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What LGBTQ veterans are building after ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Fifteen years ago this month, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” took effect. At the time, the importance of the change was obvious: gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans would no longer have to hide who they were to wear the uniform. What was harder to see was what would follo...

Washington BladeSep 20, 2026

Anti-LGBTQ+ MMA fighter wants to beat up Elliot Page

Notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ professional mixed-martial artist Sean Strickland says he wants to “beat the s*** out of” Elliot Page. Earlier this week, Championship Rounds, an MMA news account “powered by” online gambling platform Rainbet, shared an X post featuring a video of Strickla...

LGBTQ NationSep 19, 2026

Trans women are not a threat to women's spaces. But cis men are.

The anti-trans right consistently claims that trans-inclusive policies are akin to letting "men" take over women's spaces, and a recent experience at a Brandi Carlile concert reminded me of the real issue here: cis men who are unable to let women have a space, even for an evening...

LGBTQ NationSep 19, 2026

Students win big after school's sneaky attempt to ban gay-straight alliance

Here are this week’s most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this? Sign up for our Good News email. The official start of autumn is just three days away (September 22), and we hope you're as excited as we a...

LGBTQ NationSep 19, 2026

President Donald Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, and Politico From White House

This story originally appeared on The Advocate.President Donald Trump said in a Friday Truth Social post that he is banning CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House in a major escalation of his longstanding conflict with the media outlets that have covered his political car...

them.Sep 18, 2026

EEOC agrees to let Christian employers misgender trans employees

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – the federal agency tasked with fighting employment discrimination – has agreed to let some Christian businesses discriminate against transgender and nonbinary employees as part of a lawsuit settlement. "This agreement provides ...

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

A roundup of fall events not to be missed

Colder temperatures don’t mean you have to stay indoors — here’s a roundup of what to do this fall. Laverne Cox will discuss her memoir, “Transcendent,” with Dr. Melanie Bryant on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at Baltimore Book Fest. Cox will share her journey as a transgender wom...

Washington BladeSep 18, 2026

Federal Court Rules Oregon Can Place Trans Women in Men’s Prisons

This story originally appeared on The Advocate.A federal appellate court ruled Thursday that Oregon can house transgender female inmates in men’s prisons.A panel of federal judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals tossed a lower court ruling that ordered Oregon prison officials...

them.Sep 18, 2026

Conduct a Relationship Audit This Libra Season

Happy autumnal equinox, witches! A key turning point in the year, the pivot to Libra season (September 23–October 22) marks the start of fall for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Sweater weather is nice and all, but this go around, it’s accompanied by some trickier astrolo...

them.Sep 18, 2026

Activists protest outside Turkish Embassy in D.C.

A group of activists on Friday gathered in front of the Turkish Embassy in D.C. to protest the country’s anti-LGBTQ crackdown. The protest — which the Council for Global Equality, Amnesty International USA, Outright International, and Health GAP organized — took place less than a...

Washington BladeSep 18, 2026

The Traitors: Meet the Celebrities Competing on Season 6

This story originally appeared on Out.Who will be banished from the game?The Emmy-winning reality competition series The Traitors is tapping the top celebrities from every corner of the entertainment industry for season 6.Fan-favorite reality TV contestants like Bianca Del Rio (R...

them.Sep 18, 2026

GOP candidate booted from forum for misgendering Sarah McBride to her face

Moderators at a candidate forum in Talleyville, Delaware, on Thursday night forced Republican House candidate Joseph Arminio to leave the event after he repeatedly misgendered Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first out transgender congresswoman, WDEL reported. The crowd booed Armin...

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

Who Is Kali Reis, the Two-Spirit, Sexually Fluid Actress in Resident Evil?

If you head to your local multiplex this weekend, then you’ll see that Zach Cregger’s new film Resident Evil, an adaptation of the beloved horror video game series, is probably playing on multiple screens. Cregger, known for original horror movies like Barbarian and Weapons, deve...

them.Sep 18, 2026

Another over 100 people detained for protesting Turkey’s anti-LGBTQ+ arrests

Pro-LGBTQ+ protestors were tear-gassed, detained, and arrested in Turkey this week as they demonstrated against the government’s recent raids. Last weekend, raids picked up activists, journalists, and attendees at LGBTQ+ spaces, all under the propaganda of “keeping families safe....

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

Republican challenger misgenders McBride during forum, forced to leave

Republican “Dr. Joe” Arminio, the Republican nominee for the First State’s at-large U.S. House of Representatives seat, attempted to misgender the the country's first and only transgender member of Congress while at a forum on Thursday. This story was first broken by WDEL out of ...

Washington BladeSep 18, 2026

Republican Congressman Gives WNBA (Meaningless) Deadline to Define “Women”

Indiana House Rep. Marlin Stutzman is demanding that outgoing WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert define “woman” in the league’s eligibility rules. In a letter to Engelbert obtained by Fox News’ sports vertical OutKick, Stutzman and other members of Congress questioned Engelbert’s ...

them.Sep 18, 2026

GOP candidate's canvasser busted grabbing package off doorstep on Ring camera

A canvasser for Sen. Susan Collins' (R-ME) reelection campaign was caught on camera stealing a package from a voter he was attempting to visit. A video shared on social media shows a man wearing a red "Stronger Maine" T-shirt approaching a door in Woolwich, Maine. Stronger Maine ...

