-page statement ahead of her hearing outlining her thoughts on the situation. In the report, she states that the institution is always open to criticism and will continue to look for ways to improve, but she sees the report as misleading.

“I can attest that the report does not fairly characterize the full body of work at this museum. I am familiar with the depth and breadth of our collections, exhibits, and programming. And while I recognize there is always room for improvement, I also know the beauty, inspiration, and expertise that exists in our museum,” Hartig wrote.

Democrats created their own 16-page report as a rebuttal to the Domestic Policy Council’s report. It argued that the attacks by the current Trump administration are another example of its attempt to rewrite history. Additionally, the report states that no policy changes were included in the Executive Order, as that is beyond the President’s role. “The Report recommends nothing. That is no accident. To recommend an action, the Report would need to identify who is legally empowered to take it, and its own opening chapter concedes the President’s only power is to ‘urge’,” House Democrats wrote.

It is still unclear when the temporary warnings will be installed or what form they will take beyond the requirements outlined in the executive order.

HIV/AIDS activists on Sunday protested a Trump-Vance administration official at the 2026 International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell and others disrupted U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Jeff Graham, who is leading the Trump-Vance administration’s AIDS 2026 delegation, as he spoke. They were protesting the Trump-Vance administration’s cuts to U.S. foreign aid that they maintain have had a devasting impact on the global HIV/AIDS fight.

“The U.S. government has stolen HIV treatment from 77,163 HIV positive children, slashed PrEP enrollment by 42 percent, closed 1,700 PEPFAR HIV treatment sites, decimated programs led by and for key populations, implementers report slashing condom programming by 93 percent, and so much more,” said Russell in a Bluesky post that contained pictures of her and other activists on stage at AIDS 2026.

The US government has stolen HIV treatment from 77,163 HIV positive children, slashed PrEP enrolment by 42%, closed 1700 PEPFAR HIV treatment sites, decimated programs led by and for key populations, implementers report slashing condom programming by 93% and so much more

[image or embed]

— Asia Russell (@asia-ilse.bsky.social) July 26, 2026 at 2:26 PM

Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after the Trump-Vance administration took office issued a waiver that allowed PEPFAR and other “life-saving humanitarian assistance” programs to continue to operate during a freeze on nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending. HIV/AIDS service providers around the world with whom the Washington Blade has spoken say PEPFAR cuts and the loss of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which officially closed on July 1, 2025, has severely impacted their work.

The International AIDS Society in a press release it issued last week noted PEPFAR “has saved more than 26 million lives” since President George W. Bush implemented it in 2003, “and changed the trajectory of the HIV pandemic.” The group also said PEPFAR “was a a success under the first Trump administration, with major progress toward the 95-95-95 goals.”

The UNAIDS’s 95-95-95 goals are 95 percent of people with HIV knowing their status, 95 percent of people with HIV having access to antiretroviral therapy, and 95 percent of those receiving ART having suppressed viral loads by 2030.

“Since the start of the second Trump administration, however, it has undergone major disruptions,” added the International AIDS Society.

“No one has to accept being lied to by this administration, particularly not the scientists and communities and activists who know the best what is at stake and what is actually happening,” said Russell on Bluesky.

many many people stood up and applauded during our protest, and thanked us afterward.

No one has to accept being lied to by this administration, particularly not the scientists and communities and activists who know the best what is at stake and what is actually happening

— Asia Russell (@asia-ilse.bsky.social) July 26, 2026 at 2:45 PM

AIDS 2026 will end on Friday.

A decision by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at the request of the Trump administration to discontinue direct federal funding of community-based organizations and clinics that provide HIV prevention services has raised concern among community health advocates, including LGBTQ advocates.

News surfaced earlier this month that the OMB informed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it would not renew $46 million in funding for 96 community-based organizations that provide HIV testing, referrals to medical care, and arrangements for obtaining pre-exposure HIV prevention medication known as PrEP that has been shown to be 99 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.

