Economic mobility usually assumes a starting line: a bedroom to return to, a parent to call, a place to regroup after things go wrong. For many LGBTQ young adults in South Florida, that starting line never existed. 

That’s why Our Fund Foundation, SunServe, and Sunshine Cathedral partnered to build Sunshine Pride House, a 12-bed transitional home helping LGBTQ young adults stabilize, find work, and prepare for independence.

For the residents who live there, that support shows up in small, ordinary ways.

In the evenings, the house settles into a rhythm: dinner prep, shared chores, quiet conversations at the kitchen counter. As house mother, Martha Acevedo anchors the day-to-day life of Sunshine Pride House, creating a sense of consistency many residents have never known. A few nights a week, she cooks home-prepared meals, often inviting residents to join her in the kitchen — chopping, stirring, learning by doing.

For some, the meal itself is the moment that lands hardest.

“Some of them tell me they haven’t had a cooked meal in such a long time,” Acevedo said. “When I serve the food and they say ‘thank you,’ you can see it. They’re kids. They just needed a home.”

Acevedo says the reactions still catch her off guard. What feels routine to her — cooking, setting plates, sitting down together — can feel extraordinary to young people who have spent months or years without a consistent place to eat.

“When I cook, I do it proudly,” she said. “I give a lot of love.”

According to research from The Trevor Project, 28% of LGBTQ youth have experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives. Data from True Colors United underscores the scale of the disparity — LGBTQ youth are 2.2 times more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth.

“So these kids are coming to the house because they’ve either aged out of foster care or they’ve been kicked out of their homes because they’re LGBTQ,” said Tony Lima, CEO of SunServe. “You kind of have to start from zero. That’s the common theme of all of these youth.”

Those experiences carry lasting consequences: LGBTQ youth who have been unhoused report significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges than their housed peers. 

“In order to have proper mental health, that’s conducive to living a full life, you need to have a home,” Lima said. “You need to have a place to be able to rest your head.”

That reality isn’t unique to LGBTQ youth, though queer young people are far more likely to experience it — and far less likely to have family support to fall back on.

Elijah Manley’s experience with homelessness began during the 2008 financial crisis, when he was about 9 years old. After his single mother lost her job, his family was evicted and spent years cycling through instability — living in their car, rotating between friends’ homes, staying in an overcrowded apartment with relatives, and at one point sleeping in a storage unit in Lauderhill. Each morning, Manley and his siblings woke before dawn to shower at beach facilities before heading to school, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy without a permanent home.

Manley, who is now 27, was not yet out as queer during this period, and his homelessness was driven by economic collapse rather than family rejection. Still, he says the experience shows how early housing instability — regardless of cause — can derail childhood, education, and long-term opportunity. His family’s situation improved only gradually, and he credits a mix of early work, community connections, and “a little luck” for eventually finding stability — a path he notes many others never get.

Today, Manley points to LGBTQ nonprofits like SunServe as essential lifelines — especially for young people who face both economic instability and identity-based rejection.

“They’re very vital and lifesaving. Without them, a lot of people would be in a much worse situation,” he said. “They keep our communities housed and fed and connected to the social services and healthcare they need. They’re filling a void the government hasn’t filled.”

Manley, who has run for public office several times and is currently running for Congress to represent Florida’s 20th district in West Broward, argues that relying on private charity to fill that void leaves too many people behind.

“These are services the government should be providing or supporting,” he said. “Charity should not be public policy. It should be provided to everybody, regardless of their income, and not dependent on somebody else’s charity.”

Housing is Just The Starting Point

For now, Sunshine Pride House exists largely because private donors stepped in where public dollars did not. While public agencies can and do fund programs that reach LGBTQ people, government funding is often constrained by nondiscrimination and open-access requirements that make it difficult to support services explicitly limited to a single identity group. 

The home is owned by Sunshine Cathedral, while SunServe runs the day-to-day programming and services inside. With no state or federal grants tied to the house itself, its roughly $250,000 annual operating budget is raised through individual donors and philanthropic partners, coordinated in large part through Our Fund Foundation. 

“There’s no way to do this work without being clear about the population we’re serving — and that cuts off a lot of funding possibilities,” said David Jobin, CEO of Our Fund.  

The funding covers housing, staffing, life coaching, and wraparound support — allowing the program to exist in a policy environment where targeting services to LGBTQ youth often disqualifies programs from public dollars altogether.

The idea for Sunshine Pride House began not as a programmatic expansion, but as a personal intervention. More than five years ago, philanthropist Michael Kalb approached Our Fund Foundation with a simple question: what would it take to create a safe, stable home for LGBTQ young people who had nowhere else to go? 

Kalb had been deeply affected after witnessing unhoused youth being mocked in public spaces, and he believed housing could change the entire trajectory of a young person’s life. Working closely with Jobin, that initial conversation grew into a multi-year effort to design a model tailored specifically to South Florida’s LGBTQ youth.

“People hear ‘housing’ and think that’s the solution, but housing is just the starting point,” Jobin said. 

Kalb ultimately invested more than $600,000 into the project, joined by fellow donor Terry Merlin, while Our Fund helped assemble the partnerships needed to make it work. Sunshine Cathedral agreed to purchase and own the property, drawing on its decades of experience managing community housing, while SunServe took on day-to-day operations and services inside the home. What opened first as a pilot in a rented house evolved into the current 12-bed facility — now fully owned, privately funded, and operating as one of the only LGBTQ-specific transitional housing programs in the region. 

“If we want to continue to bring these services to life, that requires funding — and we’re really going to need help to do that,” said John Marler, Communications Director of SunServe. “Government funding has been harder and harder to come by, and foundation funding and corporate sponsorships are becoming more competitive.”

Kalb, who died unexpectedly in December, often said a safe place allows young people to “finally exhale,” and Sunshine Pride House stands as a direct reflection of that belief.

The structure of Sunshine Pride House reflects that focus on stability first, mobility second. The home is designed as short-term transitional housing rather than a permanent shelter. 

They Have Nowhere Elsewhere to Go 

For Mario DePedro, who helps oversee the program, the work often means stepping into roles most parents fill by default.

“We have youth who are just leaving home for the first time and their parents don’t support them. They have nowhere else to go. Now it’s up to us to take the place of what the parent should be,” he said.

Inside the house, residents share bedrooms and follow a structured daily routine. They are required to work or attend school, participate in therapy, and meet regularly with life coaches who help them set goals.

“We call it a future plan. We’re helping them with the goals they want to reach, so they can be successful in their life,” he said.

That plan can include finishing high school, enrolling in college, securing steady employment, learning financial literacy, or preparing for independent housing.

Many residents arrive carrying layers of trauma that extend far beyond the moment they lost housing.

“They’re coming from a lot of trauma,” DePedro said. “Being kicked out at 18 usually isn’t the first trauma — there’s often a cycle of abuse that leads up to that moment.” 

For residents who began adulthood without savings, family support, or stable housing, that planning process can be the difference between cycling back into crisis and building a path toward long-term economic stability.

“They need jobs. They need mental health care. And they need community — they want to feel like they’re not alone in it,” he said.

The needs are immediate and interconnected. That’s why the house is built around flexibility rather than rigid benchmarks.

“This is absolutely not one-size-fits-all. Everything we do is client-centered and client-led,” DePedro said. “The reality is that we’re saving kids’ lives in this house. These are people who have nowhere else to go.”

Because of safety concerns, the location of Sunshine Pride House is not publicly disclosed, and residents are not identified.

“We’re really putting young people on a path for success that they might not otherwise achieve in their life without this lift,” said Jobin. “You hear the words ‘Pride House’ and you think it’s just a roof. But it’s the wraparound services that put young people on trajectories for successful lives.”

Instead of starting a new nonprofit, Jobin said the foundation focused on partnering with organizations already doing the work — bringing together SunServe, Sunshine Cathedral, and others to build a model that could move quickly and last.

Sunshine Pride House doesn’t promise transformation or guarantee success. What it offers is something far more basic — time, safety, and a place to rest their head. For young people who started adulthood with nothing, that pause can be enough to change what comes next.

(Editor’s note: This article is part of a national initiative exploring how geography, policy, and local conditions influence access to opportunity. Find more stories at economicopportunitylab.com.)

Dolly’s death hit everyone hard. The tributes continue to pour in. What was it about this lil’ old country gal that made her universally loved and respected?

Loved because she was love. It was unconditional and provided the Christian right some things to reflect on about their beliefs regarding our LGBTQ+ community that Dolly flipped on their proverbial heads.

