We have all been impacted by at least one film. Whether it’s a hilarious comedy, a jaw-dropping horror, or a plot so sorrowful that just the thought of it brings viewers to tears, movies have long offered LGBTQ+ audiences the truths they’re too often denied in reality. They also have the potential to shape these folks’ lives on a macro scale; studies show a direct correlation between positive representation of queerness in film and wider acceptance of these communities in the real world. During a time when LGBTQ+ people are being constantly attacked, it’s more important than ever for these folks to find movies that uplift and respect them. But with the endless stream of hateful rhetoric groups are currently facing, it can be hard to find films like these — luckily for us all, the Los Angeles Trans and NB Film Festival exists today.

The only LA-based festival focused on spotlighting movies made by transgender and nonbinary creatives, in only two years, this festival has quickly become one of this city’s most celebrated nights of film. It’s become a true haven for queer creators and fans alike, and none of it would be possible without the festival’s host and director, Joey Haley. 

A filmmaker himself, Haley knows how difficult it is to get your average movie made and distributed — and how exponentially harder it is to do that while being openly queer. During his conversation with the LA Blade, he spoke of his many years trying to ‘make it’ in Los Angeles and how vital it was to find other queer creatives, saying, “It’s like building any type of network that supports you, it takes a lot of time and a lot of trust.” It’s a network of other directors that, in 2025, decided that even if studios were denying their movies distribution, that didn’t mean these projects didn’t deserve to be seen. Joey spearheaded a ‘movie night’ made up of all of their films, with his search for a small venue to host the event eventually growing into the established festival he now hosts today. He recalled the moment of stepping back and looking at all his work, at the hundreds of people now clamoring to attend a night originally made just for his friends, and thinking, “[Well], I guess I’m running a trans film festival!”

“The LA Trans and Non-Binary Film Festival is a community-oriented space [meant] to uplift not just trans filmmakers around the world, but trans organizations, vendors, and people,” he explained. “[It’s a] very specific platform to showcase these alternative, embodied perspectives.” Spawning from the accidental event in 2025, 2026 saw the festival grow in both size and impact; it completely packed the well-known Silverlake club Akbar and sold out of tickets within days of release. 

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In just two years, the event has already inspired so many, which is even more impressive when supporters learn that it was conceived during this presidential administration’s first round of anti-trans attacks. 

Haley remembered the visceral bigotry that this festival was born around, detailing, “It was [when] the first anti-trans scapegoating articles were coming out, and so I was reaching out to sponsors, being like, ‘Oh, you’re absolutely going to retract as soon as you get this email’…it was getting to a point where I was like, no, [maybe this can’t happen].” But he luckily found support from businesses all around the city, with these organizations putting their faith in this completely new project because they recognized how badly LGBTQ+ Angelinos needed it. “I ended up talking to one of the Akbar owners, and I was like, ‘Yeah, this is something I’m trying to work on. We don’t have a theater. There’s no budget, there’s no backing, there’s no sponsors, there’s no brands, there’s no audience other than me and my friends.’ And [despite that] he was like, ‘No, come do this event here. We need this.’”

It was this support that made Joey realize that the festival couldn’t just be one night of movie watching. It had to contribute to this industry as a whole, helping to make sure that outside of this event, trans and nonbinary filmmakers could still access the resources they need to have their stories told. “The doors are way faster to close in your face,” he recalled, discussing the struggles of being a queer filmmaker today. “Being able to find a contact in this industry, [to get] streaming and distribution across the board…it’s the hardest thing!” 

Knowing these struggles firsthand and armed with the popularity of its first showing, this year’s LA Trans and NB Film Festival saw Joey partner with Red Coral Universe and Big Lettuce Entertainment to not only amplify the event but give its participants vital connections within this industry. These are important relationships for any burgeoning filmmaker to have, and Joey hopes that they will make other distributors realize just how valuable queer content is today. On granting this group of creatives these tools, Haley said, “Being able to provide that for filmmakers…it’s truly incredible.”

Joey was tight-lipped about what he had planned for the 2027 version of the LA Trans and NB Film Festival — but he did promise that there would absolutely be one for future audiences to look forward to. “Definitely we’ll be bringing in a lot more like community organizations and trans vendors…and a couple [of other big] things I’m going to keep under wraps,” the director teased. “There are a lot of things I’m excited for, and [all I’ll say is]: we’re going to need a bigger boat.”

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Throughout the discussion, Haley spoke with the same jubilant enthusiasm that has come to define the LA Trans and NB Film Festival. While too often the only trans stories we see are either deceitful hate speech or discrimination-driven anguish, the director’s festival reminds attendees that this community is still finding success. They are still creating and finding joy with one another, and making it clear that no amount of flawed hatred should ever stop a queer artist from putting out their narrative for others to see. 

The festival balances this triumph with the vital work of making the film industry more accessible to trans and nonbinary filmmakers worldwide. Its mission is encapsulated best in Joey’s own words, as the filmmaker reminded supporters of why the LA Trans and NB Film Festival needs to exist: “This festival…it makes it easier to find trans folks in film. It’s a tiny community — but oh, is it mighty.”

By: West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman, West Hollywood Councilmember Chelsea Lee Byers, and Congresswoman Laura Friedman

After a decade of construction, Metro’s D Line extension along Wilshire is about to open. Fast, efficient, and affordable rail service will whisk Angelenos to iconic destinations, making life better not just for visitors, but also for residents and commuters, too. As Angelenos wait, Metro is gearing up for another monumental decision about one of its next major projects coming to Los Angeles—one that may be even more transformative for how our region moves.

