News
Meet the LGBT staffers — the power behind the lawmakers
January 20, 1961. Thousands of young people gathered around their television sets to watch John F. Kennedy, America’s second youngest President, deliver his stirring Inaugural Address.
“We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans,” said JFK, 43, glowing in that cold winter day. “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
Awakened to the heartbeat of patriotism, young people rushed to join the Peace Corp or find or create other noble ways to be of public service. Everything felt new. Splashes of color emboldened the counter-culture movement to wiggle like a butterfly out of the black and white conformity of the 1950s and indulge in a fresh freedom of expression.
Almost 57 years later, a new generation—including LGBT youth—is emerging out of stultifying siloes manufactured by the privileged to contain thousands of young people straining to be free from biased rules and outmoded definitions of progress. Many of these young people seem invisible – and yet they are the power behind the lawmakers and being of service in a country in which everyone, theoretically, is equal under the rule of law. And in California, the next generation of lawmakers is welcome.
“Engaging millennials in the political process – whether through voter registration and participation, or by promoting them to senior leadership roles in our government is good for the future of California. I’m fortunate to have talented, hardworking advisors whose diverse backgrounds and perspectives make me a better Secretary of State,” Sec. of State Alex Padilla tells the Los Angeles Blade.
Out State Sens. Ricardo Lara and Toni Atkins introduce Healthcare for All bill (Photo via Facebook)
And today, young new heroes like Ricardo Lara—who came out at San Diego State “ready to fight”—have worked hard and risen through the ranks, proudly representing both the LGBT and Latino communities. On Nov. 6, he made California history becoming the first openly gay man elected statewide as Insurance Commissioner.
“Growing up when California Republicans like Gov. Pete Wilson were leading the charge against people who looked and loved the way I do was a rude awakening,” Lara tells the Los Angeles Blade. “My parents had come to the U.S. without papers and became citizens. I felt like this was my country, but the hatred made me feel like a stranger. As a student I joined the campaigns against laws to deny undocumented immigrants the place in our society they had earned through their contributions to our state. That led to me to seek out mentors who stood against bigotry, and when I had my chance to run for Assembly, I took it.”
There was never a question that Lara would run for office “open and unabashed. As Harvey Milk said, ‘burst down the closet doors once and for all, stand up and start to fight,’” Lara says. “I had the opportunity to work with brave leaders like Marco Firebaugh, who wrote the law treating undocumented students the same as Californians in college admissions. He proudly represented people who had never had a voice, making sure that gender or immigration status was no obstacle to their success. After I was elected I got to go back to school as a David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow, where I met other young leaders dedicating themselves to serve.”
Sen. Ricardo Lara’s SB 524, “Protecting Youth from Institutional Abuse Act,” regulating the “troubled teen” industry was signed by Gov. Brown in Oct. 2016 (Photo by Karen Ocamb)
Lara now gives back what he received. “I am always excited when a new leader is elected who has never served before, at whatever level. As those who have walked this path, it’s our job to remind them that being courageous in their actions is the way to be true to the people who elected you,” he says.
“I didn’t grow up knowing about Bayard Rustin or Harvey Milk. But when I finally did, the lesson I took was that we can’t treat our history as separate from others’. We have to intertwine our efforts for LGBT equality with those of immigrants and their children, women, people living in poverty, African Americans. That’s how we will achieve justice,” Lara says.
Lara is humble about his own achievements. “Making history as the first LGBT leader elected statewide in California history is humbling. It tells me we have a long way to go to deliver on our values. We will truly make history when that is no longer a question any LGBT person has to answer,” Lara says.
Alina Hernandez, Carrie Holmes, Jesse Melgar (Photo courtesy JZSquared Photography)
Today, young LGBT staffers include Deputy Secretary of State Jesse Melgar, 31, Legislative Director Carrie Holmes, 39, and LGBT Legislative Caucus consultant Alina Hernandez, 32. LGBT staffers also work in the executive branch, the state senate, the state assembly and as advocates — out government operatives who work on the inside of California’s halls of power, with over 100 bright LGBT minds influencing public policy across the golden state each day.
Melgar is already a political veteran. A former communications director for Equality California, the California Latino Legislative Caucus and Lara in 2016, Padilla appointed him Deputy Sec. of State and Chief Communications Officer to serve as a key player advancing Padilla’s voting rights agenda.
Jesse Melgar (Photo courtesy JZSquared Photography)
“If we don’t step up, we get stepped on. When we think about immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, voting rights – they are all won or lost depending on how active and engaged our communities are,” Melgar tells the Los Angeles Blade. “I saw this growing up, studied civil rights and inequality in college, and decided to turn my passion for social justice into a career in public service. Having diversity in all levels of leadership is important, particularly considering the current national political climate.”
Melgar was inspired by mentors. “I am where I am today thanks to the support of my family, my partner and incredible bosses and mentors who have supported me throughout my career. I’ve had a front row seat learning from bold leaders like Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Insurance Commissioner-elect Ricardo Lara, Riverside Assemblyman Jose Medina and so many others. It’s inspiring to see leaders who look like you, from similar backgrounds, defy odds and obstacles and lead with authenticity, heart and purpose. It’s humbling when bosses take the time to show you the ropes and help you realize your own potential.”
Melgar recognizes his responsibility to mentor others. “Someone pushed the door open for us so it’s on us to keep those doors open,” he says. “This is particularly true for LGBTQ staff who maybe weren’t comfortable being out at home or in their communities or at previous jobs. By fostering an open, accepting environment that values diversity, we invite younger staffers to bring their full selves to work. We show them that their perspectives matter and that they are valued members of our teams, as they are.”
Carrie Holmes (Photo courtesy JZSquared Photography)
Carrie Holmes, Legislative Director for Sen. Jim Beall and President of the Capitol LGBTQ Association, says she’s a couple of years too old to be a millennial. “But I got a late start in my career so I’m generally in the millennial peer group.” Two personal goals: “I want to get my deadlift up to 300 pounds this year, and get a full night of sleep (I’m not joking, I have an 8-month old baby).”
Holmes says the Capitol Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Association, founded in 2017 by Bish Paul, an Assembly staffer, is the first non-profit LGBTQ staff association in the country. “Any individual who has expressed an interest in public policy and is-or wants to be- engaged in statewide policy is welcome to join. Our membership includes legislative and administration staff, lobbyists, and policy stakeholders. Our purpose is to recruit and retain LGBTQ individuals, and provide professional development and networking opportunities.”