Josh Helfgott wrote in his Facebook tribute: “In 2023, as Tennessee lawmakers pushed through a stack of anti-trans laws and tried to ban drag performances in public, Parton said trans people cannot help being trans ‘any more than I can help being Dolly Parton. I just want everybody to be treated good,’ she said. To the Christians who came after her for it, she had already answered: ‘If you’re the fine Christian that you think you are, why are you judging people? That’s God’s job.'”

I’d forgotten about her Imagination Library. It has mailed more than 310 million free books to children. She created the project for her father, Robert Lee Parton, who could neither read or write. When I heard the audio that was sent to each child, it brought a tear to my eye. The book lady wasn’t a country superstar, she was a human being concerned about the education of other humans.

Don’t think you were the first to think why this 80 year old was taken from us. The contrast between dirt poor Dolly and silver spoon Donald couldn’t be greater. Dolly should have been president. She had the business acumen, the temperament and the wisdom that would have served our country well.

In 2009, Dolly Parton spoke to 60 Minutes’ Morley Safer about how being underestimated helped her gain respect in business. “I look like a woman, but I think like a man,” the country music star said. “And in this world of business that has helped me a lot. Because by the time they think that I don’t know what’s going on, I done got the money and gone.”

It’s a cute quote, but Dolly was principled and wouldn’t have us in a constant mode of retribution and retaliation. But here we are. Dolly Parton has left the earth at age 80. She believes she was going to heaven to be with her maker. But she didn’t push those beliefs on others.

Our KGAY DJ Galaxy put together a wonderful tribute hour on Wednesday’s Retro Lunch show. We’ll repeat it Sunday at 1 pm during the KGAY Retro Sunday Brunch. I hope you’ll take a listen. Dolly Parton’s music will make you grin one minute, and bring you to tears the next. Shedding tears for a life well lived is a good thing. Remembering her legacy and following in her footsteps is something for each of us to aspire to.

Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide

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

Pool Party for a Cause: Tiki Night

Pool Party for a Cause: Tiki Night splashes into Palm Springs Surf Club on Friday, August 28 from 7–10 pm, serving tropical vibes with a purpose. Expect a lively night of summer energy, refreshing drinks, and great company, all soundtracked by a poolside set from DJ Galaxy. With a festive Tiki theme and plenty of room to dance, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a warm desert night while supporting the Palm Springs Animal Shelter — all proceeds benefit their lifesaving work. More info

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Summer Moon Dance Party

Celebrate the season’s final full moon at the Summer Moon Dance Party at Palm Springs Art Museum on Friday, August 28 from 7–10 pm. This after‑hours adventure blends live DJs, immersive art, cocktails, and performances inspired by release, renewal, and lunar energy. Featured DJ BROWNSKINHAZEL brings an electrifying mix of Baile Funk, Vogue Beats, Techno, Reggaeton, and club sounds rooted in LA’s queer underground. VIP guests can choose a mystical add‑on — an aura portrait or tarot reading — while artist Yulissa Mendoza debuts a one‑night‑only installation. Temporary tattoos by Cesar Omar Garcia round out the fun. More info

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6th Annual Dogust Birthday Bash + Bingo

The 6th Annual DOGust Birthday Bash + Bingo brings tail‑wagging fun to the Kimpton Rowan Hotel on Saturday, August 29 from 11 am–1 pm. Dog lovers and their pups can celebrate together with bingo, games, prizes, and a cheerful community atmosphere. It’s a playful midday event designed for furry friends of all ages, offering a chance to socialize while supporting Animal Samaritans’ mission to save lives and find loving homes for pets across the Coachella Valley. More info

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Final Day to Nominate : Best of Coachella Valley

CV Independent’s Best of Coachella Valley 2026–2027 nomination round is just about to close, and now’s the moment to spotlight the local voices, stations, and personalities you love most. Nominations determine who advances to the final ballot, so every vote truly counts. Our contenders this year include KGAY 103.1, Sunny 106.5, and MeTV FM 92.1 for Best Radio Station; John Taylor, E.J. Tyler, Patrick Evans, and Chris Shebel for Best Local Radio Personality; and our powerhouse DJ trio — DJ Galaxy, DJ Eric Ornelas, and MODGIRL — for Best Local DJ. Nominations are open through Friday, August 28, so cast your picks and lift your favorites into the spotlight! Nominate Today

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The Fixx with The Plimsouls

The Fixx take the stage at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage on Saturday, August 29 from 8–10:30 pm, delivering a night of sleek, synth‑driven modern rock. Fans can expect iconic hits like “One Thing Leads to Another,” “Red Skies,” “Saved by Zero,” and “Are We Ourselves?” Special guests The Plimsouls bring their power‑pop sound, including the timeless favorite “A Million Miles Away.” More info

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Superfuzz Saturday Nights at CCBC

Superfuzz Saturday Nights returns to CCBC Resort on Saturday, August 29 from 8 pm–midnight, offering an all‑vinyl DJ experience under the stars. Guests can dance poolside to classic vinyl sets from top DJs while enjoying CCBC’s signature resort atmosphere. With drinks from Runway Bar and a lively summer crowd, it’s a relaxed, music‑driven night perfect for friends and fun. More info

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A Disco Affair

Music lovers can lose themselves in the rhythm during A Disco Affair at The Saguaro Palm Springs on Friday, August 28 from 8 pm–12 am. This monthly vinyl listening and dance party celebrates the iconic sounds that shaped underground dance culture, featuring an incredible hand-mixed blend of disco, boogie, Italo, funk, synth rarities, and left-field club records. Inspired by the legendary early 1980s spirit of The Loft and Paradise Garage, the night offers a welcoming dance floor centered on openness and discovery. More info

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Lesbian & Queer Women’s Tea Dance & Pool Party

The Lesbian & Queer Women’s Tea Dance & Pool Party brings a festive afternoon to Arrive Hotel on Sunday, August 30 from 2–6 pm. Expect dancing, swimming, sunshine, and community vibes as lesbians and queer women gather for a splashy social event. With a welcoming crowd and a relaxed poolside setting, it’s an easygoing way to close out the weekend and connect with friends old and new. More info

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• Amigos CV • Latino men gather for a peer-led support group discussing health, masculinity, and cultural identity on Friday from 6–8 pm at The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
• Gretchen Wilson • Country star Gretchen Wilson brings her gorgeously rough-edged rock-and-roll spirit to the stage on Friday from 8–11 pm at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa.
• InBody Retro • Older adults will get moving with a fun, low-impact workout on Saturday from 10:45–11:45 am at The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. This dance-based fitness program is thoughtfully designed for adults in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and older.
• Night Swim at Palm Springs Surf Club • Attendees will enjoy the ultimate after-hours pool party with live DJs and specialty cocktails under the lights on Saturday from 6–10 pm at the Palm Springs Surf Club. Guests can swim in the pool or float down the lazy river.
• Dance Ranch / Country Dance Saturdays • Dance Ranch hosts an exciting night of country western dancing, including two-step, waltz, and line dancing, on Saturday from 7–9:30 pm at Step by Step Dance Studio. Instructor Kyle Young will lead attendees in a Champagne Promise line dance lesson.
• A Dustyland Fairytale – A Tribute to The Killers • Celebrate the anthemic sound, driving guitars, and synth-rock energy of The Killers on Saturday from 8–11 pm at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City. Fans will hear live performances of iconic favorites like “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me.”
• Selena Tribute • The Selena tribute band Anything for Salinas performs a high-energy live concert for The Desert Hot Springs “Desert Nights on the BLVD” concert series on Saturday from 6–10 pm at Desert Hot Springs City Hall.
• Desert Sound Sessions at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs • DEN Meditation partners to launch a wellness series promoting deep relaxation and mindfulness on Sunday from 9:45–11 am at the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel. Each session begins with tea and community gathering before settling into a guided sound journey.
• Kinky Boots – The Musical • The dazzling movie musical Kinky Boots comes to the screen direct from the London stage on Sunday from 7–10 pm at the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre. This fabulously sassy show features songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, direction by Jerry Mitchell, and a book by Harvey Fierstein.
• A Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit • An intergenerational group of artists explores how magic, spirituality, and esoteric knowledge have shaped queer art and culture; Thursday–Sunday at Palm Springs Art Museum.