Metro is deciding between three routes for the K Line Northern Extension. The best option is the San Vicente-Fairfax route, which will connect the Hollywood Bowl, West Hollywood, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Beverly Center, the Grove and Farmer’s Market, the Crenshaw District, Leimert Park, the South Bay, and LAX all on one line. This new north-south line also links up to the D and E Lines, allowing for easy transfers to UCLA, Santa Monica, Koreatown, and Downtown LA. All of this will take cars off the road, easing congestion and freeing up parking spaces.

Metro’s Board of Directors will vote on this project on March 18^th and 26^th, and their own staff recommends the San Vicente-Fairfax route because it will move the most riders and connect them to all the major destinations and job centers in this area. Metro should approve it without delay. On the day it opens, this new extension will be one of the busiest rail lines in the country, because it will serve so many people who currently don’t have access to reliable rapid transit.

Imagine getting to the Grove, WeHo’s Rainbow District, and the Hollywood Bowl—without all the traffic. The San Vicente-Fairfax route is the one choice to serve all these destinations. These are places that residents, commuters, and visitors all want to reach.  Every time Metro has asked the public, the answer has been clear: overwhelming support to build this route and build it faster. The most recent comment period was no different.

The West Hollywood City Council has already proposed an approach to deliver part of the investment needed to make this plan a reality without raising anyone’s taxes. City analysis showed that an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) in West Hollywood could generate more than $2 billion over 75 years, with the potential for a similar contribution from the County. This would be an unprecedented commitment from a local City, and a first in Southern California for a project of this size, but it also only makes sense if most WeHo residents are directly served by the San Vicente-Fairfax route. It is this unprecedented local investment that makes a project like the K Line Northern Extension possible in our lifetimes.

We’re excited about what this project will mean for our neighborhoods, but it will be transformational for much more than just West Hollywood and residents living directly along the new line. It will give more people more affordable options to move around the region and open up new mobility options for seniors and students.

Like the Regional Connector-linked Metro lines downtown, the K Line Northern Extension will provide a new north-south connection linking Metro’s east-west B, C, D, and E Lines with the new K line and the upcoming LAX people mover. Today, Metro’s rail network radiates out from downtown, forcing riders to travel out of their way to transfer or skip transit altogether. The K Line Northern Extension will change that by connecting Metro’s east-west rail lines and allowing riders to travel across the city without detouring through downtown. Traveling from the South Bay or the Valley to work in Century City or Westwood? This line will make high-quality transit a viable option for countless trips like those, ensuring that transit is more realistic for everyone.

The San Vicente-Fairfax route will link communities from Torrance to North Hollywood to job centers like Cedars-Sinai and Hollywood and put over 125,000 jobs within a short walk of new stations. Access like that is unprecedented—and it shows in Metro’s ridership estimates: The San Vicente Fairfax route will likely serve 100,000 daily trips—making it one of the busiest light rail lines in the entire country. This route will also better connect communities along the existing K Line to jobs and services they already rely on, as well as more of the opportunities and resources that might currently be out of reach.

With more riders, more jobs, more destinations, more opportunity, and a clearer path towards implementation, the choice is simple: the San Vicente-Fairfax route for Metro’s K Line Northern Extension. Let’s finish the line!

While last night’s Academy Awards saw the expected winners One Battle After Another and Sinners nab a collective 10 Oscars throughout the evening, dominating most of the major categories, there were a few moments for queer film fans to celebrate.

During the ceremony’s prolonged and emotional In Memoriam segment, which paid tribute to Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, and Catherine O’Hara, queer icon Barbra Streisand went on stage and gave a rare live performance of “The Way We Were” as a tribute to Redford, who died last September at the age of 83. Before singing, Streisand said, “Now, Bob had real backbone on and off the screen. He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the environment, and encouraged new voices at his Sundance Institute — some of whom are up for Oscars tonight, which is so great. He was thoughtful and bold.”

Both “I Lied to You” from Sinners and “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters were performed live; Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard performed during the evening’s powerful rendition of Sinners’ “pierce the veil” scene. Golden ended up winning the Best Original Song award.

One of the most shocking moments of the night arrived early on when Kumail Nanjiani presented the Best Live Action short category, which was a tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva — only the seventh tie in Oscars history (one of which involved Streisand’s 1969 win for Funny Girl!) The latter short, which is currently streaming on The New Yorker, is described as “a dystopian version of Paris where kissing is forbidden and purchases are made through small acts of violence” and follows the unexpected connection between two women.

When accepting the award last night, Two People Exchanging Saliva director and producer Natalie Musteata said: “Thank you to the Academy for supporting a film that is weird, and that is queer, and that is made by a majority of women!”

One Battle After Another’s editor, Andy Jurgensen (who collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson on Licorice Pizza and Phantom Thread), kissed his husband before going on stage to accept his award for film editing. He said, “To my partner, Bill, who brings so much joy to my life every day.”

Overall, the 2026 award season did not feature many queer films or actors in the line-up, and that was reflected in both the Oscar nominees and eventual winners. Smaller award shows like the Gotham Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards provided opportunities for indies like Sorry, Baby, Twinless, and Lurker to get proper recognition.