Under the new policy arranged by OMB, the funds will be redirected to the states to be allocated to state and local health departments. The policy calls for states to encourage but not require their respective state and local health departments to allocate some of those funds for community-based organizations. Under the new policy, the funding is scheduled to last until May of 2027, before a renewal decision is made.

Some political observers have speculated that the decision to end direct federal funding to community-based organizations could be motivated by the Trump administration’s hostility to diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI programs and organizations that promote those programs, with the belief that some of the groups receiving the federal HIV prevention funds are promoting DEI.

Carl Schmid, executive director of the D.C.-based HIV+ Hepatitis Policy Institute, is among the leaders of many AIDS advocacy organizations expressing strong opposition to the OMB action. Schmid said that in places like D.C. and some states, local officials will be willing to redirect the federal funds to local community-based organizations.

A list of the 96 community-based organizations across the country that are currently receiving the federal AIDS funds includes the D.C.-based Whitman-Walker Health, which has a long history of healthcare support for the LGBTQ community, and La Clinica del Pueblo, which reaches out to the Latino community.

 Schmid said Whitman-Walker and La Clinica del Pueblo have longstanding good relationships with the local D.C. government.

“But other states and jurisdictions don’t have that relationship with the community-based organizations,” Schmid said. “It depends on the state,” he said, adding, “Not all states send their money to the communities that really need it most. And not all states are fast in getting money to the community-based organizations.” 

Spokespersons for Whitman-Walker and La Clinica del Pueblo couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on whether they think the Trump administration’s latest action related to funding will adversely impact their respective organizations.  

Schmid said under the current federal grant program slated to be discontinued, which has been in effect for at least five years, HIV-related health organizations receiving the federal grant funds were eligible for an existing federal policy enabling them to purchase HIV-related medication, including the PrEP prevention medication, at a significant discount from pharmaceutical companies. With the ending of the direct federal HIV funds to community-based organizations, Schmid said it was unclear whether problems may surface in obtaining drug discounts.

“They could still qualify as a sub-grantee from a state,”  Schmid said. “But what if they don’t get that grant again? They would not be able to qualify to obtain the drugs” at the discounted price, he said.

Among the organizations expressing strong concern over the decision to discontinue the direct HIV prevention funding to community-based organizations has been the Federal AIDS Policy Institute and its subgroup called the HIV Prevention Action Coalition.

In a July 22 letter bearing the names of 71 community-based organizations from throughout the country sent to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya, the group called for the Trump administration to “reconsider” ending the current funding policy.  

“Ending this program without a clear plan for what comes next would dismantle prevention infrastructure that has taken more than three decades of federal investment to build and do so just as that long record of measurable returns is accelerating,” the letter states.

It says the initiative by President Trump in his first term as president to end the HIV epidemic and reduce new HIV infections by 90 percent by 2030 was moving ahead by the funding program for community-based organizations that the administration now wants to end. 

“Discontinuing this program would also cost far more than it saves,” the letter says. “Every HIV transmission prevented avoids an estimated lifetime treatment cost of roughly half a million dollars per person to the healthcare system – costs that fall heavily on taxpayer-funded programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program,” the letter continues.

“The choice before the administration is straightforward: a modest, targeted investment in prevention now, or far greater public expense for treatment later,” the letter concludes. 

Spokespersons for the OMB and the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, have not immediately responded to news media requests for comment on the opposition to the funding change policy.

On Saturday, during Berlin’s Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ Pride events, a 21-year-old religious extremist drove a van into the crowd and then used a knife to stab multiple people. One person died and 29 others were injured.

When I saw this news on social media, I sincerely felt scared, and not because one more bigot used his religion to justify violence against people like me. It has, unfortunately, happened too often. Despite being happy to see the overwhelming support for the queer community and the condemnation of terrorism, I was terrified by the wave of Islamophobic and anti-immigrant statements that came even from “left” and “progressive” people who should know better, who generally support refugees, who know that all people are equal, and that you shouldn’t treat others as less human because of their religion.