Reportar sin Miedo es el socio mediático del Los Angeles Blade en Honduras. Esta nota salió en su sitio web el 21 de agosto.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Las cifras encienden todas las alarmas: 35 muertes violentas de personas LGBTQ+, 195 casos de violencia generalizada y 11 personas asistidas para refugiarse en el extranjero. Las mujeres trans encabezan las víctimas mortales con 11 casos, seguidas de los hombres gay con 10.

Esa es la realidad de las poblaciones sexualmente diversas que pinta el boletín número 14 del Observatorio de Violencia hacia las Personas LGBTI+ de Honduras KAI+, correspondiente al período de enero al 8 de agosto de 2026.

Según el informe, los departamentos con mayor concentración de asesinatos son Francisco Morazán (12), Cortés (5) y Comayagua (4). Sin embargo, el dato más revelador de la impunidad es que los 35 casos permanecen en etapa de investigación preliminar, con apenas dos capturas reportadas.

«No queremos vivir con miedo»: defensores

Lucía Barrientos, de la Asociación Ixchel, resume el sentimiento colectivo. «Hoy las personas LGBTI en Honduras vivimos en estado de alerta. Muertes que, al hacer un análisis, tienen una conmoción de que muchas personas de nuestra población han sido torturadas, que han sido crímenes de odio», señala. 

Barrientos subraya que en el país no hay una ley que tipifique el crimen de odio, lo que deja a la población en un limbo legal y expuesta a la violencia sin protección efectiva.

Entretanto, Jennifer Córdoba, de la Colectiva de Mujeres Trans Muñecas de Arcoíris, lamenta que las autoridades no estén haciendo nada para defender los derechos humanos. 

«Ver ese tipo de violencias en el país que se incrementan, ver que las autoridades de nuestro país no están haciendo nada para la defensa de los derechos humanos, no crear una política pública que respete los derechos humanos de la población LGTBI», afirma Córdoba.

Violencia generalizada y discriminación sistemática

Los 195 casos de violencia generalizada incluyen amenazas (19), maltrato familiar (25), abuso de autoridad (14), discriminación por orientación sexual o identidad de género (14), lesiones (10) y agresiones sexuales. Las mujeres trans son nuevamente las más afectadas, con 32 casos registrados. 

Dany Montesinos, de la Asociación LGBTI Kukulcán, advierte: «Esta es una violencia general, estructurada. No tenemos un patrón determinado. La alerta que estamos poniendo es que, en comparación con otros años, esto está siendo más creciente».

Un elemento crítico señalado por el boletín es que casi el 70 por ciento de los casos de violencia generalizada (137 de 195) carecen de categorización desagregada sobre la orientación sexual o identidad de género de la víctima, lo que evidencia la ausencia de protocolos adecuados por parte de las instituciones estatales y una invisibilización sistemática.

Migración forzada, huir para vivir

Entre los hallazgos más dolorosos está la asistencia a 11 personas LGBTQ+ que han buscado refugio en el extranjero. Ocho se han ido a Estados Unidos, dos a España y una al Reino Unido. Los motivos incluyen amenazas, discriminación, abuso de autoridad, agresiones sexuales y físicas. 

Como señala un testimonio: «Tuvieron que irse, se vieron obligadas a huir por amenazas, por la discriminación, por el abuso de autoridad y agresiones sexuales. Estos datos nos muestran que la migración de las personas LGBTI no responde únicamente a razones económicas, sino a la necesidad urgente de proteger su vida y sus derechos».

Recomendaciones ante un Estado ausente

El boletín concluye con un llamado urgente al Estado hondureño. Exige fortalecer las investigaciones de muertes violentas e implementar políticas públicas de protección integral. Además, capacitar a funcionarios en diversidad sexual y derechos humanos y garantizar que los casos avancen más allá de la etapa preliminar.

Barrientos lo resume con claridad. «Exigimos al Estado respuestas inmediatas, justicia y protección real para nuestra población. No queremos retroceder, no queremos volver atrás, no queremos vivir con miedo, no queremos salir a la calle y saber que no puedo expresar mi amor hacia mi pareja o hacia otra persona porque puedo amar y ser muerta».

El Observatorio KAI+ recuerda que detrás de cada cifra hay seres humanos: madres, padres, hijos, hermanos y familias que dependen de ellos. La indiferencia institucional, advierten, no puede seguir siendo una puerta abierta a la impunidad.

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key were on assignment in the Netherlands from July 28-Aug. 10.

AMSTERDAM — A transgender American couple who live in the Netherlands say President Donald Trump prompted them to leave the U.S.

Jack Reaves, who is a trans man, and his wife, Iskara McCoy, who is a trans woman of color, moved to the Netherlands from Reno, Nev., in 2024. The couple now lives outside Utrecht, a university city that is roughly 30 miles south-southeast of Amsterdam.

“We’d been keeping an eye on things during his (Trump’s) first term in 2016, which was pretty terrifying,” Reaves told the Los Angeles Blade on Aug. 24 during a WhatsApp interview with him and McCoy. “We knew that there was a lot of anti-trans legislation and just anti-trans feelings from the Republican/MAGA party at the time.”

The Biden-Harris administration took office on Jan. 20, 2021, two weeks after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol — the insurrection took place shortly after Congress began to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election that Joe Biden won.

“Joe Biden was elected, and we were like, okay, well maybe things will turn around,” said Reaves. “But it was very clear very early on in the Biden presidency that that wasn’t going to happen.”

“There weren’t any meaningful changes, and then with Trump getting ready to win the next election and MAGA really looking like they were going to continue to gain more power, we were like, well time to get out.”

Reaves and McCoy are two of the four trans and nonbinary Americans who have moved to the Netherlands with whom the Blade recently spoke. The interviews took place during World Pride, which took place in Amsterdam from July 25-Aug. 8, or in the days after the biennial event ended.

The Dutch American Friendship Treaty, or DAFT, allows American citizens to live and work in the Netherlands as self-employed entrepreneurs.

DAFT visa recipients must keep at least €4,500 ($5,244.19) in a Dutch business bank account and need to register their business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. DAFT visa recipients can apply for permanent residency in the Netherlands or the European Union seven years after they receive it.

Reaves and McCoy and the two other trans and nonbinary Americans with whom the Blade spoke for this story either received a DAFT visa or plan to apply for one.

Kai, who is nonbinary, and their husband, who is a trans man, moved from New England to the Netherlands in August 2021. They now live in Haarlem, a small city that is roughly 12 miles west of Amsterdam.

Kai told the Blade on Aug. 20 during an interview from their home that friends moved to the Netherlands in 2017 after they received a DAFT visa.

“The prompt was the 2016 election for them,” said Kai.

Kai and their husband were living in a collective household in August 2020 when they “decided we wanted to have some kind of change.”

“We suspected that politics was going to get worse, even if it got better soon, that it would probably get worse again later, and that the country politically was going downhill,” they said.

Kai told the Blade a lack of promised disability payments and poor health in the U.S. were also factors.

“When I had been to visit the Netherlands to visit the friends that were living here, I found that my body was healthier, even though I was only here for one or two weeks at a time,” they said. “I was able to do more things, eat more things that I couldn’t go or eat while living in the U.S.”

The fourth American with whom the Blade spoke identifies as a “disabled transgender queer” person. He asked to remain anonymous.

He and his daughter, who is also trans, arrived in the Netherlands in July. He referred to the Holocaust and its impact in the Netherlands when the Blade interviewed him in Amsterdam on Aug. 6.

“I’m the trans parent of a trans adolescent who knows our family history, which includes genocide from the Holocaust,” he said, pointing out 85 percent of Dutch Jews died in the Holocaust. “(My daughter) said my grandparents came to New York right before the occupation, and so my daughter said from our history that targeted communities have to get out early, so this was last summer, so how will we know we need to leave and where will we go?”

“I started looking into that, and we started planning our move,” he added.

He pointed out the “murder of opposition politicians” — specifically former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were shot to death inside their home in June 2025 — and “harassment and prosecution” of journalists in the U.S. — federal authorities in January arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon less than two weeks after he entered a Minnesota church with a group of protesters who confronted its pastor who works with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — since the Trump-Vance administration took office as signs he and his daughter may need to leave the U.S.

Federal authorities charged Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort and two protesters with conspiracy and interfering with worshippers’ First Amendment rights during the protest.

An ICE agent on Jan. 7 shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis woman who left behind her wife and three children. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 24 shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Minneapolis.

Pretti and Good were American citizens.

