On Nov. 6, one day after the 2024 election, LGBTQ+ crisis hotline the Trevor Project said it saw 700% more calls than normal, NBC Washington noted. It was a record number of crisis calls for the organization’s suicide-prevention hotline—and a sign of how the election results are impacting young LGBTQ+ people. “When you have your identity questioned in, say, the highest office, or policymakers are questioning your identity or whether or not you have a place to live in the world, that can really impact your well-being,” said spokesperson Kevin Wong.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a statement on the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on Nov. 20—possibly the last such item that will be issued for four years. Becerra said, “We fight so that trans Americans can go to the doctor and receive the same treatment as any other patient…so that they feel welcomed at school and in their community for who they are. We fight for the rights of our transgender and nonbinary employees, including those within our own workforce, to have a safe and inclusive place to work. On this Transgender Day of Visibility, I ask you to join me in recognizing the many transgender, nonbinary, and two-spirit Americans across this country for their extraordinary strength and resilience. We see you. We support you. We fight for you.”
National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) also issued a statement on the Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience. CEO and Executive Director Dr. David J. Johns said, in part, “Today, we remember the many lives of our transgender siblings lost to senseless violence and systemic oppression. We mourn for those we’ve lost and hold their families, friends, and communities in our hearts. This day is not only a day of remembrance but also a call to action—a moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to ensuring justice, equity, and liberation for transgender people, particularly Black transgender people who face the compounded challenges of racism, transmisia and misogynoir. … Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience reminds us that we must fight harder. Every trans life lost is a call for justice. It is a reminder that true liberation demands the dismantling of systems that perpetuate violence, discrimination, and inequality.”
Also on the Trans Day of Remembrance, Trans Formations Project demanded action to meaningfully defend trans communities, according to a press release. Trans Formations Project co-founder/Executive Director Alex Petrovina (he/ze) said, “As we remember our dead, it doesn’t escape me that we’re now in a time where increasing state and federal persecution intends to push transgender and nonbinary people back in the closet and out of public life. This rhetoric has violent consequences. Anti-trans hate crimes have escalated as politicians use our community to sow misinformation and division. We need more than allyship. The time is long past due for direct action at the legislative level.”
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-South Carolina) former communications director, Natalie Johnson, criticized the congresswoman’s efforts to ban transgender lawmakers from using restrooms in the U.S. Capitol that correspond to their gender identity, Newsweek noted. “If you think this bill is about protecting women and not simply a ploy to get on Fox News, you’ve been fooled,” Johnson posted on X. Mace ignited controversy when she introduced a resolution to bar transgender women from using the women’s restroom at the Capitol—which House Speaker Mike Johnson eventually issued.
And activist Evan Greer (she/they), the director of the digital-rights group Fight for the Future, was ejected from the Project Liberty “Summit on the Future of the Internet” at Georgetown University after speaking out during the opening panel featuring anti-trans U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), per an organizational press release. Mace began to complain about the backlash she had received when Greer stood up and stated, “We’ve had dozens of trans people die this year because of the lies you’re spreading. Is this the future of the Internet we want?,” per The Independent. In response, Mace said, saying among other things: “I love him, but his penis isn’t gonna be in my bathroom.”—and was roundly booed.
The CDC has stated that, after having surged to record levels practically every year this century, overall diagnoses of the three top bacterial STIs have peaked since the COVID pandemic, according to NBC News. From 2022 to 2023, total diagnoses decreased by 2%, to 2.46 million new cases. Also, diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis—the most infectious stages of the infection—dropped 10% last year, to 53,000 cases. The decline was driven by a 13% drop in such syphilis diagnoses among gay and bisexual men, who have historically accounted for nearly half of such cases.
Iowa residents recently elected Democrat Aime Wichtendahl as the state representative for District 80—making her the first transgender woman to serve in the state legislature, KCRG reported. Wichtendahl first made history nine years ago, when she won a seat on the Hiawatha City Council, becoming the first trans woman to be elected to public office. She called her three terms on the city council the best years of her life, and named projects like multifamily housing, work on Tower Terrace Road and the city’s second fire station as some of her best accomplishments. Wichtendahl described herself as “a Capricorn, a heavy-metal lover and, you know, a bit of a dork at the end of the day,” adding that she believes she can find common ground to move her priorities forward at the state level.
