Marsha P. Johnson reshaped our collective queer history with courageous care and an unmistakable belief that the most marginalized among us deserve so much more than just survival. A Black trans visionary and cornerstone of LGBTQ+ liberation, Marsha P. Johnson understood that liberation is collective work and that listening, not just hearing but truly listening,  is a radical act. This essence lives on through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI), an organization devoted to protecting and defending the human rights of Black transgender people while expanding access to safety, power, and joy for trans folks of color. Under the leadership of Executive Director Chastity Bowick, MPJI continues to carry the brick that Marsha held decades ago.

In this interview, the Blade chats with Bowick to discuss MPJI’s first-of-its-kind national community needs assessment for Black and Brown trans people, a project rooted in compassionate care while refusing to make assumptions. For queer, BIPOC, and trans communities who are too often researched about but rarely listened to, this survey changes the game. It asks not only what obstacles and hardships the community faces but also what uplifts and connects them. Research without humanity is just numbers, and liberation without listening is not liberation, simply put.

By amplifying community voices in their own words, MPJI is doing what Marsha always modeled – making room for transparency, acknowledging and honoring complexity, and reminding us that our futures should be built with us, not merely for us.

What was the impetus for MPJI to launch this first-of-its-kind national community needs assessment for Black and Brown trans folks? Was there a specific inspiration or moment?

It came from a very simple place: I wanted to know where people actually need us. Not where we assume the needs are. Not where they’ve always been. But where they are now. So much of our work happens in response to urgency, and that matters, but this felt like a moment to pause and listen more deeply. The brick has been passed to us. And before we decide what to build next, we have a responsibility to ask the community what support really looks like to them.

Why was it significant for this assessment to be designed by and for trans people of color rather than about them?

Who better to understand our community than us? Decisions are often made about trans people of color without our voices at the center. Designing this assessment by and for our community means the questions come from lived experience, not assumptions. It allows us to name what matters in our own words, and on our own terms.

The survey includes experiences of needs, fears, harms, and – what stood out to me in particular – joys. Can you share with us why you felt it was important to include joys in the mix?

Joy has always been at the forefront of MPJI’s work. When Elle began this organization, it was essential that the mission reflect the whole truth of our lives – not just the harm we experience, but the ways we create meaning, care for each other, and imagine more for ourselves.

MPJI was established to protect and defend the human rights of BLACK transgender people. Our communities experience disproportionate rates of systemic violence and economic discrimination, and BLACK trans women are among the most vulnerable populations in this country. But the goal has never been only to document harm. It has always been about dismantling the conditions that keep us from fully accessing freedom, joy, and safety.

As this work expands to include trans people of color more broadly, joy remains a critical part of that picture. Joy shows us what people are holding onto, what helps them survive, and what makes life feel worth living even in the face of systemic barriers. It reminds us that our communities are not defined solely by crisis; we are also defined by creativity, connection, and the ways we continue to choose ourselves and each other.

How does the voice of the community shape the questions that comprise this assessment?

The community shapes this assessment by being given real space to speak. Many of the questions are open-ended on purpose. We didn’t want to limit people to predefined answers or force their experiences into narrow categories. This approach allows folks to name what’s most pressing in their lives, even if it’s something we didn’t anticipate.

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What are some of the most overlooked gaps in needed support that MPJI is hoping this assessment will assist in identifying?

Well, that’s what we want to know. What feels like a gap here in Ohio may not be a gap in Alabama or California. Even among peers and friends, we can agree on certain challenges, but is that the full picture? Maybe it is. And maybe it isn’t. This assessment puts us in conversation with trans people of color across the country and allows us to look more closely at how different systemic inequities show up in different places.

How does the assessment cover the intersectionalities of race, gender, and systemic inequities?

Much of the assessment is open-ended, so people aren’t forced into restricted boxes. Race, gender, and systemic inequities don’t operate separately in our lives, and we didn’t want the structure of the survey to suggest that they do. This format allows people to speak to the full context of their experiences.

For trans people of color who might feel apprehensive about surveys or research, what would you say to them?