The shootings took place after the Trump-Vance administration deployed thousands of federal immigration agents to Minnesota during “Operation Metro Surge.”

“We were thinking, depending on what happens with the midterms,” said the trans person in Amsterdam with whom the Blade spoke. “But then you’re like, you know what, every day more people are coming and we should just do this thing.”

The Trump-Vance administration since it took office on Jan. 20, 2025, has implemented several anti-trans executive orders and policies.

Trump hours after his second inauguration signed the “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” that, among other things, declared the federal government will only recognize two genders: male and female. The directive also banned the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender markers.

The Pentagon reinstated a ban on openly trans servicemembers. The Department of Education has rescinded agreements with school districts that were designed to protect trans students. The Trump-Vance administration’s anti-terrorism strategy specifically targets “radically pro-transgender” groups.

The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this summer upheld state laws banning athletes from school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity and block gender-affirming care for minors. The Trump-Vance administration since it took office has moved aggressively to curtail these treatments.

“On the one hand, it’s like as if people don’t recognize that that these things make it impossible to have a trans life,” said the trans person with whom the Blade spoke in Amsterdam. “But of course, that’s what Project 2025 is trying to do … make it be impossible to exist.”

McCoy said her and Reaves’s oldest child, who is also trans, has an “X” gender marker on their U.S. passport. McCoy’s grandmother with whom she was very close recently died, but her family attended her funeral virtually from the Netherlands “because we didn’t want to risk returning to the States at that point.”

Kai also noted trans and nonbinary Americans who are trying to leave the U.S., but don’t have passports and other documents with gender markers that match their gender identity.

“That’s terrifying, and it prevents you from doing things like leaving the country,” they said. “Even if it’s not a ban on leaving the country, it still prevents you from leaving the country if those things don’t match in the right way, depending on which immigrations person you get at the border.”

“On this end it wouldn’t matter as much,” added Kai. “But on the other end, it does matter and that is super frustrating and exhausting.”

Dutch ‘very into their bureaucracy’

Kai and the three other trans and nonbinary Americans with whom the Blade spoke said navigating the Dutch health care system upon their arrival in the Netherlands was one of their biggest challenges.

“They’re very into their bureaucracy and they’re very into following guidelines as if they’re laws, and they’re the only ways you do things,” said McCoy. “Once they start working for you. They work. Once you’re in the system, once you’re onboarded, once they’re caught up, then everything goes pretty smoothly.”

Reaves noted McCoy “had a little bit easier time as a trans woman who’s already passing.”

“They were just like, oh, well, it’s clear you’re a woman, so here’s your hormones, and here’s the fast path to diagnostics,” Reaves told the Blade.

Reaves, on the other hand, had been on testosterone for six years before he and McCoy moved to the Netherlands. Reaves said it took nearly a “full year of re-diagnostics before I could get back on testosterone and continue to determine care.”

“They were just like, ‘Well, you kind of look like a woman, so we’re gonna make you do the full diagnostic phase again,’” recalled Reaves.

Reaves told the Blade his doctor prescribed him the wrong type of testosterone. Health clinics that specifically treat trans and nonbinary people use what he described as “extremely outdated language,” but Reaves noted the facility’s doctor helped him get an appointment for his top surgery.

“Now that I’m fully onboarded, I think it’s actually been a little bit better than the U.S.,” he said, noting he receives testosterone blood tests at home. “The follow-ups are really easy.”

Kai also discussed the challenges navigating the Dutch health care system.

They said it would “have been a lot harder to receive care” if they had already undergone hormone replacement therapy, seen a psychiatrist, or had had surgeries. Kai told the Blade they “made the choice” to tell the clinic where they were receiving care that they were a man, as opposed to saying they are nonbinary.

“That’s not true, but I look enough like a man, and then I’m going to get the care that I need,” they said. “I’m sure it’s very different and difficult for folks, especially who are nonbinary, to say I am actually a woman, or I am actually a man, and to pretend that … and that’s still what the system says.”

“Just like with any system, if you want to get your needs met from the system, sometimes you have to meet the system where it’s at, and then once you get your needs met, then outside of the system you can be whoever you want,” Kai added.

Kai noted Dutch activists are “working to get some of those laws and some of those policies changed.” Their husband is working with one group “that is working to change things from if you don’t have a psychological diagnosis of being trans, then getting that care is going to be really hard.”

“What this group is working on is trying to get trans care to be — it’s what they use in the U.S., which is like informed consent, which is not what they use here,” said Kai. “But they’re working on putting together something to like push to governmental level to policy level to say that trans care should be informed consent, not the diagnosis.”

Gay PM: Netherlands needs to do more to defend trans people, rights

The Netherlands in 2001 became the first country in the world to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The country’s nondiscrimination and hate crimes law include gender identity and expression. The Dutch government in 2021 formally apologized to trans and intersex people who were forced to become sterile in order to legally change their gender — The Gender Change Act, which was also known as the Transgender Act — was in place from 1985 until 2014.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is the country’s first openly gay head of government, during a World Pride Human Rights Conference panel conceded the Netherlands needs to do more to defend trans people and their rights. Boris Dittrich, the Dutch Senate’s First Vice President and a member of Jetten’s D66 party who was previously global advocacy director for Human Rights Watch’s LGBTQ Rights Program, at the end of the panel asked about protecting intersex babies from what advocates maintain are unnecessary surgeries.

Reaves admitted he and his children are struggling to learn Dutch, but he added he and his family “appreciate” the Netherlands and “really enjoy living here.”

“I struggle in the Netherlands,” Reaves told the Blade. “I don’t speak the language

“It’s hard being away from home and your own culture and the things you grew up with,” he said. “But I’m safe here, and so that like gives it extra points.”

McCoy said their daughter has “experienced zero transphobia here so far.”

Kai told the Blade that their friends warned them that Dutch people would “call you out or they’ll stare at you or will be mean to you” if they “look nonbinary.”

“I had never had that experience,” they said.

All four of the people with whom the Blade spoke said they plan to apply for their Dutch or EU citizenship once they are legally able to do so. They all expressed reservations about returning to the U.S., even once the Trump-Vance administration is no longer in office.

“I’m actually very nervous that even if things turn around in the U.S. as far as getting rid of Trump, that people are still going to be anti-trans,” said the trans person with whom the Blade spoke in Amsterdam. “The poison’s in the water.”

Reaves said the U.S. “doesn’t really feel like it’s a safe place for trans people to come to.” McCoy added she would consider visiting the U.S., but “I would not move back.”

“That’s too risky,” she said. “It can change anytime.”

“It would probably take like a decade of democratic legislative changes before I would feel safe coming back,” added Reaves.

I don’t want to say goodbye.

To be honest, my first impression of music icon Dolly Parton was similar to the scathing look the demur Jane Fonda gave the boss’s secretary in one of my favorite funny feminist films ever, 9 to 5.

Fonda’s aghast up-and-down scrutiny was pure unspoken tisk-tisk condescension toward this bubbly dumb-blond wigged white trash colleague – until she looked down at her own flat chest. For a moment, Fonda suggested a hint of envy, at which we laughed. I felt a sigh of relief at not having to carry around all the weight Dolly Parton’s boobs implied.

Those boobs, those big blond country-Western wigs, and her seemingly irrepressible humor were as much a part of Dolly Parton’s brand as was her incomparable voice and the songs she wrote that moved generations. In 1974, I longed to love someone as much as Dolly loved the person for whom she wrote her goodbye, “I Will Always Love You.”

Surely, someone with that big a heart was bigger than the tight bodice society forced innovative go-getters like Dolly Parton to squeeze into.

In fact, Parton’s difficult backstory of childhood poverty in Sevierville, Tenn., living in a cabin with no running water and 11 siblings – and an ambition infused with a love-your-neighbor Christian upbringing -created a depth of character that used smarts, ingenuity and humor to thwart her stereotype-blinded detractors.

“Well, I graduated [high school] on a Friday night and headed out on a Saturday morning,” Parton told ABC News’ Robin Roberts in an extensive interview in advance of the 2019 CMA Awards. “As I make jokes about it with my matching luggage, those four paper bags from the same grocery store. I thought, well, I can’t be any poorer than I already am, and I’m a girl. I’ll find some boy that’ll take me to Shoney’s… I thought I’m not going to go hungry.”

Like Billie Jean King and other female professionals, Dolly Parton fought hard to get paid what she was worth.

“It’s not all about money,” she said. “I count my blessings more than I count my money, but I need to count my money, too.”