In 2020, a Russian MP threatened to start a criminal case against me after I interviewed Muslim women about why they called themselves feminists and wrote about my own relationship with feminism and Islam, mentioning that I was following events in Syria and had read some academic books on the Islamic State. Surprisingly, the MP claimed that I was recruiting women to ISIS by using feminist ideas, which, of course, was absolutely ridiculous for many reasons, including the fact that I was an openly nonbinary transgender person. But some media outlets and queer people online, including those who called themselves progressive, refused to support me or believed the lie. This is what an anti-extremist witchhunt looks like. If I had been in Russia, and not in the UK, I probably would have been in prison.

It is extremely important to oppose extremism by knowing the actual facts about terrorist groups and not starting a moral panic.

Here are four examples of what media coverage and queer people online often misunderstand about the events in Berlin, and why it’s important.

1. Islam is not the problem

Despite a common misunderstanding, this terrorist act wasn’t even about Islam. 

Islam, just like Christianity and Judaism, has a variety of views on LGBTQ+ rights, from affirmative to condemning. I think everyone in the American Bible Belt has met Christian fundamentalists who praised violence against LGBTQ+ people or used violence against their own queer children, so it is a universal problem. But the thing is Abdul Ballout was not an ordinary conservative Muslim. He was known for wanting to join ISIS. It is an apocalyptic cult that teaches that we are living in the last era, so they are trying to re-create the caliphate that they believe should be restored before Doomsday. 

Most of the Muslim people I know, including conservative Salafi Muslims, see the group as dangerous criminals, or don’t see the group as a Muslim group at all. The vast majority of ISIS victims are not Western people or queer people, but cisgender heterosexual Muslims in the Middle East and Africa who the group considers to be infidels. ISIS is widely condemned by Muslim communities and scholars, and blaming Islam for the actions of cult members is like blaming Christianity and all Christians — or even all Christian fundamentalists — for the actions of Branch Davidians members or for the mass murder-suicide committed by members of the People’s Temple.

2. Refugees are not the problem — and Germany is not a safe haven for refugees

First, the attacker was a German citizen. But the media continue to blame migration. Germany is seen as a safe haven for refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S., the UK and beyond. But the time when Germany was safe is long gone. For refugees from Russia between 2022 and 2025 alone, around 90 percent of refugee claims have been refused by Germany, including the claims of political prisoners. The situation for non-White Muslim refugees is even worse, especially in regions such as Bavaria.

I have personal experience working with some refugees in Germany who are also Muslim. The way the migration service mistreated them is beyond anything I saw while working with refugees and being a refugee in the UK. I saw cases in Germany where an asylum seeker’s family was threatened back home because of social media posts the asylum seeker had made, or where a person was detained and sent back to their homeland despite having a history of persecution and torture by the government. Very often, when a person is taken by the immigration service, their loved ones don’t know where they are. Queer refugees also report homophobic and transphobic attitudes in the system.

The narrative that Germany is too generous to refugees was created by the far right and has little to do with reality, and it harms actual refugees, including queer refugees, by silencing their voices.

3. There is no collective responsibility

It is an extremely old and dangerous idea.

Just as all gay men shouldn’t be blamed for what the American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer did just because he was gay; we shouldn’t blame all Muslims, all people of Middle Eastern origin, or any other large demographic group for the crime of one terrorist. Even if the terrorist had been a refugee and a Muslim, it shouldn’t actually matter, because under the law in any modern non-authoritarian country, an individual shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of their social group.

After all, when a white, Christian, cisgender, heterosexual, neurotypical person commits a crime, it is almost always seen as an individual’s fault. Why is it different for marginalized groups? The idea of collective responsibility harmed the gay community for decades and is harming the trans community right now, for example after Charlie Kirk’s murder. The best thing we can do is stop this narrative, because it will be used against us.

The only reason I explained about ISIS and the refugee experience in Germany is to show how far from reality the popular accusations are.