The Association hosts a number of events, provides an immediate support system for new LGBT staffers, started the Rainbow mentors program “to connect seasoned career folks with those either looking to start working in policy or looking for a career change.”
“I think, within the LGBTQ community, we must take the time to reach out and open doors for others,” she says, “especially in the policy and political realm. It can feel like a very exclusive space and those of us working here need to look around, see who isn’t represented, and make the changes needed.”
Holmes was motivated to get involved in politics by working in non-profits and educational settings. “I kept running into problematic state laws and funding streams,” she says. “I realized how much it mattered who was in power, and became interested in being part of the process of shaping the laws. I got into this path as part of the Capital Fellows program in 2010, and I was the only queer person in my fellowship class. Every one of us has been in the position where we are the only person around who can speak to how a vote, a law, an amendment could impact the queer community or other vulnerable populations.
Holmes intends to step back from the Association this year and is encouraging younger board members to take leadership roles.
“I want to see the influence of queer people of color grow. We want to create a paid internship or fellowship program targeted to the LGBTQ community,” Holmes says. “Too many people have to work for free to get their foot in the door, and that just re-enforces existing privilege and power. I want to see Trans women of color hired in the Capitol. And elected. We are chipping away to make the culture more inclusive—we collaborated with the Caucus and leadership in the Legislature to get changes to the dress code and include pronouns on business cards. These are small steps. We want to make our reach broader to include folks working across the state, not just Sacramento.”
Alina Hernandez (Photo courtesy JZSquared Photography)
Alina Hernandez, 32, is the fierce, funny, former techie consultant to the California Legislative LGBT Caucus whose primary goal is to live a happy life.
“I’m a professional gay,” Hernandez says. “I am the manager/agent of the most badass group of openly LGBT elected officials California has ever seen. I’m a little biased.”
In 2018, she staffed numerous LGBT specific legislative bills and resolutions, managed listening tours, appointment workshops, and “I helped to facilitate obtaining the option for capital staff to choose to add their preferred pronouns on business cards. At the end of the day, I will go to battle for what is right and inclusive,” which she sees as a community effort.
How Hernandez got into politics is a funny question to answer.
“Short answer, Trump! Long answer, after high school, I started to study graphic design with a heavy focus on typography. That soon turned into a career in tech as a hardware/software support technician. After many years of fixing computers, cleaning dirty keyboards, and truly enjoying life as a techie, I was searching for something new,” she says.
“Fast forward to January of 2016, I am sitting at a bar in Vegas by myself while I was waiting for a friend to get off work. I sat next to this guy who ordered the exact same sample beer selection as I did. We bonded over this and soon our conversation turned from beer to life,” Hernandez says. “He gave me this great idea to create a political app. I wasn’t heavy into politics, but I did know technology. I pondered this idea for a while and searched for people to help with this project. I ended up putting that on the back burner.
“In the meantime,” she continues, “I created another small business helping baby boomers bridge the gap between technology and themselves. It was great! You would not believe how excited people get when they learn how to use emojis or FaceTime for the first time. I could feel the ground starting to move under my feet and I was looking around for my next big adventure.”
Hernandez doesn’t know where she’ll be in 10 years. “I’ll always end up where I am supposed to be,” she says. “A great friend once said to me, ‘treat everyone like a celebrity because they are.’ Truth be told, I received a text message that said, ‘California Legislative LGBT Caucus Consultant? You were made for this job.’ I put aside my fear of attempting something I had no experience doing and went full speed ahead. I had no idea what I was getting into or what to expect, but I knew the universe brought this position my way for a reason.”
Hernandez’s Caucus job means she takes lots of meetings, including with “conservative activists who think my very existence is a sin in the eyes of God,” she says. “I also take meetings with people who are struggling to come out or want to share their experiences about being LGBT in this political climate. People trust me with their secrets that they have sometimes not even told their own family. In no way is this an easy job—it takes time and patience. This job cannot be defined by a duty statement.”
Jo Michael (Photo courtesy Jo Michael)
Jo Michael, 32, Equality California’s legislative manager, knows these stories, having helped shepherd through more than 25 successful pieces of sponsored legislation that included educating lawmakers and the public about LGBT policies, especially regarding the transgender community.
“It’s particularly challenging in the context of doing legislative work in the Capitol,” Michael told his alma mater, McGeorge School of Law. “That can be a significant hurdle…to make clear there is no ‘gay agenda.’ It’s about making sure people are not discriminated against and not excluded from the places other people enjoy access to on a regular and daily basis. It’s about equality and being able to have justice as opposed to being able to have anything that’s special or different.”
Michael, named one of the Best LGBT Lawyers under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association in 2015, has been working to advance social justice and LGBTQ civil rights since he co-founded his high school’s first Gay-Straight Alliance.
“The roads to many of the advances the LGBTQ community has achieved show that LGBTQ people being open and visible helps change hearts and minds. I’ve been so inspired to see and to be a part of the impact of openly LGBTQ staff in the Capitol community and to advance Equality California’s legislative program in Sacramento for 6 years,” Michael told the Los Angeles Blade on Dec. 7, his final day at Equality California.
Elle Chen (Photo Elle Chen)
Elle Chen, 23, Legislative Aide to Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, has also served as a Senior Fellow in the State Senate, consulting on public safety and other policy areas. She has a sense of both the fresh perspective young LGBT staffers can bring to public service, as well as the passion creating the arc of history that led them to the Capitol.
Chen is an Association member for whom intersectionality and interest in a diversity of issues is a given. She is among the new LGBT generation to whom the torch is being passed, answering the call to serve her country, her state and the people.
“You stand on the shoulders of those who come before you,” Chen tells the Los Angeles Blade. “Let history inform your policy perspective and acknowledge the narratives that still have yet to be heard.”
For more information about the Capitol Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Association, visit their website at CapitolLGBTQ.org. Here are just some of their members. (All photos provided by the Association or from their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CapitolLGBTQAssociation )
Capitol LGBTQ Association Board
President: Carrie Holmes
Vice President: Deepen Gagneja
Communications Director: Nicole Restmeyer
Treasurer: Brandon Bjerke
External Affairs Director: Biswajit “Bish” Paul
Membership Director: Sean Connelly
Events Director: Sage Warren
Community Outreach Director: Erica Porter
Operations Director: Monica Montano
Fellows & Intern Liaison: Elle Chen
Deepen Gagneja
Age: 24
Senior Legislative Advocate, California Immigrant Policy Center
“It is vital that we acknowledge the intersectionality of the LGBTQ community and advocate for all who face injustice. As a former Capitol staffer, I learned that it’s so important to infuse your personal experiences into policy and earn a seat at the table where decisions are made.”