A transgender San Jose State University women’s volleyball player was cleared by the Mountain West Conference of accusations reportedly made by an assistant coach who has been removed from the program, per The San Francisco Chronicle. Melissa Batie-Smoose—an outspoken opponent of an NCAA rule allowing trans women to play women’s sports after meeting certain medical testing standards—reportedly made numerous allegations against the transgender player in a Title IX complaint, including that she had given the Spartans’ game plan to a Colorado State player before a match that the Rams won Oct. 3 in Fort Collins, Colo. The two teams played again at San Jose State on Nov. 16, and the Spartans won in five sets.
California resident Samuel Woodward—convicted of fatally stabbing gay University of Pennsylvania student Blaze Bernstein in an act of hate—was sentenced to life in prison without parole, CNN reported. Woodward, who did not appear in court due to illness, was convicted this year of first-degree murder with an enhancement for a hate crime for killing Bernstein in January 2018. Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Kimberly Edds said there was no question about the sentence Woodward would receive because the jury’s verdict carried a life sentence without parole.
Two teenage boys were arrested in connection with the violent robbery that led to the death of popular D.C. gay DJ/hairstylist Bryan Smith, The Advocate reported. Smith, known as “the Barber Streisand,” was found unconscious with severe head injuries near the gay bar Uproar in northwest D.C. on Oct. 27; he died overnight on Nov. 7-8 at age 39. The teens have not yet been charged with murder Both are charged with three counts of robbery—as they are suspects in other robberies that took place the same night as the assault on Smith—as well as assault with intent to commit robbery, unlawful use of a vehicle, fraud, receipt of stolen property and unlawful possession of ammunition.
According to NBC News, the FBI said reports of racist and offensive text messages sent from anonymous phone numbers are now being sent to members of Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. The initial reports of racist texts—telling Black people they have been “selected” to pick cotton “at the nearest plantation”—included recipients who attend universities from California to South Carolina, with some sent via TextNow, a service compatible with untraceable, “burner” phone numbers. NAACP President/CEO Derrick Johnson noted the “alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after [the recent] election results.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke recently delivered remarks on 15th anniversary of the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, according to a Justice Department press release. Mentioning Shepherd and Byrd, Clarke said, in part, “Tragically, both men met gruesome, hate-motivated deaths in 1998, solely on the basis of their background and identities. … The act changed history. It gave us greater capacity to defend members of vulnerable communities from violence. It expanded the range of identities we protect. It lifted restrictions on the circumstances surrounding prosecutable crimes.” Clarke also said that this “law would not exist without Matthew’s and James’ family members. We are indebted to these family members and their decade-long fight to bring about the act—as well as for their continued involvement.”
In New Jersey, the Manchester Township School District faces legal action from three separate lawsuits filed this year following the firing of its openly gay school superintendent, per NBC News. In a lawsuit filed in May, former superintendent John Berenato accused the district of sexual orientation discrimination that led to his firing in November 2023. In a second lawsuit filed in September, the district’s former director of special services, Bridget Antonucci (who’s straight), alleged being “subjected to a hostile work environment and ultimately terminated.” And a third lawsuit was filed against the district on Oct. 28 by Lori Burns, an out lesbian and the district’s former director of early childhood education; she alleges that her sexual orientation was a “motivating factor” for “harsh, hostile and exclusionary treatment.”
A music director at a Michigan Catholic church was fired after an unknown source informed church officials of his same-sex marriage—sparking outrage from parishioners, with many protesting and some renouncing their membership over the termination, per The New York Post. Fred Szczepanski was canned from his position at St. Francis Church in Traverse City on Oct. 18 after the church officials discovered he had a same-sex marriage ceremony to his longtime partner in Nevada in 2020. However, after news of the firing, choir members wore black, left their seats empty, and refused to sing during mass on Oct. 20. Then, on Oct. 27, supporters of the longtime music director picketed outside the church in protest before carrying signs reading: “Love Not Hate,” “God Includes, Not Excludes” and “Fired Not Retired.” Szczepanski has been welcomed at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse, where more than 245 people attended its service on Nov. 3 to “affirm and stand with Mr. Fred Szczepanski.”
The first case of Clade I—a more aggressive type of mpox—has been reported in California, according to Gay City News. It’s the first time the United States has reported the version of mpox that has been at the center of an outbreak in central and eastern Africa. The outbreak prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global emergency in August. Through this year, the DRC has witnessed more than 47,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 1,000 deaths. Out lesbian Queens Councilmember Lynn Schulman has urged folks to get the mpox vaccine, which calls for two shots one month apart; the vaccine protects against both Clade I and Clade II, according to health officials.
Ohio resident Brandon West, 22—who championed his home city, Lorain, to ban the discredited anti-LGBTQ+ practice known as “conversion therapy”—is now advocating for a neighboring county to do the same, WCMH reported. West is calling on the Cuyahoga County Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting healthcare professionals from engaging with minors in conversion therapy, used to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Lorain recently became the 12th city in the state to ban the practice, but Cuyahoga would be the first county.