4. Witch-hunts and scapegoating serve the far-right agenda and are extremely anti-queer

From my own experience, as an openly trans person speaking against Islamophobia, sexism and queerphobia who was accused of supporting the cult that kills queer people, promotes the sexual exploitation of women and sees the majority of Muslims as legitimate targets, I can say for sure that moral panic can go wild.

People who remember the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, or even the attacks on Muslim communities after Sept. 11, should know this.

Now even queer people are attacking refugees and Muslim communities online while the German government is introducing more draconian measures against those groups.

ILGA-Europe, the biggest LGBTQ+ organization in Europe, made a statement warning against any attempt to weaponize the attack. 

“This tragedy must not be used to fuel hatred against migrants, foreigners or Muslim communities. We reject any attempt by anti-democratic actors to exploit what happened to divide communities, scapegoat minorities or turn one group against another,” Chaber, the group’s executive director, said. “LGBTI people must not be instrumentalized to spread hatred against others, nor should the existence of racism, Islamophobia or anti-migrant hatred be used to minimize the threats faced by LGBTI people. The rights, safety, and dignity of all people must be defended.”

People who live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities — LGBTQ+ Muslims, LGBTQ+ people of color and LGBTQ+ refugees — will probably suffer the most from this moral panic. Moreover, these are the same political groups that target refugees, Muslim communities and queer people. If this hatred isn’t stopped now, everyone is potentially at risk. 

Condemning terrorism is important, but it is no less important to stop creating more victims.

Between caring for his newborn and running the popular GYM Bar WEHO sports bar, Jonathan Cottrell is also juggling his campaign for West Hollywood’s city council in the upcoming November general election.

Cottrell, who has lived in WeHo for over a decade, is running on a campaign of increasing government trust, neighborhood safety, and more affordable housing.

He is running because he believes in a government that “listens, acts with compassion, and works for all people,” according to his campaign website. 

“I’m a software engineer by trade, so I love big ideas, taking big swings, and I think that pragmatic approach that I bring to my work can carry over,” Cottrell, 36, said. 

Cottrell has been involved with the city in various ways over the years. Since March of last year, he’s been on the public facilities, recreation and infrastructure commission. Alongside being a business owner, he’s also a renter and helps run his HOA.

“Through the course of all those things, I’ve gotten to know the people that work at City Hall, the staffers, the council, the agencies that are county-run like fire, sheriff’s office, the health department,” Cottrell, 36, said. “All that together, I’ve gotten to see what works great about our city, but also what we can improve.”

He hopes to improve the city’s government trust by increasing transparency and accountability policies and building them up.

“If we have easy-to-use, transparent technology, that doesn’t require you to drill down through PDFs and download things and search and find dates of disclosures that exist within our government,” Cottrell said. “If we have systems where things aren’t buried in endless files, that’ll increase government trust.”

He hopes to increase this “lack of ease of accessibility” that bars people from knowing where to go to find city government information.

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A post shared by Jonathan Cottrell (@cottrell4weho)

Prioritizing community safety is another big goal of Cottrell’s.

“As a bar owner and restaurant owner, I see it every day, all the issues we have,” Cottrell said.

Some issues he’s seen include street fights, an increase in the unhoused population, and recent issues like the waterline burst that led to a large sinkhole. He said issues like these “affect the whole community.”

If voted in, he’d like to focus on recruitment and retention of West Hollywood’s law enforcement, which he says will improve safety of the neighborhood.

He’d like to increase the number of deputies in the city and “find a path to increase public safety and better night shifts that are permanent.”

“I’d like us to increase our investment in public safety, but in a way that actually increases being safe and feeling safe,” he added. “We need to beef up the budget but also use those dollars wisely and make sure that they are actually providing safety on our blocks that we can feel.”

In 2022, West Hollywood voted to cut the sheriff budget, replacing four deputies with unarmed security ambassadors.

Since then, the budget has continued to increase sheriff and protective services (one category) and public safety budgets. In 2022, these two groups’ costs were around $22 million. By fiscal year 2028, the projected budget for public safety and sheriff and protective services is just shy of $40 million, according to WeHo’s two-year city operating budget.