Bish Paul, PhD.
Age: 33
State Policy Manager, TechNet
“As an immigrant, gay, scientist and person-of-color, I have found that often times intersectional voices are missing in our LGBTQ and policymaking communities. I was the founding President of the Capitol LGBTQ Association since I believe that to be given a seat at the table we need to step up, organize, and demand equity.”
Sean Connelly
Age: 29
Capitol Director, Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez
“Working in public policy is a great privilege, every day presents a new set of challenges to tackle and problems to solve. It is humbling to know that your work will, hopefully, have a positive impact on someone’s life. As LGBTQ+ people, we are acutely aware of how critical politics and public policy is to building the world we want to live in, not necessarily the one we have today.”
Sage Warren
Age: 29
Victim Services Case Manager, Sacramento LGBT Community Center
“As a social worker, a parent, and an LGBTQ policy advocate, I have learned the importance of fighting for my community’s values and protecting its integrity with every opportunity that arrives.”
Erica Porter
Age: 27
Committee Assistant, California State Senate Judiciary Committee
“It’s really important for queer folx in politics to stay connected to our community and our history. What’s the point of being in the room where it happens if you can’t bring your community with you?”
Monica Montano
Age: 29
Graduate Medical Education Director, Physicians for a Healthy California
“It was an absolute humbling experience working within the Capitol and knowing that your work directly impacted all Californians and sometimes the nation.”
Chris Miller
Age: 23
Press Assistant, California Secretary of State
“Decades of struggle and hardship have made it possible for me to be out in the workplace. While this is not the case in every state, I am proud to serve the State of California as an out gay man. I know that being out at work sends the message that it’s okay to be who you are, and I hope to serve as a mentor to those young gay people entering the workforce.”
Palm Springs
Here’s your Palm Springs look at Labor Day Weekend: Sep 4-7, 2026
Anita Bryant was waging war on our LGBTQ+ community in Dade County back in 1977 when Gloria Steinem came to Miami to help our cause. Throughout her 90 plus years, the feminist became a supporter of our causes, becoming one of the early supporters of the Human Rights Campaign.
Her death this week reminds us that we have allies in many corners of the world. Her views were sometimes controversial — and misunderstood — especially on transgender issues.
In a 2013 essay for The Advocate, she explained her views from 1977 which became a flashpoint to the trans community when she questioned whether society sometimes pressured people to change themselves rather than confront prejudice.
So now I want to be unequivocal in my words: I believe that transgender people, including those who have transitioned, are living out real, authentic lives. Those lives should be celebrated, not questioned.- – Gloria Steinem
And like Dolly Parton, Steinem stood up to criticism from her ‘fans and followers’ for supporting LGBTQ+ rights. She said that lesbians were “the most vulnerable group of women”. She advocated for ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
She didn’t live to see her memoir released – it’s due out September 22nd. But the stories contained in those chapters will illuminate a life well-lived and the document the many struggles that transpired in her lifetime. Her impact on social justice will live on.
In a Instagram post announcing her death, her family wrote, “Gloria has given the world with the hope they have ripple effects for generations to come. Gloria often quoted the adage: “The flap of a butterfly’s wing can change the weather hundreds of miles away.” Fitting that the symbol for our trans community is the butterfly and that Gloria’s flap has had a lasting impact across the entire LGBTQ+ community.
Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide
Here’s what’s ahead in sunny Palm Springs!
Greater Palm Springs Spa Month
Greater Palm Springs Spa Month unfolds across the Greater Palm Springs Area all month long, celebrating National Self‑Care Awareness Month with exclusive wellness experiences throughout all nine resort cities. This featured promotion invites guests to slow down, breathe deeply, and embrace self‑care their way—whether through a mineral spring soak, a rejuvenating facial, a deeply relaxing massage, a sound bath under the desert sky, or a full day dedicated entirely to restoration. Participating resort spas, day spas, and hot springs spas offer limited‑time treatments and special packages all September, making it easy to explore, book, and enjoy your perfect wellness escape. More info
Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival / 2026 Blues at the Woodstock
The Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival / 2026 Blues at the Woodstock takes the stage at Hotel Zoso on Friday, September 4 from 6:30–9 pm, kicking off a featured Labor Day weekend of powerhouse blues performances. The evening stars Miriah Avila, Kimberly Nichole, and Dr. Gail Jhonson’s Blues All‑Stars, celebrating independent female artists with bold voices and unforgettable musicianship. The festival continues through September 6 with concerts, Q&As, exhibitions, and more. Check our event listing for more details: More info
Burgers, Boys & Brews Sunday BBQ
Burgers, Boys & Brews Sunday BBQ fires up The Social Cafe & Lounge on Sunday, September 6 from 2:30–5 pm, serving grilled burgers, hot dogs, bottomless mimosas, bottomless draft beer, and a hot male performance show. This backyard‑style brunch party blends great food, cold drinks, music, and high‑energy entertainment for a new Sunday tradition. More info
Get Tix Now: KGAY BIG SPLASH Pool Party
Next weekend is about to make a BIG SPLASH — so here’s your early heads‑up! The KGAY BIG SPLASH Pool Party returns Friday, Sept. 11 from 7–10 pm at the Palm Springs Surf Club, bringing nighttime Lazy River access, River Island fun, beats by DJ Galaxy, poolside cocktails, giveaways, and a pre‑party Happy Hour from 5–7 pm. All proceeds support your station KGAY 103.1! Get tickets
P!nk Tribute Night
Get ready for a high-energy concert experience with PInk Tribute Night at The Social Cafe & Lounge on Friday, September 4 at 7 pm. After three consecutive sold-out seasons captivating audiences in Puerto Vallarta and the Bay Area, the sensational Eva makes her highly anticipated Palm Springs debut as part of the venue’s First Fridays live performance series. Channeling P!nk’s raw energy, Eva doesn’t just impersonate one of pop music’s most iconic performers—she delivers a full, unforgettable concert experience up close. More info
The Purple Room Season Opening Weekend
Purple Room Palm Springs heats up Labor Day weekend with David Burnham headlining Friday–Saturday, September 4–5, performing Burnham Sings Bublé at 8 pm (dinner at 6 pm). His brand‑new show celebrates the greatest hits of multi‑Grammy winner Michael Bublé with contemporary swing and powerhouse vocals. On Sunday, September 6, The Judy Show! returns as Michael Holmes brings his beloved madcap classic back to the stage. More info