Sapphic exaltation can be found poolside at The Dinah, where for the last three decades, sapphic people have gathered to dance, find long-lasting community, and celebrate their own sacred queer joy. Affectionately dubbed “lesbian Coachella,” The Dinah is one of the largest music festivals held for queer women and sapphic people, including trans and nonbinary community members. 

The Dinah has always been loud and proud, and was brought to fruition by renowned party thrower Mariah Hanson. In 1991, she organized the festival’s first iteration, molding the Palm Springs Modern Art Museum into a lively, safe bubble for sapphic people to experience high-voltage, unfettered togetherness and belonging — without shame, harm, or discrimination. 

Over 30 years later, The Dinah has become a sapphic “utopia”: a multi-day gathering where people can find community, revel in sapphic excellence, and see some of the biggest superstars in their space thrive on stage. Previous performers include Doechii, Margaret Cho, the Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara, Princess Nokia, and Lauren Jauregui. 

In 2026, the festival sees another evolution: new leadership. Bella Barkow and Rose Garcia have acquired the festival from Hanson and are aiming to make the event more inclusive, accessible, and joyful than ever. They want to preserve the alchemy of queer parties — these are the very spaces that they, as queer youth, discovered liberation and love. 

Barkow grew up in Toronto’s rave scene and would spend time hanging out in Church and Wellesley, the city’s queer-friendly nucleus. 2,000 miles away, Garcia was stirring up L.A.’s club scene, her infectious wiles becoming the real-life inspiration for a character in the lesbian TV bible, The L Word.

They both also have history with The Dinah: Barkow, a queer event producer, managed the festival’s operations before their recent acquisition. Garcia was hand-plucked by Hanson to host and emcee the festival for over a decade. 

Wild, rebellious, and uplifted by community, Barkow and Garcia are now dedicated to preserving and multiplying this space for other sapphic people across generations. As co-owners of the festival, they speak with great care about carrying this torch forward: of preserving this ecosystem that Hanson constructed and maintained, alone. Their challenge is two-fold: how do they preserve its history and essence while also creating enough breathing room for change and transformation?

The Blade sat down with Barkow and Garcia to talk about their vision for The Dinah and its future. 

Rose, before you were an emcee and now co-owner of The Dinah, you were attending the festival as a young queer person. What was that like for you?

Garcia: When I first discovered the Dinah, it was in my early twenties, and I couldn’t afford to go for the whole weekend. I was young, working, going to school, and figuring things out, so my friends and I would hop into a car and drive up for Sunday’s pool party. When I first showed up there, I was like: this is incredible. I’ve never seen so many sapphic women in one space. It was thousands upon thousands of women. And even though I’m in a big “market” in LA, we still didn’t have a lot of places to go back then. We had the Palms bar and a couple of clubs, but nothing to this scale. 

So when I walked [into the Dinah], I was meeting people from Australia, Europe, Canada — people from all over the world. And it was so amazing, because I never knew something like this existed. It became my go-to place and a part of my life, honestly: [I could] congregate with my friends, take this amazing trip, and be around thousands of folks and feel a sense of acceptance and safety. 

You’ve both been upfront that you want to make sure The Dinah is affordable, inclusive and accessible. Tell me more about the value of that and how you’re making this happen. 

Barkow: It’s nice to think that LGBTQ rights are on a linear path towards betterness, but unfortunately, the world is not working like that. We both believe that this event needs to keep being accessible to the younger generation, to the people who, like us, came out when they were young, and perhaps saw it on The L Word, or The Real L Word, like myself. I remember seeing it when I was in Toronto and being like: “Oh my God. This place exists. This is a real thing. I can actually go there and be myself.” We do think it’s important that this event is for everyone. I’ve had women in their 70’s who are first timers coming up, so you never know. 

Garcia: I also want to interject that even though it’s been open to everyone, we want to actually scream it from the top of the mountains: that it’s not only a sapphic, women-loving-women (WLW) event. It’s open to all of our friends, and we accept and want everyone to feel welcome. That’s really important to Bella and me. We want to make sure our trans community feels welcome, [our] nonbinary community. We want everyone to feel that they can come to this space and feel accepted. 

Barkow: I started gender sensitivity and proper pronoun usage training with the front-of-house staff at Dinah about two years ago, and we’re hoping to expand that and make sure that all staff, including hotel and security, are aware of that. There’s always the fear that [they could] misgender or misrepresent someone based on how they look. [We make it clear] you need to understand that our community is very, very specific. You need to support that and be a part of it. 

What are you most excited about in this new era of The Dinah?

Garcia: I’m excited to see the people who are going to come. When we launched the tickets, we got an overwhelming, warm, amazing reception. That was something that I was initially worried about [in] the change of hands. “Is it going to fare well with the community?” And we’ve been accepted. So, we’re excited to see what the community says about our first production and to see the faces of people just being happy, celebrating, and enjoying the weekend, and to look at my partner and be like: Man, we did this. Our blood, sweat, and tears for the last 10 months are finally coming to fruition.

Bella: I’m really excited to see how the community takes to the new initiatives that we’re bringing out that are community building-specific activations, so things for the solo and single travelers and things for the sober community that really expand the event. [It’s] a music festival first and foremost, but also a space to build lifelong friendships. As Mariah used to call it, this five-day utopia [is] a place where the outside world doesn’t matter and we’re all there to be together and enjoy community together. 