WeHo’s serious crimes dropped more than 13% in the first half of 2026, according to WeHo Times, despite increases in auto thefts, shoplifting, and burglaries in residential areas.

“$40 million may seem like we’re spending a lot, but it is a smaller budget than some of our neighbors,” Cottrell said. “Increasing it will allow more presence on the street and, for example, a permanent night shift that is there at the high-risk times, at high-risk places.”

Housing and affordability in WeHo remain a common topic for many city council campaigns.

For Cottrell, a focus for long-term fixes for the city’s housing shortage is imperative.

“We need to continue to have a great housing policy here, a decade of rent control policies that were implemented by people that founded the city,” Cottrell said.

He thinks there’s a way to increase economic opportunity while also addressing the affordability crisis that impacts renters, homeowners, small businesses, and workers.

“I really believe we have to be bold about where we’re going, but also very thoughtful and strategic about how we get there,” he said. 

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A post shared by GYM Bar WeHo – West Hollywood Sports Bar (@wehogymbar)

He hopes that with a city full of creatives and the city’s reputation for being unique, some solutions can be found.

“In addition to our rent control and rent stabilization ordinances, I think we can get more creative about looking at creative zoning, such as light industrial residential,” Cottrell said. “I picture, say, an artist who lives and works in their studio, but also part of the space can be a gallery.”

“There’s actually a lot of spaces in West Hollywood that could be mixed-use, where we need to figure out what is the path to make that viable,” he added. “We have to continue being very thoughtful in our approach, but we can also shoot for the stars.”

Investing in more creative housing options will lead to vibrancy and growth in economic opportunity for WeHo, he said.

“Let’s invest in our people, invest in our community, and be innovative,” Cottrell said. “I have a lot of excitement for the future. There’s a lot of scary stuff happening federally, but let’s build a gold standard for the country for what a city can be in the modern world.”

For more information, head to Cottrell4Weho.com.

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in Amsterdam from Aug. 5-10.

Queen Máxima on July 25 participated in this year’s World Pride opening ceremony in Amsterdam.

The Dutch monarch joined Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema at the ceremony that took place in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Several drag queens also participated in the event.

🌈 Koningin Máxima opent WoldPride 2026 in het Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Het evenement vraagt wereldwijdaandacht voor de zichtbaarheid, emancipatie en mensenrechten van de LGBTQIA+-gemeenschap. Koningin Máxima bezoekt de Sport Pride en de Youth Pride.⁰https://t.co/eXdHJYQX2R pic.twitter.com/wNkjvaTkHY

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) July 25, 2026

World Pride will take place in Amsterdam through Aug. 10.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is openly gay, is scheduled to open the World Pride Human Rights Conference on Aug. 5.

Halsema on Sunday told reporters that authorities will bolster security measures “where necessary” in response to the terrorist attack at Berlin’s annual Pride march the day before that left one person dead and 29 others injured.

At least one person died on Saturday when a van drove into a crowd at Berlin’s annual Pride march.

The incident took place shortly before 10 p.m. local time (1 p.m. PT) in Tiergarten park.

Authorities say a 21-year-old German man of Lebanese descent who tried to join the Islamic State drove the van into the crowd. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Sunday told reporters during a press conference the suspect also attacked people with a machete.

Dobrint said the suspect injured 29 people — with some of them in critical condition.

He and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed authorities are investigating the attack as “an Islamist terrorist attack.” Officers killed the suspect in the Berlin suburb of Spandau on Sunday after he reportedly charged at them with a knife.

A memorial service and rally took place in Berlin on Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands of people participate in the annual Christopher Street Day parade — which is one of Europe’s largest Pride events — that winds its way through Berlin.

Tiergarten is near June 17 Street and the Brandenberg Gate where post-parade parties and concerts take place. Authorities cancelled the remaining Pride events after Saturday’s attack.

“We strongly condemn the fatal attack at the Christopher Street Day celebration in Berlin,” said the U.S. Embassy in Germany on Sunday. “This attack undermines the fundamental values of freedom and respect which underpin open and democratic societies. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the first responders.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are among those who condemned the attack.