NSFW – New Season of Work
NSFW – New Season of Work launches a month-long season-opening exhibition at Rubine Red Gallery through September 30. Featuring new work by Russ White, T. Young, Merick Reed, Don Fisher, and Terrence Payne, this showcase celebrates the start of the 2026–2027 Palm Springs Art Season with fresh perspectives and dynamic contemporary art from five standout creators. More info
The Temptations
The Temptations perform at The Show on Friday, September 4 at 8 pm, bringing their iconic harmonies, signature choreography, and decades of chart‑topping hits to the stage. With classics like “My Girl,” “Get Ready,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” this legendary group continues to captivate audiences with stories and songs spanning generations. More info
WET + WILD | Rump & Bass
Presented by Eagle Cathedral City, WET + WILD: Rump & Bass ignites Labor Day Weekend with a two‑part, high‑energy celebration at The Sonoran. Friday’s WILD event on September 4 from 9 pm–2 am unleashes a late‑night dance party featuring Circle Jerk and the Palm Springs debut of NYC DJ duo MA’AM, delivering thick basslines and a wild crowd vibe. The weekend continues Sunday, September 6 from 2–7 pm with WET, a sun‑soaked pool party soundtracked by Marc Kelly and Bryan Hughes. More info
Unbuttoned, A Boylesque Social Experience
Unbuttoned, A Boylesque Social Experience brings the electrifying talent of Michael Silas to The Social Cafe & Lounge on Saturday, September 5 from 7 pm–8:30 pm. Silas blends dance, storytelling, and sharp comedic flair into an intimate boylesque evening shaped by decades of global performance experience. More info
ABBA L.A. – A Tribute to ABBA
ABBA L.A. lights up Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City on Saturday, September 5 at 8 pm, celebrating the disco‑era magic of ABBA with favorites like “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “Waterloo.” Expect soaring harmonies, glittering pop nostalgia, and a dance‑floor‑ready night. More info
The Great Backstage Blowout Sale
The Great Backstage Blowout Sale takes over Indio Performing Arts Center on Saturday–Sunday, September 5–6 from 8 am–4 pm, offering two huge days of indoor bargain hunting to benefit Desert TheatreWorks. Shoppers can explore costumes, props, set pieces, lighting and sound equipment, furniture, clothing, electronics, and more—many with real stage history. Every purchase supports DTW’s nonprofit mission, youth programming, and upcoming DTW Thrift Shop opening later this fall. More info
A Luncheon with Nancy Kerrigan
A Luncheon with Nancy Kerrigan invites guests to Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Rancho Mirage on Saturday, September 5 from 11 am–1:30 pm for an elegant fundraising celebration hosted by The Desert Figure Skating Club. The event features a live on‑stage interview with Nancy Kerrigan, moderated by Olympian Randy Gardner, plus a book signing and silent auction supporting the club’s programs. More info
Drag Me To The Movies
Drag Me To The Movies screens four beloved drag‑themed classics at The Palm Springs Plaza Theatre on Saturday–Sunday, September 5–6 with showtimes at 2 pm, 7 pm, and 7:30 pm. Audiences can enjoy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Birdcage, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, and Cabaret, celebrating resilience, self‑expression, and queer cinematic history all weekend long. More info
Tramway Holiday Hours + Maintenance Closure
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is offering extended Labor Day Weekend hours, making it an ideal last chance to ride before the annual maintenance closure on September 8. From September 5–7, trams start at 8 am each day, with late evening departures — last tram up at 9 pm and down at 10:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and last tram up at 8 pm and down at 9:30 pm on Monday. It’s a perfect time to enjoy cool mountain air, scenic hikes, or dining at Peaks Restaurant and Pines Café before the Tram temporarily shuts down.
- Singin’ & Swingin’ • Performers Tod Macofsky and Kari Kirkland celebrate jazz, swing, and timeless standards with a live band on Friday from 7–7:30 pm at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
- The Music of The Eagles • Tribute band Boys of Summer kicks off Labor Day weekend with a celebration of the Eagles’ timeless catalog of rock classics on Friday from 8–11 pm at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City.
- CCBC Pool Party Labor Day Weekend • Holiday celebrants can jump into the pool and enjoy a holiday gathering on Saturday from 12–4 pm at CCBC Resort, inviting friends and visitors to kick back and socialize during the festive Labor Day weekend.
- Night Swim at Palm Springs Surf Club • Lively DJs spin music for an after-hours pool party under the lights on Saturday from 6–10 pm at The Palm Springs Surf Club. Guests can swim in the Island Pool, float down the Lazy River, and enjoy cocktails at the Island Bar during this 21+ event.
- Dance Ranch / Country Dance Saturdays • Dance Ranch Palm Springs hosts a welcoming night of country western dancing on Saturday from 7–9:30 pm at Step by Step Dance Studio. Instructors Rob Ollander-Krane and Kyle Young will teach lessons in shadow and line dancing for dancers of all levels.
- The Rack Pack: Weekly Men’s (Chinese) Mahjong Meet-Up • The Rack Pack invites men of all skill levels to a relaxed afternoon of Chinese Mahjong on Sunday from 4–6 pm at ACE Hotel & Swim Club.
- A Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit • Explore how magic, spirituality, and esoteric knowledge have shaped queer art and culture Thursday–Sunday at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The exhibition features works reflecting occultism, witchcraft, and mysticism to highlight alternative spiritual practices in LGBTQ+ liberation struggles.
Pentagon
Pentagon expands testosterone screening as trans troops face hormone therapy restrictions
Defense Department says updated guidelines to be issued shortly
The Pentagon has announced that new clinical guidance will be released establishing mandatory testosterone deficiency screening for active-duty and reserve cisgender male service members ages 30 and older, advancing a policy that expands hormone-related care for cisgender troops.
The Defense Department said the existing clinical guidelines, which are not currently available on the Defense Health Agency’s website, are being updated and that the final guidance will be issued shortly.
The announcement comes amid a wave of anti-transgender policies from both the DoD and the Trump-Vance administration, which continue to prohibit trans men from receiving the same treatment.
Under the forthcoming guidance, men ages 30 and older will be forced to undergo testosterone blood tests as part of their medical care. Younger male service members will be tested if they request screening or if clinicians identify warning signs of low testosterone.