You’ve acquired The Dinah and you’re deep in the planning of this year’s festival. Does all of this, and the reception you’ve received, give you hope for the future of sapphic spaces?

Garcia: Yes, I think it does. Mariah used to have a partnership program [and] we’re going to reignite that. [We’ll] reach out to a lot of sapphic spaces throughout the country and all over the world, and [become] promotional partners. Not only does it support them in any events that they plan on having, because Dinah does have a big draw and a big reach, but it also helps us reach out to those markets as well. And we support each other. It’s a win-win for both. We [also] see a lot of the younger generation working on bringing more events to the community, and Bella and I are big supporters of all of them. 

Barkow: It’s the understanding that there’s enough room at the table for everyone. We need to support each other as a community. Historically, it’s always been like a woman is sitting at the table and she says: “Oh, this is my seat, and it’s the only seat, and so I have to protect my seat.” And that’s not true. I see this as an opportunity for us to help pull other women up to come join the table because there’s a seat for everyone. 

Dinah 2026 takes place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5 in Palm Springs. More information can be found on their website.

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

As a young student studying history at UCLA, Bobby Rimas was grounded by his growing desire to give back to his community. He worked as a tutor for low-income students and became invested in learning about the ways intersectionality impacts people’s access to education and resources. “My barriers may not be the same as yours, and your barriers may not be the same as mine,” Rimas told the Blade. “How do you apply that in leadership [and] in the classroom?” 

After 15 years of service to UCLA’s various alumni networks, first beginning with the Pilipino Alumni Association, Rimas became president of the university’s Lambda Alumni Association on Jan. 1. The UCLA Lambda Alumni Association was formed in 1989 as a way to support LGBTQ+ students and graduates with professional development, scholarship opportunities, mentorship, and other outreach support. 

UCLA has long been a local epicenter of queer activism and advancement. Students formed groups like the Gay Student Union and Lesbian Sisterhood in 1969 and 1973, respectively, to empower and connect queer students. Queer art and culture also thrived in this time, as students saw the launches of the queer campus paper, magazine, and a film festival that centered on LGBTQ+ stories. 

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Administratively, campus officials were taking a stance against LGBTQ+ discrimination. In 1975,  UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young banned departments and programs from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. 

In the decades since, leaders like Rimas are working to preserve this history and also build upon it. How can we inspire students in and out of the classroom? How do we make sure they have access to valuable resources and can advocate for themselves in places that are not always inclusive of their needs and identities?

Rimas often ponders these questions, both as president of the Lambda Alumni Association and at Cal State LA, where he works as an associate professor of paralegal studies. There is often cross-pollination in the concerns he receives from alumni members as well as his students: How do they find employers who are accepting of LGBTQ+ people? How do they avoid being discriminated against in the workplace?

These are questions Rimas hopes to tackle more in his role as president of the UCLA Lambda Alumni Association and in his continued tenure as an educator. One of his first goals is to expand the board and bring on more diverse perspectives to the organization. “More people means more activity,” Rimas said, who hopes that the combined knowledge and resources of the board can better serve students and alumni. 

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Rimas also hopes to throw a large Gala event, one that mirrors the extravagant, celebratory 2019 bash he organized for the association when he was first brought onto the team. 100 people attended, creating a wave of awareness for the organization and increasing their scholarship funding. 

What’s next? UCLA Lambda Alumni Association’s first board meeting is this upcoming Monday. Rimas hopes to discuss strategies to grow the organization’s presence beyond the campus’ reach, in other queer cornerstones like West Hollywood, elevating diverse LGBTQ+ voices, and improving ways they can professionally support their network’s members. 

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

This Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding two cases about transgender girls in sports: Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. 

In 2020, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed into law HB 500, which bans transgender girls and women from participating in school sports. This affected the first case’s respondent: transgender student athlete Lindsay Hecox, who was barred from participating in the track and cross country teams as well as intramural soccer and running clubs.

In 2021, then-governor of West Virginia, Jim Justice, approved HB 3293, which enacts a similar ban. Becky Pepper-Jackson (B.P.J.), now an incoming high school student, opposed the discriminatory policy when it prevented her from joining her then-middle school’s cross country and track and field teams. Pepper-Jackson has also only undergone female puberty due to gender-affirming care, but West Virginia argues that its anti-transgender policies should be upheld because of her assigned sex at birth. 

For LGBTQ+ advocates and allies, these cases illustrate the burden and harm transgender people face daily as their rights to privacy, dignity, care, and inclusion are constantly at risk of being eroded and stripped completely. 

Experts also wonder if these cases could potentially reshape the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as well as the civil rights law, Title IX. The former prohibits discrimination on other factors aside from race, though governments have argued that certain “suspect classifications” can be looked at more closely through “heightened scrutiny.” The latter prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally-funded schools.

What is unfolding and how local advocates are informing change:

The fight ahead is weary, and experts are certain that the states involved will not concede their points. In a webinar organized yesterday by the Williams Institute, several LGBTQ+ policy experts, including Rutgers Law School professor and anti-discrimination scholar Katie Eyer, examined where these cases may be heading, as well as efforts to muddy the arguments. 

“It seems possible that the court might try to sidestep that issue here by saying that these laws don’t target transgender people at all,” Eyer said. “I think for most people, this seems bananas: like an upside-down world. We all know these laws were about transgender people.”