I see you. I hear you. And I feel you.

Something really important to us is making this survey anonymous. While participants can choose to share their email to win prizes or sign up for our newsletter, their survey responses are completely detached from that information.

Your fear is valid and justified. And we are deeply grateful to everyone who chooses to participate and help strengthen the community. This is how we honor Marsha and continue to trailblaze.

How does this assessment resonate with the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson and MPJI’s overarching goals and mission?

We know Marsha as a trailblazer, forging ahead despite fear and hate. This assessment asks trans people of color to do what she did. It’s not a small ask. She believed deeply in community, in looking out for one another, in mutual care, and in refusing to let anyone be left behind.

This work recognizes that fear is real and that participation is a choice. The assessment offers space for people to share, knowing their voices contribute to a collective effort rooted in MPJI’s mission to protect, care for, and uplift our communities toward safety, dignity, and joy.

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Can you share with our readers on a personal level what you have reflected on while leading this project?

I’ve reflected a lot on the responsibility that comes with asking people to share their experiences. People are trusting us with very real parts of their lives: their needs, their fears, their hopes. Holding that with care and making sure it leads to meaningful action is something I think about constantly.

How can institutions,, as well as ordinary folks support this initiative aside from sharing the survey link?

Sharing the survey is incredibly important. That’s how we reach people who may not already be connected to MPJI, and how we ensure trans people of color across the country know their voices are invited and valued. We need people to share it widely and intentionally.

In addition to sharing, monetary donations help advance this work by enabling MPJI to turn what we learn into real support, from accessible community programming to resources and spaces that meet people where they are. Following us on social media and signing up for our newsletter also helps people stay connected to ongoing calls to action and the work that grows from this assessment.

And lastly, what words would you like to share directly to BIPOC trans folks about why their voice in this assessment genuinely matters?

Your voice matters because your life matters.

This assessment is about making sure decisions aren’t made without you. What you share helps shape the resources, programs, and advocacy that come next. Your experiences, your insight, and your truth are essential to building a future where our communities can live with safety, dignity, and joy.

Click here for more information about MPJI

As ICE raids intensify across Southern California and anti-immigrant sentiment resurfaces in Orange County, trans and immigrant communities are once again being targeted. These crackdowns go beyond enforcement—they’re designed to instill fear. At the same time, a coordinated right-wing smear campaign is attempting to discredit the very organizations working to keep these communities safe.

Last month, the TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC), a cornerstone in the fight for trans, queer, and immigrant rights in Los Angeles, was publicly named by members of Congress. But this was no recognition. It was a calculated attack.

“They’re calling us a radical organization,” said Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of TLC. “They’re spreading lies, saying we’re using government funding to abolish ICE and the police and to provide abortion access. We do believe in those things—but the funding we receive is used to serve our people.”

Now, that funding is being stripped away.

In the face of state violence, political backlash, and economic sabotage, TLC is responding the way it always has: by organizing, celebrating, and building a better world. Because when our communities are under attack, we show up—stronger, louder, and more united than ever.

Salcedo, herself a proud trans Latina immigrant, has spent decades fighting for those living at the margins. “I always say I am an intersection walking,” she said with a smile. “Our organization is made up of the people most impacted—and we are the ones leading the work.”

In Los Angeles County, roughly one-third of residents are immigrants, the majority of whom are Latino. Unsurprisingly, trans Latinas represent the largest segment within the local trans community.

Yet even within immigrant justice spaces, trans people are often sidelined. “It’s a very hetero-centric space,” Salcedo said. “Most of the time, they don’t even consider the lives and experiences of trans and queer immigrants.”

The TransLatin@ Coalition is actively changing that. As a key member of a broad alliance of more than 100 immigrant-serving organizations across Los Angeles, including CHIRLA and the Filipino Workers Center, TLC helped secure over $160 million in American Rescue Plan funds for immigrant housing, internet access, and legal services.