The new guidelines formalize a screening program Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in July, when he said the Pentagon would begin testing service members to ensure that “you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”
“Taking care of your long-term health means ensuring you remain strong, resilient, and capable — not just for your next deployment, but for the rest of your life, so you can thrive long after you take off the uniform,” Hegseth said at the time.
The Defense Health Agency’s clinical guidance says the program is intended to address “hormonal and energy-availability issues.” Hegseth said in July that testosterone replacement therapy would remain voluntary for service members if treatment is recommended.
The Food and Drug Administration is also scheduled to hold a meeting later this month with experts to discuss the medical use of testosterone.
The Pentagon’s push to routinely test testosterone levels runs counter to current medical guidance, which generally recommends considering testosterone therapy only for men who have symptoms consistent with low testosterone and have documented low hormone levels on two separate blood tests.
Testosterone is a sex hormone naturally produced by people of all sexes. It plays a role in regulating muscle mass, bone density, and sex drive. Testosterone levels in men naturally decline with age and have been associated with symptoms including erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain, although experts continue to debate when testosterone therapy is medically appropriate.
The policy has drawn scrutiny from LGBTQ+ advocates because the Pentagon and Hegseth have simultaneously cited hormone therapy as part of the rationale for removing trans service members from the military.
Under President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” the military has moved to bar trans people diagnosed with gender dysphoria from serving and has begun formal administrative separation proceedings against trans personnel.
The Pentagon continues to pursue implementation of the trans military ban as litigation over the policy proceeds. As a result, some trans service members have had their gender-affirming hormone therapy halted even as the Pentagon expands testosterone screening and potential treatment for cisgender service members.
SPARTA Pride, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization made up of trans service members, veterans and their allies, criticized the disparity to the Los Angeles Blade when Hegseth first announced the screening program.
“If hormone therapy helps warfighters perform at their best, then it cannot simultaneously be used as evidence that transgender service members are unfit to serve,” said Kara Corcoran, executive director of SPARTA Pride. “The same class of evidence-based medical treatment cannot be characterized as readiness-enhancing for one group and readiness-destroying for another.”
On June 1, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that trans service members already serving in the military could continue to do so while allowing the armed services to continue refusing to enlist new trans recruits.
The Blade reached out to the Pentagon when the testosterone screening program was first announced in July, asking why cisgender service members could receive testosterone therapy while transgender service members could not. The Pentagon did not respond.
Switzerland
Swiss government backs nationwide conversion therapy ban
Several cantons have already prohibited widely discredited practice
The Swiss government has said it supports a nationwide ban on so-called conversion therapy.
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation on its website notes the government officially announced its position in a report it published on Wednesday.
Neuchâtel in 2023 became the first Swiss canton to ban conversion therapy.
Lawmakers in Valais and Vaud have also prohibited the widely discredited practice in their respective cantons. Bern and Geneva are among the other cantons in which lawmakers have considered similar prohibitions.
The European Commission earlier this year said all European Union countries should ban conversion therapy.
Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but lawmakers in neighboring Germany in 2020 passed a law that prohibits conversion therapy for minors and for adults who have not consented to undergoing the widely discredited practice.
Several EU countries — Belgium, Cyprus, France, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and Spain — have banned conversion therapy outright.
The Dutch Senate in June approved a bill that would ban conversion therapy in the Netherlands. The lower house of the country’s parliament approved the measure in September 2025.
Greece in 2022 banned conversion therapy for minors.
Politics
How gay nerds will shape the midterm elections
HeadCount and NerdsVote are fighting to get LGBTQ+ geeks to the polls!
The nerd community is certainly a fierce fellowship.
These are the people completely dedicated to certain franchises, who express their love for these IPs at any given opportunity and are ready to defend them against anyone who can’t fathom their greatness. Whether it’s anime, video games, comic books or more, they know what it means to be a ‘real’ fan today. And, as the thousands of conventions hosted across the U.S. each year show, this community is only growing both in size and in social power every single day. This growth hasn’t come without issue; like any large group, nerds have faced intense struggles with online bullying and in-group harassment over the years. But these folks are united by their geeky love! And, especially when it comes to the many LGBTQ+ individuals who use their fandoms as an escape, most understand that these projects are best when you’re celebrating them with others just as heartfelt as you.
Theirs is a beautiful sense of community, one that inspired nonprofits HeadCount and NerdsVote to partner and help nerds rally around one of the best things this country has to offer: the right to vote.
Both HeadCount and NerdsVote help individuals flex their right to vote, though in very different ways; HeadCount specializes in hosting voter registration drives at large-scale events, usually concerts and festivals. While NerdsVote also supports people in the polling box, they focus on digital campaigns with nerd culture’s many celebrities to foster voter registration online. These groups recently announced that they’d be officially partnering to bring their missions into nerdy gatherings across the country, ensuring that any con-goer can leave an event not only with their favorite merch, but the knowledge that they’re ready to vote in any upcoming election.
“Our expanded partnership with NerdsVote comes at an exciting time, both as we lead up to the midterm elections but also as the comic-con community is rapidly growing,” said Tappan Vickery, Vice President of Program and Strategy at Headcount. “We are thrilled to bring voter engagement into the space, and look forward to supporting this fan-focused community.”
It’s a demographic that is especially important when it comes to voting; despite what early Hollywood will have you believe, nerd communities are some of the most diverse groups that the U.S. has to offer. Gone are the nonstop portrayals of nerds as cisgender, straight, and white, an archetype popularized in movies like Revenge of the Nerds. While those community members do exist, today’s fandoms are filled with queer folks and other marginalized identities who finally feel welcomed in these spaces. It’s a promising shift for these groups, and it’s why, now more than ever, it’s important they can vote for policies that support their rights (and against the politicians who see them as political fodder).
“From our experience working in games and animation, attending comic cons, the fans and fellow nerds we’ve met tend to be a wildly diverse, empathetic, problem-solving, and creative community,” said JP Karliak, a renowned voice performer (known for their work as Morph in X-Men ‘97) and Co-Founder of NerdsVote. “Who wouldn’t want more of them involved in our democracy?”
This partnership will see these groups set up voter registration tables at comic-cons, gaming expos, and any other nerdy festival they can find. It will offer not only vital education to the people in attendance, but a direct civic outreach that these populations don’t often receive. And, in the ultimate mission of this new partnership, it will turn America’s nerd community into the most active group of voters at the upcoming midterm elections.