“It is difficult for us to put into words the shock and grief of the queer community,” said Alva Träbert of Federation Queer Diversity, a German LGBTQ+ and intersex rights group known by the acronym LSVD, on Sunday in a statement. “Our solidarity goes out to all the victims and their families. The community’s grief now needs space to be expressed. This act, which according to the current state of the investigation was motivated by Islamist extremism, is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We owe our thanks and deep respect to the entire Berlin Pride team for their organization and to the emergency services for their swift assistance.”

Träbert added the attack “was not directed at a party, but at a political demonstration for the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people” and was “also an attack on democratic values themselves.” Träbert also urged the German government in the wake of the attack to do more to protect LGBTQ+ and intersex Germans.

Dutch authorities to ‘take extra measures’ during World Pride in Amsterdam

The attack took place on the same day that World Pride began in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema on Sunday said authorities will “take extra measures … where necessary” during the event and the city’s annual Pride, which will take place on Aug. 1. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is gay, on social media said he expressed his condolences to Merz.

“The horrific act of aggression last night at the Pride in Berlin is a direct attack on our free and tolerant society,” said Jetten on X.

“My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones,” he added. “In these difficult times, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our German neighbors.”

When you receive ads for, say, a new car, it’s because the internet has tracked you through thoughts, speech and searches so that you’re dogged with messages until you buy or they give up.

But sometimes things still come up serendipitously and at random. And you wonder, is the universe trying to tell me something?

And so it is with the word and color pink. This week, I met with the Desert Cancer Foundation, the organizers behind “Paint El Paseo Pink” to help them with their annual Fall event. (We’ll be hosting a team this year.)

But then, on my way back from the meeting, I was hearing a song by Pink! on the radio. And today a headline caught my attention that the saxophonist behind “The Pink Panther” theme from the 1963 film had passed. Pink was clearly on my mind.

Pink is a color that we in the LGBTQ+ community co-opted from Nazi Germany. During the 1930s and 1940s, prisoners in concentration camps were categorized using color-coded inverted cloth triangles on their uniforms. Prisoners wearing the pink triangle were singled out for particularly brutal treatment by camp guards and isolated from other inmates.

In the early 1970s, West German gay rights groups began rediscovering this history—bolstered by the publication of The Men with the Pink Triangle, a survivor’s memoir. ACT UP intentionally reclaimed the badge of shame, transforming the inverted pink triangle paired with the iconic slogan “SILENCE = DEATH”.

But were it not for a shortage of pink fabric, our six color rainbow flag would have been an eight stripe flag including hot pink. Gilbert Baker created the flag in 1978 at the urging of Harvey Milk and others to serve as a symbol for our movement in its early days.

According to Wikipedia, “Gilbert Baker created a nine-stripe version of the flag in March 2017, adding a lavender stripe to symbolize diversity. Baker created the flag in response to the 2016 election of Donald Trump.”

So there’s your history lesson on how pink became “our” color, courtesy of paying attention to what the universe was telling me. Now, you pay attention today. Pink will likely enter your field of vision and psyche too. (P.S. The shirt in my photo above is also pink!)

Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide

Here’s what’s up ahead in sunny Palm Springs!

Taste of Summer / Rancho Mirage

Taste of Summer / Rancho Mirage launched this week, running through August 16, kicking off a multi‑week celebration of local dining. The annual program invites residents and visitors to explore specials, cool treats, and flavorful experiences while supporting restaurants and local nonprofits. Wristbands unlock exclusive offers throughout the season. More info

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Living Out Art Walk 6

Living Out Art Walk 6 transforms Living Out Palm Springs into an expansive three-story art gallery on Sunday, July 26 from 4–6 pm. This art party features more than 450 original works representing over 75 LGBTQ+ artists from the Coachella Valley. Guests are invited to browse the art while enjoying music from the amazing Gennine Francis, who performs starting at 5 pm. Gertie’s Salon and Bar will be open with a cash bar to enhance the festive atmosphere. This free celebration offers a unique opportunity to see local art, have a cocktail, and enjoy entertainment in a vibrant community setting. More info