Jenny Pizer, an attorney for the LGBTQ+ civil rights legal organization Lambda Legal and a co-counsel member for the B.P.J. case, affirmed this sentiment at a press conference organized Tuesday by Lambda Legal and AIDS Healthcare Foundation affinity group, FLUX. “They’ve gone to great lengths to say there’s no discrimination,” Pizer said. “[They’re arguing] it’s just technicalities or classifications.” 

Eyer was one of three Equal Protections scholars who filed an amicus brief to be considered in the Supreme Court cases. An amicus brief is a legal document submitted by someone who is not involved directly in a case but who may offer additional perspectives and information that can inform the ruling process. 

Eyer’s brief provided historical context that clarified the disadvantages of blanket sex-based policies. These types of laws, according to Eyer, uphold stereotypes over nuance, truth, and equal protection guidelines. For Pepper-Jackson, who has only undergone female puberty and who does not “benefit” from what dissidents define as a sex-based competitive “advantage,” the state should have provided her the ability to argue that she should have the same rights as other girls. 

“Of course, the state hasn’t done that here,” Eyer said. “Under these precedents, the Supreme Court should invalidate the laws as applied to those trans girls who really don’t have a sex-based competitive advantage.”

Who are these bills protecting?

The states argue that their policies are merely “ensuring safety and fairness in girls’ sports.” But queer advocates understand that this is a veneer for the exclusion of transgender people from society. Forcing trans youth out of sports “does not protect anyone,” according to California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network director Dannie Ceseňa, who spoke at Tuesday’s press conference.

“It encourages the scrutiny of children’s bodies. It fuels gender policing, and it creates hostile school environments — not safer ones,” said Ceseňa. “Our youth should not inherit a world that treats their existence as a threat.” 

Transgender people are systemically disempowered 

At yesterday’s webinar, Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Williams Institute Andrew Flores discussed his own amicus brief in support of Pepper-Jackson. The brief highlights the need for “heightened judicial scrutiny” in Pepper-Jackson’s case because the majority of political processes “systemically fail” transgender people. 

For example, the transgender community faces substantial barriers in exercising their voter rights because of voter identification laws and other policies that regulate and define identity. “Even being able to gain access to the franchise is a burden for transgender people,” Flores said. “The court does play an important role there. It can grant legitimacy to arguments…or at least [acknowledge] that these issues are more complicated than maybe how they’ll receive them.” 

What’s next?

Experts are hesitant about where the cases stand. “Bottom line: I don’t know what the court is going to do in these cases. They may send them back down for further development,” Pizer said, who thinks future rulings will not shift more overarching policies regarding transgender rights. “I think they will probably decide based only on laws about sports, not laws more broadly about the rights of trans folks.” 

But whatever is decided, the impacts will trickle down to everyone. While the cases deal specifically with anti-transgender policies, experts warn that LGBTQ+ issues have always been tied to racial, economic, and disability justice. “There’s this looming constitutional campaign to really undermine civil rights,” said Eyer. “That affects LGBTQ people. It affects people of color. It affects people with disabilities. It affects everybody, and it really is concerning.” 

As transgender inclusion and safety are being argued on the largest legal stage, advocates are asking: “When are you going to step up?” They are also sending a direct message to transgender youth: “We see you, we believe in you, and we are fighting for you,” said Ceseňa. “You deserve joy, community, and care. You deserve a future that reflects who you are and not who anyone or any politician demands you to be. Trans youth deserve better.” 

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

On Wednesday, Governor Newsom announced in a press release that a number of key statewide laws would take effect on New Year’s Day. One of these laws is AB 727, a bill that mandates that all student ID cards in California’s public middle schools, high schools, and colleges include the number for the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention nonprofit The Trevor Project’s 24/7 crisis hotline. 

Authored by local Assemblymember Mark González, the bill is especially crucial as President Trump steers administrative efforts that seek to end various LGBTQ+ resources. In 2025, the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline discontinued its “Press 3 option,” which connected young queer people to a specialized counseling line. 

Hate crimes targeting transgender, gender nonconforming, and other queer folks are on the rise in California. Amongst LGBTQ+ youth, mental health concerns are increasing. The Trevor Project found in a recent study that suicidal ideation amongst young LGBTQ+ people living in the U.S. rose from 41% to 47% in the last two years.

In December, the administration began advancing proposals that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, as well as restrict insurance coverage around these essential services. News updates like these have become frequent and incessant, creating an echo chamber that more and more young queer folks are struggling to escape from. 

AB 727 is trying to remind them that they are not alone. “Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and seen for who they are,” wrote Governor Newsom in October, when he first signed the bill. “AB 727 makes it clear: your identity doesn’t disqualify you from care and community – it’s exactly why we are fighting to make it easier to reach.”

The bill is one of a number of statewide and local efforts to ensure young queer people are able to readily access empowering resources, education, and someone who is eager to listen to and support them. For many queer folks, this small act can be life-altering, even life-saving. Other initiatives include a motion by Los Angeles Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn that proposes a localized version of the “Press 3 option.”

“We’re sending a clear message,” wrote Assemblymember González, after AB 727’s initial signing in October. “[That] our LGBTQ+ youth are seen, valued, and never alone. AB 727 is not just a piece of legislation; it is a lifeline for our queer youth.” 