NerdsVote and HeadCount are hitting the ground running with this partnership, already having tables planned for the upcoming Animate! Convention in Philadelphia and Galaxycon in St. Louis. They’ve assured their many supporters that these are only the beginning and are currently organizing for the hundreds of other nerd events 2026 still has in store. It’s hard work, but in the words of Courtenay Taylor, NerdsVote President, “[This] moves us closer to achieving my big dream of having voter registration booths at every Comic-Con in the United States!”
Congress
Markey’s primary win deemed success for LGBTQ+ activists
Mass. lawmaker champions transgender rights
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) clinched the Democratic seat for his reelection campaign in Massachusetts’s primary election on Tuesday.
Markey won the deep-blue state with 64.8 percent of the vote, according to NBC News, triumphing over Marine Corps combat veteran and Congressman Seth Moulton, who received 35.2 percent of the vote.
Massachusetts’s primary election, which determined which Democratic candidate will head to the polls to face off against the Republican challenger in November, is being considered a victory for LGBTQ+-inclusive policy, as well as for a divisive pro-transgender rights candidate — both things Markey has become an outspoken champion of.
Markey has experience at multiple levels of government, from the state level, where he served three terms in the state House of Representatives, to his federal tenure, including 20 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and is now serving his second term as a senator. He has become a fixture of a changing Democratic Party in one of the most consistently blue places in the U.S.
This primary — and much of the national discussion surrounding the Senate seat — focused a lot of campaigning power on fighting the growing sentiment, led mostly by Republicans, that the frustration many Americans feel lends itself to an anti-establishment and anti-incumbent attitude.
Markey ran his campaign using his past as a reflection of his commitment to constantly putting his best foot forward for Bay Staters — particularly with apprehension for issues younger and more progressive democrats have been righting for — including Green New Deal and “Medicare for All” while Moulton — who was also elected to federal office prior to this run — campaigned on being younger than Markey, arguing that he was not the same type of established politician.
Moulton also faced backlash for negative comments about trans athletes, sparking criticism for those who did want younger candidate but want for trans rights to be protected.
Markey’s track record of supporting the LGBTQ+ community is one of the most clear in federal politics, one that has garnered a “100 percent lifetime voting record” on the Human Rights Campaign’s PAC politician review scorecard.
That list of Markey’s actions includes being a cosponsor of the Equality Act, driving landmark legislation to ensure federal protections for LGBTQ+ Americans, and being one of the most vocal proponents for trans rights in the federal government — specifically in multiple appropriations bills and in the National Defense Authorization Act. He was also the lead sponsor of the Transgender Health Care Access Act and the Transgender Bill of Rights resolution.
Markey first introduced the Transgender Bill of Rights in the Senate in 2023, where it ultimately failed to be brought to law. He reintroduced the legislation this year once again. This was a direct response to the attitude pushed by many conservatives after 2021, when the push to minimize trans rights started to become a key part of their cause and has been constantly propped up by the Trump-Vance administration.
“Massachusetts needs a senator who stands up and fights back, a senator who never forgets who they are fighting for,” Markey said during his victory speech. “That has been the mission of my life, and it always will be.”
Following the calling of the primary, a slew of LGBTQ+ organizations rallied behind Markey, many pushing his past as an asset that puts his money where his mouth is through advocating for legislation specifically protecting the LGBTQ+ community.
Tyler Hack, the executive director of the Christopher Street Project, an organization dedicated to pushing for legal protections for trans americans, released a statement following Markey’s win. Hack argued that putting forward such a staunchly pro-trans candidate is a win for the community, especially after endorsing him earlier this year.
“Tonight, anti-trans politics lost. Massachusetts rejected the idea that attacking transgender people is a shortcut to political power. Voters chose a different path: one where equality is not negotiable, cruelty is not courage, and transgender people do not have to disappear for Democrats to succeed.”
The Human Rights Campaign also endorsed him as a candidate earlier this year and issued a statement via its president, Kelley Robinson.
“Ed Markey has spent decades fighting for LGBTQ+ equality, for working people, and for a more livable world,” Robinson said. “He knows why equality matters. He’s stood with us no matter what. We were proud to endorse him this year, and when a pro-equality majority takes back the Senate this fall, we will continue to count on him as a champion for our community.”
Markey is running for reelection against Republican John Deaton in November, where he is expected to win.
Bulgaria
Top Bulgarian court rules government must legally recognize trans people
Decision caps off decade-long legal fight
Bulgaria’s top court has ruled the country’s government must allow transgender people to legally change their name and gender on ID documents.
A trans woman from Bulgaria who moved to Italy, had tried to change her gender and name on her Bulgarian ID documents, but courts in the country denied her requests for nearly a decade.
The Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation in a 2023 ruling essentially banned trans people from legally changing their name and gender on ID documents.
The EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg, which is the European Union’s highest court, in March ruled in the “Shipova” case that member states must allow trans people to legally change their name and gender on ID documents. The lead plaintiff in the “Shipova” case is among the four litigants in the Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation case.
Two Bulgarian advocacy groups — Bilitis and Deystvie — along with TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia and ILGA-Europe in a joint statement they issued on Tuesday noted the Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation’s July 22 decision “aligns Bulgarian practice with the Court of Justice of the EU, enabling changes to gender markers, names, and personal identification numbers.”
“The judges also concluded that EU law requires Bulgaria to establish a legal procedure for legal gender recognition, which is necessary so that Bulgarian trans citizens can travel and reside freely inside the EU,” they added.
Bulgaria has been a member of the EU since 2007.
The country borders Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey.
“We are very glad to see that the judges of the Supreme Court clearly stated that it is actually a matter of rule of law for Bulgaria to respect the universal equality and the dignity of all human beings, including trans people for whom human rights-based legal gender recognition procedures are an indispensable element,” said Denitsa Lyubenova, co-chair of Deystvie who represented the four plaintiffs in the Bulgarian courts and the lead litigant in the “Shipova” case at the EU Court of Justice. “The government needs to act swiftly now to put in place an LGR procedure that is fully in line with European human rights case law, which means without any conditions requiring proof of medical, surgical or hormonal treatment.”
The groups also urged the Bulgarian government to codify the ruling into law.
“While lower courts are expected to follow this ruling directly, a court decision is not a substitute for law,” they said. “Bulgaria still needs a fast, transparent, and accessible legal gender recognition procedure written into legislation, not left to case-by-case court precedent. TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia, Bilitis, Deystvie, and ILGA-Europe call on the Bulgarian government to start that legislative process now, with meaningful involvement from civil society.”
Politics
Out combat vet Cait Conley fights Trump flunkie for New York’s flippable 17th Congressional District
Conley on GOP’s big money: “Outspent. Not Outfought.”