They also co-created the groundbreaking TGIE (Transgender, Gender-Nonconforming, Intersex Empowerment) initiative, which allocates $7 million in Los Angeles County’s annual budget to support trans-led service providers. “We don’t just want symbolic policies,” said Salcedo. “We fight for resources. We analyze the budget. We make it real.”

Despite these victories, TLC is now confronting devastating federal cuts.

“Our work has been defunded,” Salcedo said bluntly. “Multiple programs are gone. And we’re not alone—trans-led organizations across the country, especially in the South, are facing the same.”

She pointed to a broader backlash against anything associated with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). “The private sector is pulling back. Philanthropy is scared. Even the same corporations that fund us during Pride are investing in our opposition the rest of the year. It’s hypocrisy.”

Rather than retreat, the TransLatin@ Coalition is calling for bold, collective action.

“Now’s the time for people to step up,” said Salcedo. “We have the strategy. We’re doing the work. But we need resources—and we need real solidarity, not just statements.”

To respond to the crisis and raise urgently needed funds, TLC is organizing its Walk for Humanity on Saturday, August 24. The event will begin at 9 a.m. in Silver Lake and march to Sunset and Western, featuring live performances, a resource fair, and a unified call for justice.

And yes—it will be joyful.

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“This is a call for all people to stand in solidarity with one another,” said Salcedo. “We want to bring together 1,000 people, each raising $1,000. It’s going to be a beautiful day of community and resistance.”

In a surprise announcement, Salcedo also revealed she will debut her first single—a cumbia track inspired by the movement. “It’s about movement in both senses: our political movement, and moving our bodies,” she laughed. “We can’t let them take away our joy. Joy is how we survive.”

When asked what more local leaders can do, Salcedo didn’t hesitate. “Elected officials are public servants. That means serving all people,” she said. “We may be a small population, but we are deeply impacted—and we contribute so much to this city.”

She pointed to data from LA’s most recent homelessness count, which identified over 2,000 trans and gender-expansive people experiencing homelessness. That number exists thanks in large part to years of advocacy demanding the city count and name trans lives. “We have the data now. There’s no excuse not to invest in our people.”

She also uplifted allies like LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and newly appointed City Councilmember Isabel Urado, the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold her seat. “They’ve seen our work and are fighting to invest in it,” Salcedo said. “We’re hopeful we’ll see another $10 million in city funding. But we need the community behind us.”

At the end of our conversation, I asked Salcedo what she would say to undocumented, queer, and trans Angelenos who are feeling afraid right now.

Her answer was clear, powerful, and full of love:

“You are a divine creation. You deserve to exist in this world. Walk your path with dignity, love, and respect—for yourself and for others. You belong. You are part of me. You are part of us.”

If standing with trans immigrants, resisting federal rollbacks, and dancing in the streets sounds like your kind of solidarity, join the TransLatin@ Coalition on August 24. Because when we show up together, we protect each other. And when we dance together—we win.

Watch the full interview with Bamby Salcedo:

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and LGBTQ+ Victory Institute have named gay former California state Rep. Evan Low to serve as its next president and CEO, the groups announced on Tuesday.

“Today, we face an existential crisis,” he said. “The LGBTQ+ community, along with other historically excluded communities, are being systematically legislated out of existence.”

He added, “I am committed to ensuring our voices are not just included, but impossible to ignore—and represented at the highest levels of office.”

Low will succeed former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who announced in February 2024 that she would step down after leading the organizations since 2017.

The Victory Fund works to increase the number of LGBTQ+ elected officials serving in all levels of government and “has helped thousands of LGBTQ+ candidates win local, state, and federal elections.” The Victory Institute works to ensure “the success of our LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.”

Before his election to the California State Assembly, where he served from 2014-2024, Low was the first Asian American to serve on the Campbell City Council, going on to lead the city as the country’s youngest openly LGBTQ+ mayor.

In the state legislature, Low “led groundbreaking efforts in marriage equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and economic opportunity,” the Victory Fund said in a press release.

“His leadership and service have been widely recognized, earning him multiple ‘Legislator of the Year’ honors and a proclamation of ‘Evan Low Day’ from then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.”