Tough times taught her how to be tough and funny. “Well, I don’t think people can live in this world without going through times like that,” Parton told Roberts. “People always look at me; they always say, ‘Oh, you just always seem to be so happy.’ I said, ‘That’s the Botox.’ No, but seriously, I’m a very sensitive person. I feel everything to the core.”

That’s what makes her famous 1977 interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters so compelling. Walters had become infamous for making her interview subjects cry after asking tough, prying, sometimes rude questions that she said her audience wanted answered.

“You don’t have to look like this; you’re very beautiful. You don’t have to wear the blonde wigs; you don’t have to wear the extreme clothes, right?” Walters asked the brightly dressed Parton.

Parton delivered a master class in grace and class.

“It’s certainly a choice,” Parton replied. “I don’t like to be like everybody else. I’ve often made the statement that I would never stoop so low as to be fashionable. That’s the easiest thing in the world to do.”

Chuckling yet? Parton wanted attention, then she could dazzle them with talent. “Once they got past the shock of the ridiculous way I looked, then they would see there’s parts of me to be appreciated. I’m very real where it counts…and that’s inside,” Dolly Parton told Barbara Walters. “Show business is a money-making joke, and I just always like telling jokes.”

Walters then asked Parton – the beloved star with 19 studio albums and a slew of awards won over a decade in the male-dominated music business: “Do you ever feel like you’re a joke, that people make fun of you?”

Parton was the personification of composure.

“I know they make fun of me. But actually, all these years people have thought the joke was on me, but it’s actually been on the public. I know exactly what I’m doing, and I can change it at any time. I make more jokes about myself than anybody,” Parton said.

“I am sure of myself as a person. I am sure of my talent. I’m sure of my love for life,” Parton said. “And I’m very content. I like the kind of person that I am. So I can afford to piddle around and do-diddle around with make-up and clothes and stuff. Because I am secure with myself.”

Game, set, match to Parton.

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In another ABC interview in 2012, Parton expanded on that over-the-top signature style which she adopted after seeing the town trollop.

“There was this woman, we won’t call her names, but she was beautiful,” she told ABC News Nightline. “I had never seen anybody, you know, with the yellow hair all piled up and the red lipstick and the rouge and the high-heeled shoes, and I thought, ‘This is what I want to look like.’”

As the image implies, there were constant rumors that she was secretly involved with any male within inches – as well as a secret lesbian life with her oldest childhood pal, Judy Ogle. She denied the rumor – she was married to Carl Dean for 58 years. He died in March 2025.

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Dolly Parton died peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, at the age of 80 in Nashville after a “brief battle with cancer,” her team wrote in a statement to People.

“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope, and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” they wrote.

“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.

The music world is in mourning. And news outlets are overflowing with tributes. Few of them mention us. In fact, one note of criticism for some is a precise example of that “unconditional love for all people” her team talked about.

“The ’80s — a decade she kicked off in grand fashion with the working woman’s anthem ‘9 to 5’ — brought Parton some of her greatest mainstream success, but the climate of the times also conspired to reduce her to a punchline and a caricature: The self-made country-pop queen who had pulled herself up by her bra straps. She played along, as an act of self-preservation, but it is a consolation to know that she lived long enough for her reputation as a songwriter to rise considerably in the 21st century,” Lindsay Zoladz wrote in her “appraisal” of Dolly Parton, who “had the Voice, and Concerns, of an Earth Angel” for the New York Times.

Damn, bitch! Have you never even seen a Dolly Parton drag queen? There’s almost a cottage industry devoted to Dolly. And Dolly knew – and loved it! She even participated in a Dolly Parton drag contest at a gay LA Bar – which she lost!

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“They had a bunch of Chers and Dollys that year, so I just over-exaggerated — made my beauty mark bigger, the eyes bigger, the hair bigger, everything,” Parton laughingly told ABC News Nightline. “All these beautiful drag queens had worked for weeks and months getting their clothes. So I just got in the line, and I just walked across, and they just thought I was some little short gay guy… but I got the least applause.”

Dolly Parton lost the Dolly Parton look-alike contest in an LA gay bar! But she hasn’t lost the ineffable connection to her fans – whom she understood, felt, and fought for – including protecting “Gay Day” at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

“When it first started, there were people giving us threats; I still get threats,” Parton told ABC News. “But like I said, I’m in business. I just don’t feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody.”

That’s what I saw when Dolly Parton arrived and smiled through an onslaught of paparazzi and gay fanboys at an APLA Commitment to Life event.

Oddly though, as a reporter, my fixation was on Parton’s “date,” her gay manager Sandy Gallin, who seemed to rarely show up publicly with his supposed posse, controversially dubbed the “Velvet Gay Mafia.”

The late gay AIDS advocate Dana Miller, who was on the APLA Board, wrote a piece for In Los Angeles Magazine about the Four Warriors of AIDS fundraising: David Geffen, Barry Diller, Sandy Gallin, and Jeffrey Katzenberg.

“It was the early ’90s, and we were in the second decade of AIDS with absolutely no hope in sight,” Miller wrote. “It was then I discovered the warriors, and it was amazing. Gay and straight, they were the ones who for almost a decade came together in living rooms and storefronts to provide what our government didn’t. My list of warriors is long, yet this is the tale of four particular individuals who, for years, I closely watched working behind the scenes to make a difference in the quality of life of men, women, and children they would never know.”

After Gallin died in 2017 at age 76, columnist Billy Masters wrote a tribute in the Los Angeles Blade that expanded on that theme – and included a section on Dolly Parton, with whom he formed Sandollar Productions in 1985. Sandollar Productions, with Howard Rosenman, produced the 1990 Oscar winning documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt that raised global awareness about AIDS.

“While Gallin’s client list was vast and varied, he especially loved his divas. A special place in his heart was reserved solely for Dolly Parton. The two met after Dolly asked singer Mac Davis who should help with her career. Davis said, ‘You should talk to Sandy Gallin — he’s my manager.’ Sandy had one goal — to make Dolly a mainstream star. The first thing he did was set up a recording session for the song ‘Here You Come Again,’”Masters wrote.

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“Dolly was hesitant. She said, ‘A monkey could sing this song and have a hit with it.’ She was very nervous that it would turn off the country market, which she was very loyal to.’ Gallin made a deal with her — if the song wasn’t No. 1 on the pop charts AND the country charts, he’d never get involved in her musical decisions again. Dolly took the deal — and lost,” Masters wrote. “From then on, she and Sandy were inseparable. They considered each other beyond best friends and almost soul mates. ‘My husband didn’t love to travel, and Sandy was gay, and he did,’ said Dolly.”

Dolly Parton also talked about Gallin in an interview with Apple Music Country’s Proud Radio: “Sandy and I just clicked like nobody’s business,” Parton told host Hunter Kelly. “He was like my best gay bud. … We [went to] Studio 54. We’d sit on the couch and watch all the craziness. But we were all involved in the fun of it, and it was great.”

“I really owe him so much,” Parton added.

But, contrary to what Dolly Parton sings in “9 to 5,” it’s not all taking and no giving. Dolly Parton told the KKK that she welcomes gay people to Dollywood. And in 1991, when gay men were dying of AIDS by the thousands, and some Southern Christian leaders said AIDS was God’s punishment for homosexuality, Dolly Parton wrote and sang one of the first country songs to include “gay” and Christianity: “Some are preachers, some are gay… But not a one is turned away when it’s family.”

She later got an Oscar nod for “Travelin’ Thru,” a song for the transgender film “Transamerica.”

In 2023, after her home state of Tennessee passed anti-trans and anti-drag laws, Parton said she knew how deeply it hurt LGBTQ+ people, including in her own family and life, to be attacked for who they are.

“I know and love them all, and I do not judge,” she said. “They cannot help that any more than I can help being Dolly Parton.”

By the end of “9 to 5,” I realized that I had been the judgmental one with stereotype-blinders. I enjoyed learning how to get bold things done while expressing yourself with authentic joy. But unfortunately the theme and song are still applicable today.

Thank you, Dolly Parton.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the public education, research, and policy arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the United States, has released new data showing that there are more LGBTQ+ identifying people than ever before, just as the Trump administration continues efforts to minimize LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

The data, released late last week, includes a multitude of updated population estimates for LGBTQ+ identifying people in the United States. It shows that a record-high 12 percent of U.S. adults — roughly 25.6 million people — identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender diverse.