Consider the timing. Two weeks before the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and two months before the midterm elections, top U.S. military leaders alert the public that Donald Trump and Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth’s bellicose incompetence is dangerously weakening national security.
On Sunday, Aug. 30, The Washington Post reported that the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force and the four-star commanders overseeing U.S. operations throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America warned Hegseth directly that “prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks weakening their ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the U.S. homeland, according to people familiar with a recent assessment prepared for the Pentagon chief.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded on X, trying to discredit the reporting without disputing Hegseth’s plan to keep more than 50,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East through September, with some deployments possibly extended into 2027.
“Publishing highly classified assessments from the Secretary’s orders book is a crime,” he wrote. “We are in great shape around the world. This story isn’t about readiness. It’s TDS and PDS – they hate President Trump and Secretary Hegseth more than they love America.”
On Monday, Army Sec. Dan Driscoll resigned “amid reports of heightened discord with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth,” Military Times has learned, adding that “the Army is effectively leaderless. Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April and has yet to nominate a replacement for the Army’s top uniformed post.”
The Post notably experienced government pushback 55 years ago when the Nixon administration tried but failed to stop or criminalize publication of the Pentagon Papers, the leaked “top secret” report on U.S. policymaking in Vietnam showing that two presidents promised victory while knowingly sending thousands of soldiers to fight an unwinnable war.
In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled against President Richard Nixon’s claim of executive authority, with Justice Hugo Black writing, “The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.” This Trump-loving Supreme Court, however, granted the convicted felon president broad immunity for official acts, which Trump has exploited with the complicity of a feckless Republican majority in Congress.
On Sunday, after a month’s respite in the six-month failed war against Iran, the U.S. military struck Iranian rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz that a U.S. Central Command spokesperson told the Associated Press were prepared to replace cleared sea mines in the international shipping routes. Iran retaliated for the “deadly attack.”
Five-time draft dodger Donald Trump may be “bored” with the war he started, but the rest of the world is scrambling. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is meeting with world finance ministers faced with aggressive tariffs on major allies. And then there’s the $40 trillion debt.
This is the “everything-all-at-once” existential crisis in which Americans must consider candidates for the Nov. 3 midterms. After the deep DOGE cuts of national and cybersecurity experts, conscientious voters should consider candidates with trustworthy, reality-based experience. Unfortunately, polls and donations are still considered the key barometers for victory.
Axios, for instance, recently reported that House Democrats are quietly helping Republican Rep. Mike Lawler’s re-election campaign against combat vet and national security expert Cait Conley by not fighting hard enough in New York’s 17th Congressional District, considered the most vulnerable House seat in the country.
The battleground seat in the Lower Hudson Valley area could decide which party controls the House next year. But it took the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee more than two weeks after Conley dusted her four opponents in the June primary, winning 51.4 percent of the vote, to include her in its “coveted” Red-to-Blue program.
The designation is “signaling that the DCCC is invested in providing Conley, a top-tier candidate, with the support needed to continue building a winning campaign as she runs for New York’s 17th Congressional District,” according to the committee.
The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics and the Cook Political Report subsequently shifted the race from “Leans Republican” to “Toss-up.”
However, the “Lawler campaign has a commanding advantage in available funds and booked media,” which includes “millions” from Elon Musk, according to the Conley campaign. Trump, Cabinet secretaries, and House leaders like House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) have campaigned for Lawler.
Democrats still seem soft. “If you’re going to have a Republican, it’s the kind of Republican we want in the Congress,” a Democratic source told Axios of Lawler.
“I don’t think Lawler is beatable,” a senior House Democrat told Axios.
When asked by The Hudson Independent about the money disparity, “The response by West Point graduate Conley: ‘Outspent. Not Outfought.’”
Conley says she lives by the Special Ops saying, “run to the sound of the guns.” But Lawler and his Republican friends think calling her “scaredy-cat” for “chickening out” by not meeting his challenge to debate on CNN or NBC makes him look strong.
Both are 39 years old, so consider how their life experiences may fit today’s needs.
Conley, a fourth-generation Hudson Valley native from a working-class family, was a junior at Pine Bush High School when the Twin Towers fell on 9/11. The next day, she began her application to West Point, where she graduated in the top 2% of her class. She later received advanced degrees from MIT and Harvard, accruing expertise in national security.
Conley served for more than 16 years as an active-duty Army officer, deploying six times to combat zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan, where she became one of the first women to serve in Special Operations leadership. She received three Bronze Stars and a stellar reputation for exceptional leadership under pressure.
Conley subsequently served as director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council at the White House. She transferred to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, where she helped safeguard critical infrastructure and election systems – always defending the integrity of the people and American democracy.
Lawler never served in the military nor worked to protect national security. According to his campaign website, he grew up in Rockland County, graduated from Suffern High School, and was valedictorian at Manhattan College in the Bronx, where he majored in finance and accounting.
Lawler served as deputy town supervisor of Orangetown, senior advisor to the Westchester County Executive, and executive director of the New York State Republican Party, and he founded a successful government affairs and public relations firm. He was then elected to the New York State Assembly. He touts his 2022 Congressional victory over the gay chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
In 2024, Lawler won a congressional district that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won. “In that race,” his website says, “he outperformed the presidential ballot by nearly 7 points, a testament to his bipartisan, pragmatic approach to governing and his broad appeal among Democrats and Independents.”
Lawler has voted five separate times to back Trump’s Iran war, about which, he told News Nation, he had privately been given information about an “imminent” nuclear threat. Six months later, he believes the war is “absolutely worth it,” though gas prices are above $4.15 per gallon.
Conley has an impressive list of endorsements – most of whom are local. So VoteVets launched a $1 million dollar ad buy for Conley, highlighting Lawler’s record of voting with Trump “100% of the time.”
The VoteVets ad, “Valley Home,” highlights Conley’s roots, her working-family background, her commitment to serve after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and her military leadership.
In an interview with Trudy Ring for LGBTQ+ Freedom Fighters, Conley likened her decision to challenge Lawler to her decision to join the military.
“The reason I’m in this fight to take back New York 17, flip it from red to blue, and get Mike Lawler out of here, and is the same reason that over 20 years ago I decided to serve this country after the terror attacks of 9/11,” she said. “It is love for this country and a feeling of responsibility to our community in this country to fight for it.”
“Washington has grown increasingly corrupt, especially under this administration, which has just set a whole new bar for a willingness to exploit the federal government for personal gain, to use the federal government as a weapon against political opposition, and the level of corruption that we are seeing from the White House and [Donald] Trump himself, his family making $2 billion while he’s in office, right?” she added.