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

On Oct. 18th, a mosaic of Angelinos across generations and cultural backgrounds gathered outside of city hall as they proudly lifted handmade signs decrying President Trump and the current administration. This march was one of several rallies organized just within the city, and one of thousands others organized across the nation.

The protest was packed, with people standing nearly shoulder to shoulder as a number of local leaders including Black Women for Wellness Action Project policy analyst LaKisha Camese, TransLatin@ Coalition president Bamby Salcedo and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, made rousing speeches and led passionate chants before the march began. Speakers like political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen did not hold back when they addressed the crowd. “[They are] so desperate to rebrand this thing as a ‘Hate America’ rally. But do you know what hating America looks like?,” asked Cohen.

Image captures by Blade reporter Kristie Song

“It looks like sending secret police accountable to no one into our cities…It looks like keeping the government closed because you are so hell bent on stripping away health care from 24 million Americans and trying to get their costs to double, triple or quadruple. So if you’re looking for the ‘Hate America’ rally, might I suggest the White House.”

Protestors cheered at the top of their lungs with each passing speech, and each clear and explicit denouncement of the current administration. “There’s no rally like what’s happening here in Los Angeles,” said Assemblymember Bryan. “This is where Black, brown, poor, indigenous, everyday people come together…Washington D.C. doesn’t care about us, and we know that. But, we care about each other, don’t we? We believe that health care is a human right, don’t we? We believe that housing is a human right, don’t we? We will stand up to authoritarianism, won’t we? Because when we fight together, what happens? We win!”

As people began to grow restless, the march finally began, taking them to a highway overpass.

As residents boarded a bus at Cesar E. Chavez and Broadway, they were halted by blocked roads as large congregations marched by. Transit riders looked on into the crowds, their faces mere inches from some of the passing protestors. Separated by a layer of window glass, one nodded along as protestors lifted their signs above their heads and chanted “ICE out of LA!” Some waved to people inside the stalled bus, inviting solidarity from those who weren’t marching alongside them.

When the road cleared, their calls could still be heard for a little longer.

This Monday, Governor Newsom issued a legislative update on over 150 bills that had passed legislation and were waiting on his decision on whether or not they would be chaptered into law. 11 of these bills advocated for queer community members, including their improved access to healthcare, more privacy rights, greater ease in changing their name and gender markers, as well as the expansion of adoption rights and the inclusion of two-spirit individuals into important funding and resource opportunities. 

Two were vetoed. 

AB 554: Greater access to HIV/AIDS preventative medicine (Vetoed)

First introduced in February, AB 554 was co-authored by local Assemblymember Mark González and San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney. Also known as the Protecting Rights, Expanding Prevention, and Advancing Reimbursement for Equity (PrEPARE) Act of 2025, the bill intended to expand patients’ access to various forms of FDA-approved HIV/AIDS preventative medication. It would have prohibited health insurance plans from subjecting these forms of medication to prior authorization, step therapy, or cost-sharing. It would have also required the state to reimburse local agencies for administering this medicine, alleviating the strain on small clinics to meet the demand of community members in need of PrEP. 

Though LGBTQ+ civil rights groups like Equality California rallied support for the bill, it was returned by the governor without a signature. In a veto memo, he wrote that he “wholeheartedly [supports] efforts to ensure affordable and accessible prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS” but questioned whether the bill would actually increase the affordability of and access to necessary preventative treatment. “By exceeding the cost-sharing provisions under the ACA [Affordable Care Act], this bill would result in increased costs to health plans, which would then be passed on to consumers.” 

In response, Assemblymember González wrote to the Blade about his disappointment. Still, he remains hopeful about the state of PrEP access. “I’m deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for his continued partnership and for standing with us in protecting access to PrEP through this year’s budget.”

SB 418: Stronger access to gender-affirming care without discrimination (Vetoed)

Authored by Senator Caroline Menjivar, SB 418 would have required a health care service plan to cover up to a 12-month supply of FDA-approved prescription hormone therapy and the supplies needed by an individual to self-administer this medication without being subjected to utilization management methods like prior authorization.

The bill was also intended to prohibit health insurers from denying a patient the ability to enroll in or renew their health insurance plans based on factors like sex characteristics, intersex traits, and gender identity. 

In late January, President Trump released a statement that the federal government would “not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another.” As healthcare for trans, gender-expansive, and intersex (TGI) individuals becomes increasingly unstable under the current administration, SB 418 aimed to protect TGI community members and their ability to access critical and necessary hormone therapy and gender-affirming care. 

In the governor’s veto memo, he wrote that he was “concerned” about the bill’s limitation on utilization management methods. For him, it’s an “important tool [that ensured] enrollees receive the right care at the right time. Prohibiting this cost constraint strategy is likely to result in an increase in enrollee premiums to offset costs incurred by health plans and insurers.” 

For Senator Menjivar, this decision was “heartbreaking” as TGI individuals continue to face barriers to vital care. “SB 418 was the most tangible and effective legislative tool introduced this year to help TGI folks weather this political storm,” Menjivar wrote to the Blade. Still, she says that she is committed to continue fighting to secure health care access for TGI community members.

The vetoing of these two bills was a major blow for LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations and advocates. Equality California executive director Tony Hoang wrote about his disappointment in a recent press release. “These bills would have guaranteed that transgender people and their families could continue to access essential medications without disruption and that people at risk of HIV could obtain PrEP quickly and affordably,” wrote Hoang. “The Governor’s decision to veto these measures undermines California’s longstanding leadership in advancing health equity and protecting the LGBTQ+ community.”