The Los Angeles Blade will be in Las Vegas this week to cover the National LGBTQ Task Force’s flagship annual Creating Change conference, Jan. 21-26, where movement leaders will convene at a pivotal moment for LGBTQ+ rights.

More than 3,000 are registered to attend, nearly a third of whom identify as transgender or gender nonconforming, and more than half as people of color. A livestream of the plenary sessions is available here.

This year’s conference comes days after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, along with his administration’s issuance of executive orders targeting immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, together with the revocation of his predecessor’s executive actions that established and clarified rights and protections for these and other marginalized communities.

For instance, Trump on Monday signed an order to direct the federal government to recognize only two genders, based on birth sex, which will likely mean that U.S. citizens will no longer be able to select the “X” gender marker for their passports and official documents, though the U.S. State Department has not provided clarity on how that will be enforced.

In recognition of the shifting legal and regulatory landscape — and the need for immigrant and trans or gender nonconforming communities to understand and prepare for changes in the coming weeks and months — the Task Force this year has organized sessions like “Protecting Your Rights: Navigating Legal Systems” with attorneys from the Transgender Law Center, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Oasis Legal Services.

Along with covering breaking news from sessions during the four-day program, the Blade will be talking with experts for stories focused on the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the Trump administration’s expected ban on military service by trans people, insights into how major LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations are preparing to push back against actions by this White House and congressional Republicans, and more.

The Trans Latin@ Coalition raised a record-breaking amount of money at their quinceañera, celebrating fifteen years of helping the Trans, Latin American communities of West Hollywood and Los Angeles. The event took place at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, starting with a VIP reception and red carpet, followed by a fashion show featuring 14 designers. The 15th anniversary successfully highlighted the intersection of cultura, fashion and activism with a mariachi and fashion lines full of vibrant Latin American colors, patterns and embroidery. 

The quinceanera’s fashion show is called GARRAS, which stands for Groundbreaking Activism Redirecting and Reforming All Systems. GARRAS is more than just a fashion show, it is also a movement to transform the Trans, Gender nonconforming and Intersex community–as well as their allies–into high-fashion icons. 

GARRAS raises funds for the Trans Latin@ Coalition and uses these events to give TGI people a platform to showcase their talents, leadership and activism. The quinceañera-themed fashion show 

Bamby Salcedo, CEO of Trans Latin@ Coalition spoke during the event to address not only the need for continued funding, but also to point out how much more unity the TGI and Latin American communities must demonstrate in light of the incoming Trump administration. 

“I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting our work, for believing in our work and for participating in the change we are all working to create,” said Salcedo to the audience. “We’re here to raise funds to continue to do the work that needs to happen, especially because of what just happened [with the election]. And you know what? [The government] is trying to scare us and diminish who we are, and I say to all those mother f*ckers ‘F*ck you!”

The fashion show and reception brought in celebrity guests, models, influencers and many other queer Los Angeles socialites. Zaya Wade, Gia Gunn from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 6, Mayhem Miller from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 10, Heidi N Closet from Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Season 12 and many influencers and personalities. 

The TGI designers who showcased their latest creations were: Leandrag, Enrique Montes, Semi Creations, Natalia Acosta, Royal Rubbish, ArmaniDae, Nuwa1997, Bad Burro, Life on Mars, HIM NYC, 10 eleven, Rag to Fab, Christiana Gallardo and Jesse Alvarado.

Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on Saturday, the organization announced on X.

BIG NEWS: We are thrilled to have Vice Presidential Nominee Governor Tim Walz join us at our National Dinner! He has been a steadfast champion for the LGBTQ+ community and will continue fighting for our rights once he is elected to the White House. pic.twitter.com/nRsZfzuMYg

— HRC 🥥🌴 (@HRC) September 4, 2024

Tickets are still available for the event. HRC is also hosting an Equality Convention this week, “a destination for trailblazers in politics, culture, and business who are igniting change and driving LGBTQ+ equality forward.”

When Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic 2024 presidential nominee, announced Walz as her running mate on Aug. 6, HRC President Kelley Robinson said her pick “sends a message that a Harris-Walz Administration will be committed to advancing equality and justice for all.”

The group wrote in a press release: “Governor Walz is a career-long champion for LGBTQ+ people. In 1999, as a history teacher and football coach, Walz sponsored the school’s first gay straight alliance student group.

“He opposed efforts to ban same-sex marriage in the Minnesota Constitution. While serving in Congress, he co-sponsored legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), voted to repeal the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law, voted for the Matthew Shepard/James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and introduced legislation to protect LGBTQ+ service members from discrimination in benefits.

“As governor, Tim Walz signed an executive order banning the dangerous practice of ‘conversion therapy’ in Minnesota.”

HRC in May pledged $15 million to organize in key battleground states for the Democratic ticket. Just days after President Joe Biden stepped out of the race and backed Harris as the presumptive nominee, the group raised more than $300,000 for her campaign in a virtual fundraiser.

GLAAD released the 2024 Accelerating Acceptance study on Thursday, which found that acceptance for LGBTQ people remains at supermajority levels, but overall support for the community has dropped slightly as reports of discrimination have risen.

At a glance, the organization’s top-line findings reveal that:

• 95 percent of non-LGBTQ Americans believe schools should be safe and accepting for all youth,

• 93 percent say children should be taught to appreciate and accept people as they are,
• 80 percent support LGBTQ equal rights, down from a record high of 84 percent one year ago, and
• 70 percent of GenZ LGBTQ adults report discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

The 16-page report is available here. GLAAD’s Media Institute has published Accelerating Acceptance studies each year since 2015. The organization will hold a briefing at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20 to review this year’s findings.

As the data shows, “more non-LGBTQ people have been inspired to speak up for LGBTQ equality as a result of accurate news coverage,” GLAAD wrote in a press release, “and voters have shown up in election after election to reject extremist candidates and their anti-trans campaigns.”

However, along with the findings about discrimination — particularly among Gen Z adults, the largest population of out Americans in history — respondents also report “negative mental health impact, fear for their safety, and online and real world harassment as a result of the political discourse in the country.”

“GLAAD’s 2024 Accelerating Acceptance Study arrives at a monumental inflection point for the LGBTQ community and for our entire country,” GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said. “While acceptance for LGBTQ people remains at supermajority levels, the data this year also sounds substantial alarms about threats to this progress and to freedoms valued by every American.”

“The same extremist lawmakers, judges and media sources targeting abortion access, contraception, free and fair elections, and free speech, are using the same strategies of fear and disinformation to undermine LGBTQ people and our equality,” Ellis said.

She added, “Fortunately, the data also points to proven ways to keep expanding and accelerating acceptance.”

The online study was conducted in January 2024 with a nationwide sample of 2,511 U.S. adults.

GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis is under fire for excessive spending following a report in the New York Times on Thursday, which suggested the first class airfare, hotel accommodations, and car services booked by the organization’s chief executive for business travel far outpace the expenses of leaders of similarly sized nonprofits.

Quoting legal, nonprofit, and ethics experts, the article suggests Ellis and GLAAD’s actions may also have violated IRS rules, including their decision to not declare spending on Ellis’s home office renovation as income on her personal tax forms.

When Ellis joined in 2014, the article notes, GLAAD was in dire financial straits. Elevating the group’s public profile and expanding its purview, Ellis had quintupled its revenue to $19 million by 2022.

“Major donors have included media and tech companies such as Netflix, Google, and the Walt Disney Company; philanthropists like Ariadne Getty; and the New York City Council,” the Times wrote. “In 2022, the billionaire MacKenzie Scott donated $10 million.”

GLAAD’s chief communications officer, Rich Ferraro, said the board took Ellis’s performance into consideration when deciding her compensation, as under her leadership the advocacy group had started punching above its weight.

In a statement to the Advocate, Ferraro called the article “deeply misleading,” specifically disputing claims about Ellis’s annual compensation and denying that she ever took home “anything near” $1 million per year.