“The shamelessness—it’s straight up un-American, and it has been enabled by cowards in Congress like Mike Lawler, and so we have to stop it, and that’s what this fight’s about. No one else is going to come in and save us. This is our fight, and that’s why I’m proud to take it on,” Conley said.
Lawler touts himself as a moderate, but he “has voted 100 percent of the time with Donald Trump,” Conley said. “What does that mean? Well, it means voting eight times for reckless tariffs that have jacked up the price of goods on everything from prescriptions to groceries in the middle of an affordability crisis. It has cost an average household $4,200 for the same goods because of these tariffs.”
“There is no line Mike Lawler will not cross for Donald Trump. When Donald Trump says jump, Mike Lawler’s response is ‘how high?’ People here in the Hudson Valley deserve a hell of a lot better.”
If elected, Conley’s priorities will include lowering costs of health care and other necessities, investing in education, addressing climate change by promoting clean energy, codifying reproductive rights, reforming the immigration system and reining in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), fighting cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, championing LGBTQ+ rights, and generally combating the policies of the Trump administration.
Caring about the military is also a priority.
Pete Hegseth is incompetent and should never have been confirmed as Secretary of Defense, Conley said. He’s depriving the military of talent by kicking out transgender service members, women, people of color, and those who simply disagree with him. Trans military members, she noted, “are men and women who have more courage in their big toe than Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have combined.”
She has also decried the mistreatment of troops such as those who’ve been at sea on the USS Lincoln for nearly nine months, facing food shortages and generally horrific conditions that have led to mental health crises.
Asked about Trump’s recent decision to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea and to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Conley said, “I’m at a loss of words sometimes. … We should be standing by our allies like South Korea. We should be standing by our allies like NATO and Europe. We should be standing by our allies like Ukraine. But instead, because our president has this bizarre affinity for dictators,” he prefers countries that are our “strategic adversaries,” like North Korea and Russia.
Conley’s been called a war hero, but she doesn’t refer to herself that way.
“What I would say is I’ve proudly served,” she said, noting the personal sacrifice of serving in silence as a lesbian under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“You saw brave service members who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for this country but had to live in fear,” she said. “That’s not America.”
Later, as director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council (NSC), she got banned from Russia, along with such big names as former President Obama and comedian Stephen Colbert, something of which she’s proud. Since the list was alphabetical in English, as a “huge fan,” Conley said it was “one of the coolest things” seeing her name listed after Colbert’s.
Immigration reform is another priority. “It has broken my heart, as someone who loves this country, to watch, on American streets, American federal agents … literally killing the very people they’re sworn to serve and protect, and there’s no accountability. That’s not a partisan issue. That’s a straight American issue.”
Conley’s district has the second-highest number of Haitian immigrants in the U.S., and Trump recently revoked their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a status that meant they were legally cleared to work and wouldn’t be deported. Since many work in health care, deporting them would hurt the immigrants and the communities they serve. This is another example of the “cruelty and corruption” of the Trump administration, Conley said.
She also noted that 37,000 people in her district will lose health insurance due to Medicaid cuts and the revocation of certain tax credits for premiums on Affordable Care Act plans. She favors a public option for health insurance.
“I talk to families all across this district, and what I hear is people, regardless of political affiliation, are sick of the dysfunction and partisanship that is tearing communities and families apart, and they want to get back to doing what is right for our future and focusing on solving the very real problems,” Conley said.
If Conley is elected, it would be sweet revenge for the LGBTQ+ community; Lawler has previously beaten two gay candidates, five-term Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and former Congressman Mondaire Jones.
“Third time’s the charm, and let me tell you, he has never had to face someone like me before,” Conley said. “Yes, absolutely a proud member of the LGBTQ community, but also a woman veteran… It’s about our future, and so folks are coming together. There’s a generation of us that are hungry to get in there and root out the corruption that I feel like has taken root in Washington, to root it out and to really deliver.”
This article is cross-posted from Karen Ocamb’s Substack LGBTQ+ Freedom Fighters.
Arizona
Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead
Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide has hate crime
Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.
Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.
The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.
Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ+ businesses at the time of the shooting.
Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ+-associated businesses.
“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”
According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ+ businesses across town.
Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.
“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”
“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”
Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.
“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”
A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.
France
Prominent French activist attacked outside Paris bar
Pierre Picavet hospitalized with internal bleeding, head injury
French prosecutors say a man shouted anti-gay slurs at a prominent activist before he attacked him in Paris on Saturday.
Media reports indicate Pierre Picavet, a police officer who is the president of FLAG!, a group within the French Justice and Interior Ministries that defends LGBTQ+ rights, was attacked as he left a bar in Paris’s Marais neighborhood.
The Marais since the 1980s has been center of the French capital’s LGBTQ+ community.
France 24 reported Picavet’s assailant struck him with a bottle. The attack left Picavet hospitalized with internal bleeding, a head wound, and other injuries.
“When I get better, when my wounds have healed, I will continue the fight,” Picavet told Radio France on Monday. “I am particularly shocked, but it tells me that there is still work to do.”
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire is among those who condemned the attack.
STOP Homophobia (STOP homophobie), a French group that fights against anti-LGBTQ+ violence, on its social media pages published a picture of Picavet in the hospital.
“As a long-standing partner of FLAG!, STOP Homophobia wishes to express its solidarity with Pierre Picavet, his loved ones, and the entire association,” said the group. “STOP Homophobia condemns this assault in the strongest possible terms and reiterates that anti-LGBT violence remains a reality — even in spaces where everyone should be able to move freely and live out their sexual orientation or gender identity without fear of attack.”
STOP Homophobia also praised a bystander who came to Picavet’s aid after the attack, and the first responders and law enforcement personnel who responded.
“STOP Homophobia extends its full support to Pierre, his family, his loved ones, and the entire FLAG! team, and wishes him a full recovery,” said the group.
Reports indicate the assailant, who was born in 2006, was scheduled to appear in a Paris court on Monday at 1:30 p.m. local time.
Congress
HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH
Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.
Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.
We’re hitting the pavement across New Hampshire to fight for a freer, fairer future for everyone.
Glad to have Human Rights Campaign President @KelleyJRobinson join us for a canvass launch in Manchester today. pic.twitter.com/XWCEaQxy4o
— Chris Pappas (@ChrisPappasNH) August 30, 2026
Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.
Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.
A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.
The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.
Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.
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