The numbers were drawn from more than 2.4 million responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey collected between 2021 and 2024. The Household Pulse Survey is one of the last major federal data sources to include a gender identity measure before the Trump-Vance administration removed sexual orientation and gender identity questions from roughly 360 federal data collections.

HRC President Kelley Robinson spoke about the data, emphasizing that it shows not only that the LGBTQ+ community is bigger than the Trump administration would have Americans believe, but that LGBTQ+ Americans continue to be targeted for no reason other than being different.

“LGBTQ+ Americans are everywhere. There are 25 million of us across the country, and we now have critical mass in almost every state in the nation,” Robinson said in a statement. “We’re not a niche constituency, and no campaign, brand, or employer can afford to treat us like one.”

The survey also collected other important information about LGBTQ+ Americans.

40: The number of states with an LGBTQ+ population greater than 10 percent, plus the District of Columbia. This includes electoral battleground states such as Arizona (13.34 percent), Georgia (11.46 percent), Michigan (10.95 percent), New Hampshire (11.88 percent), North Carolina (10.56 percent), Ohio (11.29 percent), Pennsylvania (11.14 percent), and Texas (12.54 percent).

25.6 million: Number of U.S. adults who identify as LGBTQ+.

12 percent: Percentage of the adult population who identify as LGBTQ+.

More than half of all LGBTQ+ adults (53.8 percent) are between 18 and 34 — a signal of sustained, long-term growth in political and economic power as this generation ages into peak spending and voting years.

Other recent studies show that nearly 30 perent of the adult Gen Z population identifies as LGBTQ+.

The data also shows growing diversity across the community. Hispanic adults make up a larger share of the LGBTQ+ population (18 percent) than of non-LGBTQ+ adults (13 percent). Black adults make up a smaller share, about 9 percent, compared to 12 percent, reinforcing that LGBTQ+ identity cuts across every racial and ethnic community.

Bisexual+ people are the largest group, at over 7 percent of all U.S. adults.

Tari Hanneman, HRC Foundation’s senior director of research and education, spoke about how the White House’s recent decision to remove LGBTQ-specific data questions from federal surveys undermines the purpose of federal data collection: to collect data that accurately reflects the U.S. population, regardless of political ideology.

“Reliable data are essential for understanding who lives in this country and what our communities need to thrive,” Hanneman said. “Removing sexual orientation and gender identity questions from surveys like the one used for this analysis introduces significant gaps in this understanding. These findings show that LGBTQ+ people are a substantial and growing segment of the population, underscoring the need for our continued inclusion in data collection efforts.”

The data also included key demographics about the age of LGBTQ+ people, showing that younger Americans are increasingly more likely to identify as LGBTQ+, while overall, all age groups saw an increase in people self-identifying as LGBTQ+ in the data.

More than half of LGBTQ+ adults (approximately 54 percent) are younger than 35, compared with about 22 percent of non-LGBTQ+ adults. Adults ages 25–34 constitute roughly one-third of the LGBTQ+ adult population.

The data also shows a similar generational pattern within age groups. Nearly 32 percent of adults ages 18–24 and 22 percent of adults ages 25–34 identify as LGBTQ+, compared with approximately 12 percent of adults ages 35–44 and less than 8 percent of each older age group.

The data also included statistics on the education levels of LGBTQ+ Americans, indicating that they are more likely to have some college education or an associate degree than their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

LGBTQ+ adults are more likely (34.57 percent) to have an associate degree or some college experience and less likely to have only a high school education or less, or a graduate degree.

According to a report from the Williams Institute, a research organization dedicated to collecting and explaining data on LGBTQ+ people and related policy, during the first year of the second Trump administration, approximately 360 federal data collections removed at least one sexual orientation or gender identity measure, including 338 that removed gender identity measures and at least 60 that removed sexual orientation measures.

The Williams Institute, along with HRC, asserts that these changes diminish the federal government’s capacity to measure LGBTQ+ populations and understand their experiences and needs — something that should be detrimental to federal data collection and assessment, regardless of what political ideology one subscribes to.

In 2024, the Census Bureau conducted a large-scale test of questions on sexual orientation and gender identity for possible inclusion in the American Community Survey, the nation’s primary source of detailed demographic data. The test involved nearly half a million households, but the Bureau has not released the promised reports and datasets showing how those questions performed. In September 2025 Democracy Forward filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking their release, alleging that the Census Bureau had unlawfully withheld the records.

The HRC Foundation also provided information about the methodology used to produce its estimates. The data uses weighted surveys conducted through its Community Insights research program. Community Insights is an opt-in research panel rather than a probability sample of the U.S. population; demographic benchmarks are used to adjust survey data so that respondents more closely reflect the broader LGBTQ+ adult population.

The HRC Foundation selected the Household Pulse Survey due to its large sample size, national probability-based design, detailed demographic data, separate measures for sexual orientation and gender identity, and availability of public-use survey weights.

The analysis includes 37 rounds of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey conducted between 2021 and 2024, yielding 2,452,769 responses before exclusions for missing or imputed data.

HRC’s estimate of 12.03 percent is based on the Census Bureau’s self-administered Household Pulse Survey, while Gallup’s most recent estimate of 9 percent is based on telephone interviews and a different approach to measuring LGBTQ+ identity.

HRC has suggested that self-administered surveys may offer greater privacy when people answer sensitive questions, which may contribute to differences in disclosure.

The analysis classifies respondents as lesbian or gay, bisexual+, transgender, or gender-expansive. The bisexual+ category includes respondents who selected bisexual as well as those who selected another sexual identity not represented by the available categories. The transgender or gender-expansive classification is determined using respondents’ reported sex assigned at birth and current gender identity.

The move to remove LGBTQ+ people from federal data collection is just one of many things the Trump-Vance administration has taken to minimize — if not hide — LGBTQ+ people in the country.

From the anti-transgender military executive order, which attempted to bar new recruits and remove transgender military members already serving, signed in January 2025, to attempts to prohibit gender-affirming medical care in federal health care programs and all but destroy gender-affirming care for minors, the administration has pursued a series of policies affecting LGBTQ+ Americans.

The administration has also attempted to make biological sex the only definition of gender on federal paperwork, rolled back DEI programs across the federal government, and taken other steps affecting how LGBTQ+ people are represented and recognized in federal policy and data collection.

A monument that pays tribute to LGBTQ+ Canadians who suffered government-sanctioned persecution and discrimination officially opened in Ottawa on Aug. 21.

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor General Louise Arbour, and Women and Gender Equality Minister Rechie Valdez are among those who attended the ceremony.

A Canadian government press release notes Thunderhead, which is located on Parliament Hill, “recognizes the historic discrimination faced by 2SLGBTQI+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, plus) people in Canada, including during the LGBT (lesbiennes, gaies, bisexuelles, trans) Purge.”

(French and English are Canada’s official languages.)

Trudeau in 2017 formally apologized to Canadians who suffered persecution and discrimination under the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws — including those convicted of “gross indecency” before Canada decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations — and policies. Trudeau also formally apologized to those who were fired from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the country’s military and civil service from the 1950s to the mid-1990s because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Canadian government later settled a class action lawsuit that LGBT Purge victims filed.

The settlement funded the monument.

The Canadian government’s press release notes an “all Canadian team” from Winnipeg, Manitoba, designed it. The monument is also located on the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation’s traditional territory.

“It celebrates the resilience and achievements of those who fought for equality, educates visitors, and inspires the change still needed so that everyone can openly love who they love and express and identify themselves as they choose,” reads the press release.

“Thunderhead stands as a tribute to the lives, stories, and contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ people across Canada,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney on Facebook. “It’s reminder of the discrimination too many endured — and honors those who fought to build a country where everyone can live freely, safely, and with dignity.”

India’s proposed overhaul of its foreign funding law could put LGBTQ+ organizations that depend on overseas donations under new pressure. 

Introduced in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, on March 25, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, or FCRA, would give a government-designated authority control over foreign funds, and assets when an organization loses or surrenders its registration.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill returned to the spotlight this month as the Indian government prepared to seek its passage during Parliament’s Monsoon Session; drawing fierce opposition from political parties, civil society groups and religious organizations.

The government says the bill is intended to address gaps in the management of foreign funds and assets when an organization’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or expires. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, would create a Designated Authority to oversee the vesting, supervision, management, and disposal of foreign contributions and assets when an organization’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered , or ceases. If a vested asset is a place of worship, the authority would be required to preserve its religious character. The FCRA would also reduce the maximum prison term for violating the law from five years to one year.