The organization has tussled with the Times in the past over the paper’s coverage of transgender issues. The Times, meanwhile, told the Advocate the paper stands by its reporting and noted GLAAD did not challenge any facts in the story.

Andy Lane, who has held senior roles in LGBTQ philanthropy, wrote on Facebook “GLAAD is a fraud, and has been as long as I’ve been in the business. For shame: And … girl, bye. Long overdue.”

George Takei was recently honored at the first-ever Critics Choice LGBTQ+ Awards. (Image from Georgetakei.com)

The LGBTQ+ History Archive Personal Stories Project is experiencing a surge in submissions. This decade-long effort documents LGBTQ+ history through personal narratives. Its success stems from a new partnership with actor George Takei and the .gay domain provider.

Charles Chan Massey co-founded and directs the Personal Stories Project. He credits the partnership’s success to Takei’s vast social media following. Takei, a vocal LGBTQ+ rights advocate, encouraged his 3.3 million X followers to share their stories.

Takei posted: “Each of us in the LGBTQIA+ community has a powerful coming-out story to tell. I want to hear yours. Head over to personalstories.gay today. Fill out the form to be featured on the Personal Stories website. I’ll be sharing some throughout the month to inspire others.”

Amplifying Community Voices

Logan Lynn is the creative director of .gay Domains. He emphasizes the partnership’s role in amplifying vital LGBTQ+ voices.

“Pride is about honoring and celebrating the depth of our communities,” Lynn said. “What better way to showcase this than through stories from people living LGBTQIA+ lives?”

Preserving Everyday Stories for Future Generations

Massey founded the LGBTQ+ archive project in 2012. His mission: preserve narratives of ordinary LGBTQ+ individuals, not just prominent figures.

“I wanted to archive our community’s history,” Massey explained. “Not just prominent members, but regular people who needed a platform. Regular people can identify with regular people. It’s important to see someone just like you.”

Massey maintains an online archive. This ensures accessibility of these oral histories for the LGBTQ+ community.

“As long as the internet exists, it can archive our stories,” Massey said. “We’re preserving stories for future generations. We’re also helping people find others with similar journeys.”

From Facebook Page to Registered Charity

The LGBTQ+ History Archive Personal Stories Project started as a simple Facebook page. It has evolved into a dedicated website and registered charity. It now supports LGBTQ+ organizations across the US and Canada.

Many participants share how LGBTQ+ organizations helped them. The Personal Stories Project encourages donations to these charities. Massey reports raising $15,000 to $25,000 annually for over 20 non-profits.

“95% of our budget goes to other 501(c)(3) organizations,” Massey said. “We support large and small community-based groups. A $200 donation can make a significant difference.”

A Diverse Collection of Experiences

The Personal Stories Project has a vast collection of LGBTQ+ stories. Massey is often struck by the depth of experiences shared.

“I met Peter, who was 85 at the time,” Massey shared. “He served in the Air Force, modeled in the 1940s, started an ad agency, and lived through the AIDS crisis. His story shows the power of these narratives.”

The project seeks submissions from all parts of the LGBTQ+ community. This includes people of various ethnicities and generations.

“People often think their story isn’t interesting,” Massey said. “But when they share, it’s captivating! Someone will identify with your story. Sharing is a powerful gift and a responsibility.”

Share Your Story

Do you have an LGBTQ+ story to share? Visit personalstories.gay to contribute to this important historical archive.

Image from Personalstories.gay website

NEW YORK — More than 300 people who protested outside an Outright International gala on Monday criticized the organization for its “silence and refusal to use” its network “and advocacy to provide immediate relief to Palestinians” who remain in the Gaza Strip.

Members of ACT UP, the Audre Lorde Project and other groups who were outside Pier 60 in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood handed out flyers that read “Israel bombs queers” and “no Pride in genocide” as gala attendees arrived. A press release notes upwards of 100 people held a “die-in” for 241 seconds “to signify the 241 days of Israel’s bombardment of Palestine.”