But with these setbacks came a number of wins. Governor Newsom passed nine other bills advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. 

SB 59: Confidentiality protections for trans and nonbinary individuals

This bill, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, will ensure that when someone files a legal petition to change their name or their gender marker, these court records are kept confidential. Additionally, SB 59 will prohibit people other than the petitioner to post these confidential records online.

AB 678: Creating an LGBTQ+ inclusive council on homelessness

Created by Assemblymember Alex Lee, AB 678 will require the governor to build an Interagency Council on Homelessness that will form relationships between federal and state agencies with local, on-the-ground coalitions and nonprofit organizations that focus on working with unhoused communities. Together, they will work on creating strategies to end homelessness.

The bill also specifically requires this council to actively work with LGBTQ+ leaders and community members to ensure that the strategies it develops are inclusive and culturally competent. 

AB 1525: Restricting disciplinary action against attorneys on the basis of “sensitive services,” which includes gender-affirming care 

The California State Assembly’s Committee on Judiciary created this bill to prohibit disciplinary action against attorneys who receive, advocate for, recommend, or enable “sensitive services,” which include health care services for sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted illnesses, and gender-affirming care. 

AB 1084: Streamlining court processes for name and gender marker changes 

Created by Assemblymember Rick Zbur, AB 1084 aims to quicken the process and limit barriers transgender and nonbinary individuals face when filing to change their name and gender marker. The bill will require courts to issue orders within six weeks from when a petition is filed, and without a hearing. The bill will also prohibit others from being able to file an objection to a petitioner’s name or gender marker change.

SB 450: Protecting adoption rights for LGBTQ+ parents and families 

Authored by Senator Menjivar, SB 450 will allow queer parents from other states to claim parentage rights to their adopted children born in California. “The signing of SB 450 is a win for LGBTQ+ parents who want what every parent wants, the protection of their legal rights as the parents of their children,” Senator Menjivar wrote to the Blade. “SB 450 clarifies California’s longstanding jurisdiction for adoption proceedings, including confirmatory adoptions, in cases where the families no longer live, or never lived, in the state but the child was born here. This means LGBTQ+ families, who are weighing the options of potentially leaving an affirming state to a Red state for financial reasons, can at least now feel confident that decision won’t cost them their parental rights.” 

SB 497: Protecting right to gender-affirming care from out-of-state law enforcement

Authored by Senator Wiener, SB 497 is another bill focused on providing protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals. It will prohibit healthcare providers and service plans from releasing medical information related to gender-affirming care for a patient who is being pursued by out-of-state law enforcement officials. SB 497 would also generally safeguard against out-of-state subpoenas that would prevent a person’s ability to access gender-affirming care.

SB 590: Including chosen family members in paid family leave laws

Authored by Senator Maria Durazo, this bill would alter existing laws around paid family leave, which currently provides wage replacement benefits for up to eight weeks for workers who take time off work to take care of seriously ill family members. SB 590 will expand this definition of family members to include “designated” persons. For many queer individuals, their “chosen family” members are often just as crucial, if not more than, their blood relatives. This bill opens up the scope of what is considered a family member, allowing LGBTQ+ individuals wage protections if they take time away to care for these loved ones.

AB 1487: Expanding equity fund to include two-spirit communities 

Co-authored by Assemblymembers Dawn Addis and Mark González, AB 1487 will rename the existing Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Wellness and Equity Fund to the Two-Spirit, Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex (2TGI) Wellness and Equity Fund. This will enable the fund to grant financial support to organizations that serve two-spirit and LGBTQ+ tribal community members in a number of services, including: workforce development training, resettlement and social integration programs, youth outreach, healthcare support, and more. 

AB 82: Confidentiality protections for patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care 

Authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward, this bill will allow reproductive or gender-affirming health care patients and service providers who face violence and harassment because of their association with such care to request that state and local agencies protect the confidentiality of their identities and addresses. 

Introduction: From Glitter to Grounding

West Hollywood has long been a symbol of queer resilience, joy, and liberation. But beneath the rainbow lights and endless champagne toasts lies a quieter truth: many LGBTQ+ individuals are struggling with depression, alcohol dependency, and anxiety. The party culture that once felt like freedom can slowly turn into a trap.

Today, a new wave of healing is taking root—one that blends cutting-edge science with compassionate care. Instead of another night numbing pain at the bar, thousands of queer residents are choosing sobriety, finding purpose, and embracing innovative treatments like at-home ketamine therapy and low-dose naltrexone (LDN).

At the heart of this movement is Better U, a mental wellness company disrupting the status quo with discreet, science-backed solutions that bring healing into your home.

The LGBTQ+ Mental Health Crisis: More Than Just Statistics

The numbers are sobering: LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. In West Hollywood, where nightlife thrives, alcohol often becomes a coping mechanism—until it becomes a chain.

Alcohol use disorder affects up to 25% of LGBTQ+ adults, compared to about 10% of the general population. LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. Despite these disparities, most treatment options still revolve around daily antidepressants or 12-step programs that don’t address the root causes of pain.

The truth? Traditional mental health care is falling short for queer communities.