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One Night of Queen

Experience a world‑class rock ’n’ roll spectacle as Gary Mullen & The Works bring One Night of Queen to the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre. This high‑energy tribute concert, happening Sunday, July 26 at 7 pm, channels the electrifying showmanship, theatrical flair, and iconic sound of Queen. With Gary Mullen paying tribute to Freddie Mercury’s iconic vocals and the band recreating the magic of a true stadium‑style performance, audiences can expect to be dancing in the aisles as they relive the unforgettable energy of one of rock’s greatest acts. More info

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The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz at Palm Canyon Theatre runs July 17–26, inviting audiences to follow the yellow brick road into a world of magic, adventure, and timeless songs. This cherished musical brings Dorothy and her unforgettable companions to the stage in a story filled with heart, imagination, and classic moments like “Over the Rainbow.” Perfect for dreamers of all ages. More info

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Wanderlust Food Truck Festival at Sunrise Park

The Wanderlust Food Truck Festival brings more than 20 rotating food trucks and vendors to Sunrise Park on Saturday, July 25 from 5–10 pm. Guests can enjoy gourmet street food, sweet treats, and globally inspired flavors in a relaxed outdoor setting designed for gathering and connection. The event is designed to be more than a quick stop—it’s a place to stay, relax, and connect, with lawn games, open seating, and a community‑driven atmosphere. More info

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Bill Burr Live

Bill Burr performs at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa on Friday, July 24 at 8 pm, delivering his Grammy‑nominated signature blend of sharp cultural commentary and fearless humor. Known for specials like Paper Tiger and Live at Red Rocks, Burr’s stand‑up is celebrated for its honesty, precision, and ability to provoke laughter while challenging perspectives. More info

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Dance Ranch / Country Dance Saturdays

Dance Ranch’s Country Dance Saturdays takes place at Step by Step Dance Studio on Saturday, July 25 from 7–9:30 pm, offering two‑step, waltz, swing, line dancing, and more for the LGBTQ+ community and friends. The evening includes a 7 pm lesson followed by social dancing, welcoming participants of all levels. This week features Beginner Waltz with Lise Baadh, adding a fresh skill‑building opportunity. More info

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Desert Sound Sessions

Desert Sound Sessions offers a restorative wellness experience at the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel on Sunday, July 26 from 9:45–11 am. The session begins with tea and community gathering before transitioning into a guided sound journey featuring crystal singing bowls. This immersive experience invites you to slow down, soften, and reconnect through a meditative sound journey, encouraging balance, clarity, and deep relaxation inspired by the desert’s spaciousness. More info

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ALSO THIS WEEK

• A Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit • Palm Springs Art Museum presents this intergenerational exhibition exploring how magic, spirituality, and esoteric knowledge shape queer culture, open Thursday–Sunday. The show highlights alternative spiritual paths within LGBTQ+ struggles for liberation.
• Jesus Sepulveda Comedy Show • Performers Jesus Sepulveda and a full lineup of all-star comedians visit the Cascade Lounge for a night of stand-up on Friday from 7–8:30 pm. Known for his HBO specials, Jesus shares hilarious takes on family and culture.
• Teacher’s Gone Bad Comedy Show • Seasoned educators trade lesson plans for punchlines on Friday from 8–9:30 pm. This nationally touring comedy act at Spotlight 29 Casino features stories about school politics and burnout.
• Political Implications of Humanism: Wealth Inequality • Participants gather at The LGBTQ Center of the Desert on Saturday from 11 am–12:30 pm to discuss how wealth inequality impacts the flourishing of humanity. The discussion explores potential solutions, such as a wealth tax or democratic socialism.
• Country Nation • Enjoy modern country music hits in a high-energy tribute concert at Desert Hot Springs City Hall on Saturday from 6–10 pm. The block party features food trucks and artisan vendors.
• The Beaver Trilogy • Queer Eyes Cinema Club hosts a free screening of director Trent Harris’s film at Festival Theaters on Saturday from 4–6:30 pm. Following the movie, film scholar Esther Schwartz moderates a live Q&A with Harris.
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me • Celebrate David Lynch’s masterpiece at Festival Theaters on Saturday from 7–9:15 pm. This one-night event features appearances from original cast members and a live drag performance by Anita Rose, Bellamy Cain, Fey Sunshine Ghost, and Alexander Coutour.