The changes could also make it difficult for organizations to leave the FCRA regime without surrendering assets created with foreign funds. Under the bill, an organization would have to keep renewing its FCRA certificate to retain those assets. FCRA rules also impose spending requirements on organizations seeking to maintain their certificates.

The bill may also create a distinction between assets created by organizations with FCRA registration and those created through the separate prior-permission route.

More significantly, neither the existing law nor the bill provides an appeal mechanism when the central government refuses to renew an FCRA certificate. They also do not expressly require the organization to be given an opportunity to be heard before renewal is denied. Under the proposed framework, such a denial could trigger the vesting of the organization’s foreign-funded assets in the Designated Authority.

The bill would also widen the circle of people who could face consequences for an organization’s FCRA violations. 

Its definition of “key functionary” extends beyond directors and office bearers to trustees, governing-body members, managing-committee members and others responsible for an organization’s affairs. Those functionaries could be held liable for offenses committed by the organization, unless they can show that they were unaware of the violation or had exercised due diligence to prevent it. The FCRA bill would also impose restrictions on dealing with foreign-funded assets during a suspension and leave several important operational details — including timelines and procedures for managing and returning assets — to rules that have yet to be prescribed.

Parliament on Aug 12 moved to refer the FCRA bill to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny and wider consultations. 

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai moved the motion in the Lok Sabha, to refer the bill to a committee comprising 21 members of the lower house and 10 members of the Rajya Sabha, Parliament’s upper house. 

The Rajya Sabha subsequently approved the nomination of its 10 members to the committee. The panel is expected to submit its report by the last day of the first week of Parliament’s Winter Session.

The proposed changes could have significant implications for LGBTQ+ organizations that rely on the FCRA framework to receive foreign contributions. (The global LGBTQ+ and intersex rights movement since the Trump-Vance administration took office in 2025 has lost nearly $50 million in U.S. funding because of foreign aid cuts. One source with whom the Los Angeles Blade spoke described the funding loss as a “catastrophe” for the global movement.)

While the government does not appear to have published an easily accessible, consolidated list of LGBTQ+ organizations receiving such funding, FCRA registration records and organizations’ financial disclosures indicate that foreign contributions have supported LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare, and community services in India.

K.C. Venugopal, general secretary of the opposition Indian National Congress, told reporters his party and other opposition parties would strongly protest the legislation if it were introduced in Parliament. He said the bill was aimed at targeting minorities and NGOs and vowed that the opposition would oppose its passage.

Venugopal called the proposed legislation “unconstitutional and anti-people.” 

“If the Central Government thinks they can cook up and introduce the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill within these two or three days, they should keep that wish to themselves,” he told reporters in Alappuzha, Kerala, on Aug. 9.

“Three provisions worry LGBTQ+ organizations like ours most directly,” said Souvik Saha, founder of People for Change and Jamshedpur Queer Circle. “First, the 2026 bill would let a government-appointed ‘Designated Authority’ take control of an organization’s foreign-funded assets— bank balances, equipments, sometimes even property— the moment its FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or simply not renewed, and this happens through an administrative process, without prior judicial adjudication. For a small community organization, that means losing everything we have built — case files, shelter infrastructure, helpline equipment — almost overnight, with no court hearing first.”

Saha told the Blade the revised FCRA Rules announced in June introduced a minimum spending threshold: organizations must spend at least $10,449 in foreign contributions over two financial years or risk cancellation and non-renewal of their registration.

“This specifically penalizes small and grassroots groups that deliberately keep their foreign funding modest — which describes most LGBTQ organizations in India, including ours,” said Saha. “We are not running core-scale budgets; we are running helplines, safe spaces, and district-level outreach on modest grants.”

Saha told the Blade that the ban on sub-granting, carried over from the 2020 amendment, means larger, well-established rights organizations cannot pass foreign funds to smaller, unregistered LGBTQ+ collectives that could not obtain FCRA registration themselves. He said rights groups have long described the restriction as a near “death knell” for hundreds of small nongovernmental organizations that work collaboratively with larger organizations, adding that LGBTQ+ groups outside major metropolitan areas depend heavily on such funding arrangements.

“Domestic funding for LGBTQ work in India is still thin, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) money avoids us because we are seen as ‘controversial,’ and most Indian foundations would not touch gender-identity programming,” Saha said. “So foreign funding is not a convenience for organizations working with the transgender and LGBTQ community, it is often always funding.”

NationalRadioDay blew up on social media this year. Thursday’s annual event was celebrated on the airwaves across America as well as locally.

Those of us who have been on the air each have a unique story about how the radio bug “bit” us. Reading Facebook posts and comments from my friends who I share this vocation with has been a great trip down memory lane.

Palm Springs was a robust radio market where Eric Ornelas cut his teeth doing a mix show after school. Valerie Kattz, now with Animal Samaritans, showed dozens of photos from her days at various frequencies around the local radio dial – including 103.1 when it was “EZ”. Patrick Evans got his start in radio before the weather bug bit him. John Taylor started on the East Coast.

Chris Shebel, our program director, posted a fun “Flintstones” AI-generated image broadcasting “Live from CAVE 17”. It seems like that long ago since we met.

Chris and I first crossed paths in a college town with a couple of legendary radio stations: WSPT and WXYQ in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In radio it was all about upward mobility — you likely started in your hometown, then graduated to larger markets until you (hopefully) hit the jackpot working in a top 10 market like Los Angeles or Chicago. Many times a job lasted only a year. U-Haul was your constant companion.

Chris had catapulted over many of his peers going from Stevens Point to Columbus, Ohio. But then, WLS in Chicago discovered him and Chris was on his way to the big time. His first day on the air, we took a portable AM radio outside our studios. It was winter and snow was falling as we tuned in WLS to hear Chris on the air for the first time. We were so proud, a little envious and hoping that his good fortune would rub off!

Chis came back to Stevens Point for gatherings and that’s where we got to know each other. Except, we didn’t know each other’s secret: We were both closeted gay men in an industry where being out meant losing your career. That’s where I’ll leave this story for today, but there’s much more to share about how Chris singlehandedly helped bring radio “out of the closet.”

Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide

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

Tramway Getaway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is an unbeatable way to escape the valley’s intense heat this weekend, with refreshing mountain temperatures hovering around 70 degrees at the Mountain Station. Enjoy the world’s largest rotating tram car as it glides over the cliffs of Chino Canyon, delivering spectacular views on the ten‑minute ascent to 8,516 feet. Once at the top, visitors can explore restaurants, observation decks, a natural history museum, documentary theaters, a gift shop, and miles of hiking trails. It’s also an ideal time to visit before the Tramway’s annual preventative maintenance closure begins on Tuesday, September 8, expected to last about a month. August features First Responders Days, offering free admission and a special gift for qualified first responders, plus 25% off regular fares for up to four guests. More info

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Lulu Celebrates 15 Years

Lulu California Bistro marks a major milestone this August as it celebrates 15 years at the heart of downtown Palm Springs. Since opening on August 22, 2011, Lulu has become a community anchor — welcoming more than 4 million guests, supporting hundreds of local hospitality professionals, and shaping the city’s dining and social scene with its colorful, inclusive spirit. Guests can also enjoy a sweet treat during the “birthday” weekend: free cotton candy with any meal from August 21–23. Founded by Jerry and the late Barbara Keller, Lulu’s legacy is rooted in bold vision, philanthropy, and unwavering love for Palm Springs. More info

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Out On The Mountain 2026

Experience thrilling rides and spectacular drag performances at Out On The Mountain 2026 on Friday, August 21 from 6 pm–12 am at Six Flags Magic Mountain. This private, all-ages party brings together over 5,000 members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Enjoy performances by April Carrión and Jessica Wild while supporting Southern California LGBTQ organizations. The park is closed to the general public during event hours, and regular season passes are not accepted. Tickets must be purchased online in advance, with VIP options available. More info

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Silent Disco – Battle of the DJs

Dance to your own beat at the Silent Disco – Battle of the DJs on Friday, August 21 at 9 pm at The Palm Springs Surf Club. This exciting night of dancing allows you to switch between DJ Lady Pink and a Surprise DJ with the flip of a switch on your wireless headphones. Grab your headphones, hit the dance floor, and enjoy a unique evening of music under the stars. More info

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The Desert Modernist: An Art Showcase