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Why Daily Pills and Party Culture Aren’t Enough

For decades, the standard treatment for depression and anxiety has been daily antidepressants. But LGBTQ+ patients often report:

• Unwanted side effects (weight gain, sexual dysfunction, emotional numbness).
• Low effectiveness rates (many report little to no relief after years on medication).
• Stigma around seeking help that discourages follow-through.

Add to that the cultural reliance on alcohol as a form of connection, and many people find themselves in a cycle of numb → escape → crash → repeat.

This is where ketamine therapy and LDN step in—not as escapism, but as tools for healing, sobriety, and self-discovery.

The Science of Ketamine Therapy: Rewiring the Brain

Unlike recreational use, ketamine therapy is a safe, low-dose, medically guided treatment that targets the root of depression and addiction.

• Neuroplasticity boost: Ketamine stimulates glutamate receptors, helping neurons form new connections. Think of it as opening “windows of change” where stuck thought patterns can be rewired.
• Rapid results: Unlike antidepressants that can take six to eight weeks, ketamine therapy often reduces depression and suicidal ideation within hours to days.
• Emotional reset: Patients report profound shifts in perspective, allowing them to process trauma without being consumed by it.

For LGBTQ+ patients who’ve lived with rejection, shame, or identity-based trauma, this reset can be life-changing.

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Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN): A Little-Known Ally Against Alcohol

While ketamine works on depression and anxiety, LDN quietly helps tackle alcohol cravings and inflammation.

• How it works: Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, reducing the rewarding effects of alcohol. Over time, drinking loses its grip.
• In low doses: LDN also calms inflammation in the brain and body, which researchers link to depression, chronic pain, and autoimmune conditions.
• For sobriety: Thousands in recovery use LDN to ease the process of quitting drinking without feeling deprived.

When combined with ketamine therapy, LDN addresses both the emotional and physical roots of addiction.

Better U: Healing at Home, Without the Stigma

Here’s what sets Better U apart in West Hollywood’s crowded wellness landscape:

1. At-Home Treatment – No fluorescent clinic lines, no judgmental waiting rooms. Medication is delivered discreetly to your door.
2. Remote Accountability Coaching – Licensed integration coaches guide you through your journey, helping you stay accountable while building new habits.
3. Holistic Healing – Ketamine therapy, LDN, and psychiatric support are all combined into one seamless program.
4. Community Impact – Better U has already helped tens of thousands nationwide, including thousands in West Hollywood, find freedom from alcohol, depression, and anxiety.

“Our mission is to help people come home to themselves—to finally feel at ease in their own skin. To soften the noise of depression, addiction, and anxiety, and replace it with clarity, connection, and love. Every person deserves more than quick fixes or endless prescriptions.

With Better U, we’re offering a path to real healing: the freedom to let go of what no longer serves you and the courage to step into the world as your truest self—living with compassion, spreading love, and inspiring others to do the same.”

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Escaping the Party Culture: Stories of Change

Imagine Marco, a 34-year-old gay man living in West Hollywood. For years, weekends meant endless drinking, hookups, and waking up Monday feeling emptier than before. Therapy helped, but not enough. Antidepressants dulled him.

After starting Better U’s at-home ketamine therapy with LDN, Marco noticed:

• His cravings for alcohol decreased.
• His depression lifted in weeks, not months.
• He started running again, something he hadn’t done in years.
• For the first time, he felt hope—not just distraction.

His story is not unique. Across West Hollywood, queer residents are realizing: healing doesn’t have to happen at the bar. It can happen at home.

The Neurobiology of Sobriety: A Closer Look

Why does this approach work so well?

• Ketamine + Glutamate: Increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), helping the brain rewire out of depressive loops.
• LDN + Endorphins: Increases endorphin release in low doses, stabilizing mood while reducing alcohol cravings.
• Alcohol-Free Brain: Within 30 days of sobriety, dopamine receptors begin to recover, improving motivation and joy.

When you pair all three, you’re essentially retraining the brain’s reward system—away from alcohol, toward healthier sources of meaning.

From Isolation to Community

Sobriety can feel lonely, especially in queer spaces where nightlife dominates. But Better U builds community in new ways:

• Integration groups (virtual safe spaces to share experiences).
• Accountability coaching (so you’re never alone in the process).
• Pride in healing (reframing sobriety as strength, not deprivation).

The result? A new queer culture that celebrates authenticity, connection, and healing—not just another round at the bar.

The Bigger Picture: Disrupting a Broken System

The current mental health system is broken. Long waitlists, rushed psychiatry appointments, and overprescription leave too many LGBTQ+ people slipping through the cracks.

Better U’s model challenges that:

• No more waiting weeks for a refill.
• No more hiding your healing.
• No more daily pills without progress.

Instead, queer residents of West Hollywood can access care remotely, discreetly, affordably—and effectively.

Call to Action: A Better U, A Better WeHo

Healing doesn’t have to mean isolation. Sobriety doesn’t have to mean loss. With at-home ketamine therapy and low-dose naltrexone, LGBTQ+ individuals are finding freedom, joy, and purpose again—without leaving their living rooms.

If you’re in West Hollywood and struggling with alcohol, depression, or anxiety, know this: you are not broken. You are not alone. And a better you is possible.

Visit BetterUCare.com to learn more about at-home ketamine therapy, low-dose naltrexone, and how you can begin your journey today.

Kindness is the best medicine.

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