Actor Billy Porter is among those who Outright International honored at the gala.

Protest organizers in their press release noted Porter “signed onto a statement in support of the Zionist state of Israel” after Hamas, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization, launched its surprise attack against southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The press release also criticized Porter over his “problematic comments in which he rebuffed James Baldwin’s anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian stance while claiming to be the best person to direct and star in Baldwin’s biopic.”

ACT UP further reiterated its demands for Outright International, which advocates for LGBTQ+ and intersex rights around the world.

• Amplify the struggle to decolonize Palestine

• Support local LGBTIQ Palestinian orgs with funding

• Advocate at the United Nations to stop US-supported human rights violations

• Disclose and divest from funders with links to Israel

Outright International on Oct. 27 publicly called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Maria Sjödin, the group’s executive director, on Monday noted the protest during their speech at the gala.

“Activism for a better world takes many forms, and that is a great thing,” said Sjödin. “One of those forms is to protest and some of you saw this action on the way in.”

The Washington Blade attended the gala, and saw some attendees wearing keffiyahs and watermelon patches that have emerged as symbols of Palestinian solidarity since the war between Israel and Hamas began after Oct. 7. Gala attendees cheered when Sjödin said Outright International “supports a peaceful protest without any reservation.” 

“Outright supports the spirit of the protest to bring attention to the loss of human lives,” they said.

The Israeli government says Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people on Oct. 7, including at least 260 partygoers and others at the Nova Music Festival. The Israeli government on Tuesday said roughly 80 people who were taken hostage on Oct. 7 remain alive in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says more than 35,000 people have died in the enclave since the war began.

The International Criminal Court on May 20 announced it plans to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders — Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh. Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, said the five men have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel. 

“The ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous,” said President Joe Biden in a May 20 statement. “Let me be clear: Whatever this prosecutor (Khan) might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday by a 247-155 vote margin approved a bill that would sanction the ICC. Forty-two Democrats supported the measure.

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), who is a vocal supporter of Israel, on Sunday in an X post said “anti-Israel activists tore down the flag honoring me” on Fire Island as the first gay Afro-Latino person elected to Congress and “instead put up a flag honoring queer Palestinians.” The New York Democrat in another message wrote that ACT UP New York “proudly admits to illegally vandalizing the flag honoring me.”

Pro-Palestine protesters on Sunday disrupted the Philadelphia Pride March.

The annual D.C. Dyke March, which will be called Dykes Against Ge(NO)cide this year, will take place in Lafayette Park on Friday. A “Stop the Genocide” protest is scheduled to occur in front of the White House on Saturday at noon.

The Capital Pride Parade will begin three hours later at 14th and T Streets, N.W. Porter is among those who are scheduled to perform at the Capital Pride Festival that will take place on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., on Sunday.

The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity and the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights are among the groups on Tuesday that demanded Pride parade and national LGBTQ+ rights groups “immediately ban the corporations responsible for fueling the genocide in Gaza and worldwide colonial violence from sponsoring or participating in Pride events.” The organizations also released a set of demands that include:

• Ban weapons manufacturers from both participation in and sponsorship of Pride events.  
• Support Palestinians and their resistance efforts. 
• Condemn and work to dismantle pinkwashing and homonationalism. 
• Call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire and an end to arming Israel. 
• Cut ties with all organizations that profit from war, detention, and incarceration, environmental destruction, and displacement. 
• Ban police from marching and participating in Pride, and denounce state violence. 

“Over the past eight months, queer and trans people have been at the forefront of mobilizing for a liberated Palestine,” said Firas Nasr, a nonbinary activist and organizer who is based in D.C., in a press release. “Yet Pride organizations — and national LGBTQIA+ orgs that claim to represent our community — have largely remained silent while championing corporations behind the genocide.”

Nasir is among the upwards of 200 people who marched from Dupont Circle to the Human Rights Campaign in February and called upon it and other LGBTQ+ rights organizations to “demand an end to genocide and occupation of Palestine.” No Pride in Genocide organized the protest.