Celebrate local artistic talent at The Desert Modernist: An Art Showcase on Friday, August 21 from 4–7 pm at Senior Helpers. This generational exhibition brings together Coachella Valley artists, blending iconic Mid-Century Modern aesthetics with bold contemporary acrylics and sweeping desert landscapes. You can enjoy stunning artwork, light refreshments, and community spirit while supporting local guest artists such as Ray Clearwater, A Todd Jones, Ron Slack, and Juan Jose Espinosa. The exhibition is completely free and open to all. More info

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Pet Star 2027 Photo Contest

Furry, feathered, and scaly companions across the Coachella Valley can shine in the spotlight during the annual Pet Star 2027 Photo Contest running now through September 30. This fundraiser by Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies invites pet owners to submit photos for a $25 fee in five categories to support Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Desert Wildlife Center, and Desert Community Animal Center. Entrants can submit multiple pets and rally votes for $1 each, with a five-vote minimum. The top vote-getter becomes the 2027 Pet Star Champion on the calendar cover, while other top-ranking pets are featured inside. Supporters can preorder calendars or reserve special dates for $20. More info

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The Wizard of Oz

Experience the classic story The Wizard of Oz at Palm Springs Plaza Theatre with a special screening on Friday, August 22 at 7 pm. The Friday screening features an exclusive introduction and audience Q&A with special guest Vanessa O’Neil, granddaughter of Judy Garland and daughter of Lorna Luft and Jake Hooker. More info

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Queer Eyes Cinema Club

The Queer Eyes Cinema Club screens its August pick, Diamantino (2018), on Saturday, August 22 from 4–6:30 pm at Festival Theaters. Hosted by The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, this monthly meetup brings LGBTQ+ films to the big screen, offering intersectional stories across race, ethnicity, and culture. After the movie, attendees can hang back for an open discussion and share reflections. The series is led by film analyst and scholar Esther Schwartz. More info

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Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

The legendary rock duo Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo will bring their iconic sound to the stage of The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa on Saturday, August 22 at 8 pm. This Rock & Roll Hall of Fame partnership has shaped the landscape of music for decades, producing timeless hits such as “Love Is A Battlefield” and “Heartbreaker.” With four consecutive Grammy Awards and over 36 million records sold worldwide, their staggering vocals and trailblazing guitar artistry continue to captivate audiences. More info

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Coachella Valley Classical Voices

Enjoy an afternoon of inspiring opera and Broadway selections as the Coachella Valley Classical Voices group performs on Sunday, August 23 from 3–4:30 pm at Palm Springs Plaza Theatre. Under the artistic direction of Doug Nagel, this talented lineup of local singers will present beautiful musical selections by renowned composers like Puccini, Verdi, Sondheim, and Schwartz. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience local classical music and vocal talent live on stage. More info

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Nominations Round Open: Best of Coachella Valley

CV Independent’s Best of Coachella Valley 2026–2027 nomination round is officially open, and now’s the moment to spotlight the local voices, stations, and personalities you love most. This early round determines who advances to the final ballot, so every nomination truly counts. Our contenders this year include KGAY 103.1, Sunny 106.5, and MeTV FM 92.1 for Best Radio Station; John Taylor, E.J. Tyler, Patrick Evans, and Chris Shebel for Best Local Radio Personality; and our powerhouse DJ trio — DJ Galaxy, DJ Eric Ornelas, and MODGIRL — for Best Local DJ. Nominations are open through Friday, August 28, so cast your picks and lift your favorites into the spotlight! Nominate Today

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• A Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit • Palm Springs Art Museum hosts an intergenerational group of artists exploring how magic, spirituality, and esoteric knowledge shaped queer culture, open Thursday–Sunday and the show runs through October 18.
• George Perez Comedy Show! • Comedian George Perez will deliver a night of real stories, big laughs, and nonstop energy at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs on Friday at 7 pm.
• Victor Vasquez Comedy Show • Stand-up favorite Victor Vasquez will deliver nonstop laughs with his quick wit and sharp storytelling at Spotlight 29 Casino on Friday from 8–9:30 pm.
• Lee Hyun Woo • Audiences will experience a spectacular performance as South Korean singer Lee Hyun Woo takes the stage at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa on Friday from 8–11 pm.
• Welcoming Yoga • Participants of all experience levels will experience a safe, slow basic practice led by facilitator Marci Stonehedge at The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert on Saturday from 4–5:15 pm.
• Night Swim • Partygoers will experience the ultimate after-hours pool party featuring live DJs, cocktails at the Island Bar, and access to the iconic Island Pool and Lazy River under the lights at The Palm Springs Surf Club on Saturday from 6–10 pm.
• Dance Ranch / Country Dance Saturdays • Dancers of all levels are welcome to enjoy country western dancing, including two-step, waltz, and line dances. This week features a “Choosin Texas” line dance lesson with Andrew Jimenez. Located at Step by Step Dance Studio on Saturday from 7–9:30 pm.
• A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd • Southern rock fans will experience the raw energy and triple-guitar attack of classics like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird” by tribute band Skynyrd & Frynds at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City on Saturday from 8–11 pm.
• The Rack Pack: Weekly Men’s (Chinese) Mahjong Meet-Up • Men of all experience levels enjoy a relaxed afternoon of friendly Chinese Mahjong, good company, and great vibes with The Rack Pack. This weekly group meets at ACE Hotel & Swim Club on Sunday from 4–6 pm.

Log Cabin Republicans, an organization that formerly represented LGBTQ+ conservatives, has removed advocating for transgender and queer rights from its “renewed” national advocacy focus.

In an opinion piece written by Log Cabin Republicans President Ross Hemminger for the conservative media outlet Town Hall, he announced that trans rights would no longer be part of what the organization advocates for through conservative leadership and candidates.

In his piece, Hemminger wrote that after “significant discussion” with members and Log Cabin Republicans’ board of directors, the organization’s leadership voted to “refine Log Cabin Republicans’ national advocacy focus to concentrate specifically on issues of sexual orientation and conservative values,” a focus that does not include trans people.

“We have fought for the right to legally marry who we love, serve our country and our communities openly and proudly, and to enjoy the same inalienable rights afforded to all law-abiding Americans — and we succeeded,” Hemminger wrote. “However, the new era of gender identity politics is not the movement we supported and fought for. Gay men and women are losing public support across the country, and support for gay marriage and other once-widely accepted rights is eroding. Why? Because many voters today weren’t alive or cognizant of the politics of gay marriage winding its way through the courts and gaining ground in public opinion. Their view of the gay community is based on today’s radical transgender activists with their unnecessary and discomfiting focus on America’s youth.”

Hemminger then went on to argue that trans advocacy has shifted to focusing primarily on minors — a characterization that does not reflect the breadth of issues trans advocates address.

“They push schools to teach radical gender ideology; they want biological men in women’s sports regardless of the consequences; perhaps most offensively, they support gender reassignment treatments for minors, often without the knowledge or consent of the parents, knowing full well these treatments are mostly irreversible,” he wrote.

Hemminger and many right-wing political leaders have continued to assert this false reality as fact.

A Harvard-affiliated study found approximately 2.1 gender-affirming surgeries occur per 100,000 trans and gender-diverse minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria, underscoring how uncommon these procedures are among minors. In addition to the option of surgery for those who think it’s right for them, there is an array of other medically sound options to treat gender dysphoria, which according to KFF, an independent source for health policy research and polling, includes “medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people.”

Additionally trans advocacy is not as narrow as Hemminger makes it seem in his opinion piece.

There are a slew of issues the trans community faces — and fights for — on a daily basis that have nothing to do with healthcare. Those include obtaining government documents that accurately reflect one’s gender identity, multiple elements of family law that include the right to marry and adopt children as straight couples can, protections from violence, hate crime protections, the right to serve in the military, access to bathrooms corresponding with their gender, and the right to education.

Despite the overwhelming number of issues trans people — regardless of political affiliation — have to struggle with as a result of systemic gaps in protections that are supposed to be afforded to everyone under the law, they remain vulnerable to unequal treatment.

Despite this shift, Log Cabin Republicans has committed to standing with the Republican Party rather than LGBTQ+ people as a whole. The organization was initially founded as a loosely connected network of local California social clubs made up of LGBTQ+ conservatives in the late 1970s before eventually emerging as a national political organization in the early 1990s under its founding executive director, Rich Tafel.

As the organization continued to gain momentum, it endorsed a handful of Republicans who voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, the 2022 law that federally recognized marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The Los Angeles Blade reached out to Log Cabin Republicans for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.