For all things Palm Springs, head to GayDesertGuide.com.

Uncloseted Media published this article on July 23.

By SPENCER MACNAUGHTON | Earlier this month, hundreds of people filled a conference room in San Diego. These included Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral Brian Christine, OpenAI executive Dean Ball, and the attorneys general of West Virginia and Idaho.

They all came together for Alliance Defending Freedom’s 2026 Summit. The Christian legal group, also a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated anti-LGBTQ+ hate group, described the event as a “gathering of leaders from many different spheres, including law, public policy, media, business, education, and Christian leadership.”

Johnson — who has said that “homosexual relationships are inherently unnatural and … society cannot give its stamp of approval to such a dangerous lifestyle” — was a featured speaker.

In his speech, he seemed unconcerned with the separation of church and state: “It is so encouraging to Kelly and I to be among friends and fellow warriors for this cause and people who understand that God is not done with America yet. … ADF’s on the very tip of the spear, front line, defending those very truths and keeping the door open for the spread of the Gospel. This is our moment. I’m telling you, I believe the next season … is going to be the greatest season of this ministry since its inception.”

That ministry is one that has espoused aggressively anti-LGBTQ+ views since its inception in the early 1990s. It was co-founded by a group of evangelical men, including Alan Sears, who co-authored a book called “The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today.” Since then, ADF has opposed gay marriage and supported bans on gay sex and on gender-affirming care for minors.

After helping overturn Roe v. Wade, ADF lawyers have led key victories at the Supreme Court. In 303 Creative v. Elenis, SCOTUS ruled that a website designer could refuse service to gay weddings. And this year they convinced the Court to overturn Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy and to uphold state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that ban trans girls from playing on girls’ sports teams.

At the summit, ADF President Kristen Waggoner, who has promoted conversion therapists and consistently misgenders trans people, interviewed these states’ attorneys general.

“The lawyers who were defending women’s sports were among the best I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey told Waggoner.

Similar to Johnson, Trump’s Assistant Secretary of Health Christine showed his commitment to governing based on conservative Christianity. He gave a Bible-thumping speech against gender transition and trans healthcare, saying that it “contradicts … the deeper moral order that is woven into creation itself. For Genesis 1:27 informs us that God created man in his own image. … Male and female” He also said the “complementary relationship between man and woman is divine” and advocated for youth with gender dysphoria to receive care from a pastor.

All of these remarks from politicians made me think of the interview I published earlier this week with Pete Hegseth’s pastor, Doug Wilson. He wants a Christian theocracy in America and told me that: both the perpetrator and the victim should be disciplined in some cases of marital rape; that transgender people are “sad;” that execution is justifiable for certain homosexual acts; and that gay sex should be illegal.

The ADF Summit is glossy and polished. And while its messaging may be less explicit than Pastor Wilson’s, the track record of the organizations shows they have the exact same desires. They’re just deeply strategic in what they say and when and how they say it.

I believe the political power players who attended this year’s summit know this. They know they are endorsing an organization whose members have essentially called for the illegalization of most — if not all ‚ forms of queer behavior and presentation.

In the last few years, these perspectives have become increasingly embedded in the highest rooms of the federal government and they have been effective in stripping away LGBTQ+ rights. Wilson, who just installed a full-time pastor in Washington to lead services, says there are 10 to 20 government officials who align with his church’s ideology.

It is vital for Americans to keep their eyes wide open to the ultimate goal of groups like ADF: to create a United States that leaves LGBTQ+ people without rights and that pushes us back in the closet.