Two conservative anti-abortion groups—Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and the American Principles Project—expressed their support of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services after former Vice President Mike Pence criticized the selection over abortion concerns, CBS News noted. Pence criticized Kennedy’s selection as setting up “the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history.” Trump expressed support for Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” platform during the campaign, and offered to let him “go wild on health” in the new administration.
LGBTQ+ groups will be allowed to participate in the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade for the first time in 2025 after new leadership replaced Larry Cummings—the longtime organizer who was known for upholding the ban, according to a Gay City News item that cited the Staten Island Advance. Elected officials, including Republicans, and many community leaders spent years calling for a more inclusive policy at the parade and even boycotting it while Cummings repeatedly rejected LGBTQ+ organizations. The ongoing ban even prompted the Forest Avenue Business Improvement District to organize a separate, inclusive Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade earlier this year; now, the borough is unifying under one inclusive parade slated for March 2, 2025.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) responded to a reporter’s question about Donald Trump’s intention to nominate former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) as his attorney general by sharing a picture of trans Admiral Rachel Levine and non-binary former Department of Energy official Sam Brinton, LGBTQ Nation noted. “Did you harass Democratic senators on those nominees?” he added, not explaining what the issue was other than their gender identities. The gesture continued MAGA Republicans’ reliance in the 2024 campaign on trans and gender-fluid individuals to illustrate a so-called “radical” Democratic agenda. Gaetz has since withdrawn his nomination.
GLAAD announced it received 12 Anthem Awards and was named Nonprofit of the Year for receiving the greatest amount of recognition across this year’s Anthem Awards categories, per a press release. The Anthem Awards are connected to comprehensive social impact, accepting work across five areas of impact work—Awareness, Fundraising, Community Engagement, Product, Innovation & Service and Team & Internal Initiatives—or seven causes: Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Education Art & Culture, Health, Human & Civil Rights, Humanitarian Action & Services, Responsible Technology, and Sustainability Climate & Environment. GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, “This incredible recognition comes at a time when equality for LGBTQ people is once again being debated by politicians, talking heads, and anti-LGBTQ activists. We’re truly grateful to the Anthem Awards for recognizing the importance and opportunity that LGBTQ advocacy has today.”
Add out former CNN journalist Don Lemon to those who have quit the social-media platform X, per PennLive. “I’ve loved connecting with all of you on X, but it’s time for me to leave the platform,” a statement from him read. “I once believed it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.” He also cited a recent Washington Post article that states that a new policy change will make it harder for X to be held accountable.In March, X owner Elon Musk and Lemon were in a partnership on the platform before the tech giant pulled the plug just hours after the two conducted an interview together.
Twenty-year-old male model Dynus Saxon has been charged in the fatal stabbing of 35-year-old Kadeem Grant in the Bronx, according to VIBE. Saxon—who has posed for Vogue Italia, Calvin Klein and Levi’s—faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. “Dynus didn’t just decide to murder somebody. He does not know what happened,” Saxon’s mother told The New York Daily News, suggesting that her son’s recollection of the events leading up to Grant’s death is hazy.
The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) kicked off its second Stonewall Inn Brick Awards Gala at Racket NYC in Manhattan to honor LGBTQ+ activists and leaders, per Gay City News. This year’s honoree was three-time Tony winner Billy Porter, who received the Icon Award for his activism and advocacy; in addition to accepting the award, he performed his new song “Not Today” from Black Mona Lisa, Vol. 2: The Cookout Sessions. Emceed by RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Peppermint, the gala had a star-studded lineup of celebrities and community advocates, including Pose star Dominique Jackson and SNL alum Punkie Johnson.
In San Francisco, The Contemporary Jewish Museum announced it will be closing for at least a year as it continues to deal with ongoing financial struggles, per SFGate. The closure will go into effect on Dec. 15 and coincide with a “phased reduction of its staff.” The museum was founded in 1984, undergoing a major redesign and expansion in 2008.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that clemency consideration for the Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, is on hold until after new Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman takes office on Dec. 3, per Deadline. As the former U.S. assistant attorney general made clear in his successful campaign against one-term incumbent George Gascón, one of the first things the new DA will be treating as a self-declared “high priority” is the move his predecessor began on Oct. 24 on a potential re=sentencing of the incarcerated siblings. With a Dec. 11 resentencing hearing currently on the calendar, Hochman hasn’t given away where he stands on the high-profile case.