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

Susan Collins has a mixed record on LGBTQ+ rights. Here are the details.

For a while, Sen. Susan Collins' (R-ME) LGBTQ+ legislative record was so strong that the Human Rights Campaign endorsed her 2002, 2008, and 2014 re-election campaigns, but it stopped endorsing her in 2020 and backed her Democratic challenger instead. Despite Collins' past support...

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

GOP congressman says Black voters won't vote for Pete Buttigieg because he's gay

Anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) said that Black voters aren't ready to support a gay presidential candidate, like out former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. When asked about Buttigieg's recent comments that America is ready for a gay president, Van Orden said t...

LGBTQ NationSep 18, 2026

Jeremy Moss looks to bring LGBTQ advocacy from Lansing to Capitol Hill

With fall comes swapping out T-shirts for sweaters, raking leaves and, of course, elections. The summer’s primaries have narrowed the playing field in a slew of races, but the big ones — the actual races for seats in federal and local elections — are still to come. Jeremy Moss is...

Washington BladeSep 17, 2026

Minnesota man stabbed with broken bottle because attacker thought he was gay

A Minnesota man is behind bars after he stabbed a "total stranger" with a broken beer bottle because he incorrectly thought he was gay. Kyle Eugene Heisler Jr., 25, of Deer River, Minnesota, was charged on Tuesday with felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, threats...

LGBTQ NationSep 17, 2026

Republicans are using transphobia to try to win Spanish-speaking voters in Texas

As Texas Republicans face increasing scrutiny over racist statements just weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, they're turning to an old strategy to try to maintain control over a US Senate seat: transphobia. An ad paid for by Texas PAC – which is associated with the Senate L...

LGBTQ NationSep 17, 2026

Parties, dinners, concerts and more on tap for fall nightlife

The heat is on in the city this fall for gala season, culture, and nightlife, including many LGBTQ and ally artists. Select shows, parties, and events for the season are below. September 9/18-20: Fuchsia Fest – The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to ...

Washington BladeSep 17, 2026

All the queer things to watch this fall

The fall season is barely upon us, and already the “must-see” queer movies and shows are leaping out of the gate. The next two months offer a hearty lineup of big screen and streaming options, with something for every taste. Whether you’re a fan of prestige drama, campy horror, “...

Washington BladeSep 17, 2026

Gun reform is an LGBTQ rights issue

Earlier this month, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay allegedly shot two people in the parking lot of Venture-N, a well-known gay bar in Tucson, Ariz. Both victims — Vincent Anthony Siquerioes and Cameron Davis Capara — died at the scene. Police discovered a list of several LGBTQ busines...

Washington BladeSep 17, 2026

Hayden Panettiere’s Cause of Death Confirmed as Accidental Overdose

Update 9/22/2026: The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed that actress Hayden Panettiere died of an accidental overdose on Tuesday. According to a statement obtained by NBC News, Panettiere's death followed the "toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamo...

them.Sep 17, 2026

Crowd cracks up as Pete Buttigieg slams Pete Hegseth in just 7 words

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had the audience laughing with a clever joke at the expense of current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth while speaking at an event supporting out congressional candidate, Cait Conley, in New York. "Speaker [Mike] Johnson sent them [mem...

LGBTQ NationSep 17, 2026

Rachel Maddow warns of Trump's ultimate plan to steal the midterm elections

Lesbian political pundit Rachel Maddow warned viewers on Monday that President Donald Trump plans to interfere with midterm election results, following the Supreme Court's recent 7-2 ruling against his executive order instructing the US Postal Service (USPS) to block states from ...

LGBTQ NationSep 17, 2026

Game Dev Says Wolverine Has “Yearning” for Sabretooth But Not in a Gay Way

Released just yesterday, the new PlayStation 5 game Marvel’s Wolverine is apparently not as gay as a developer’s comment may have made it sound.In The Washington Post review of the game, Insomniac Games narrative director Walt Williams was quoted discussing the back-and-forth, lo...

them.Sep 16, 2026

Trump’s Cabinet: Dumb, dumber, dumbest, and evil

Dumb, dumber, dumbest, and evil. Any of the felon’s Cabinet and close aides could fit these terms depending on the discussion. You have Commerce Secretary Lutnick saying “no American military were killed in Iran war.” Then it was reported our venal Vice President JD Vance said, “...

Washington BladeSep 16, 2026

D.C.’s fall theater season is already well underway

Leaves have scarcely turned, but throughout the DMV, the fall theater season is well underway. In Arlington, Signature Theatre got a jump on the season with Stephen Sondheim's musical “Merrily We Roll Along” (through Nov. 1). Told entirely in reverse chronological order, this sto...

Washington BladeSep 16, 2026