National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) CEO and Executive Director Dr. David J. Johns issued a statement in response to President Biden granting clemency to nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses who have been serving disproportionately long sentences. In part, he said, “Within Black communities, Black LGBTQ+/same-gender loving (SGL) people have borne an even greater share of this burden. Too often, we have been left vulnerable to the impacts of systemic racism, homophobia, and transphobia. Disproportionate incarceration has meant fewer opportunities, higher rates of violence, and limited access to support systems. While this is a critical step forward, it is only the beginning. We must ensure that those granted clemency receive the resources and support they need to rebuild their lives.”
HIV+ individuals who have been reportedly turned away from military service expressed concern that now-former President Joe Biden would fail to implement a federal judge’s ruling in August that found prohibiting healthy HIV-positive recruits is unconstitutional, according to NBC News. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Illinois, said that he found the White House’s lack of initiative in the matter “very disappointing. The opportunity was handed to this administration on a silver platter.” The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) has banned employment discrimination based on HIV status for decades; however, the Defense Department has remained the one exception, given the military does not fall under the purview of the ADA.
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a sermon in which he was asked to show “mercy,” according to ABC News. Following a traditional inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral during which Episcopal bishop the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde called on Trump to show “mercy” toward LGBTQ+ people and immigrants, he told reporters the sermon “wasn’t too exciting” and added he “didn’t think it was a good service.” Later, in a Truth Social post, Trump called Budde “a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater.” In part, Budde said, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
Celebrities were upset by several remarks made by President Donald Trump in his inaugural speech—particularly his declaration that “there are only two genders,” according to Out. RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage wrote, “You will not erase my child, you POS” while Cynthia Lee Fontaine posted, “Trash. But we will continue to ensure we will continue with our rights. We will NOT be silent.” One of Trump’s first executive orders will require federal agencies to define sex as strictly either male or female—barring individuals from updating gender markers on passports and other federal documents that currently allow for “X” gender markers. Janson Wu, the Trevor Project’s senior director of state advocacy and government affairs, warned about these anticipated orders’ harmful impact on queer youth, saying, “Supporting young people’s health and well-being transcends politics, and we urge all elected officials and the media to understand the dangers that anti-LGBTQ+ policies and rhetoric pose for LGBTQ+ youth across the country.”
Transgender Congresswoman Sarah McBride was asked about her reaction when President Donald Trump declared that the country would only recognize two genders, per NBC Philadelphia. McBride said she stayed in her chair and certainly did not applaud. “No executive action, no legislative action for that matter, can erase the reality of diversity across gender in our society,” McBride said, adding that it’s not clear what the practical impact of this order may be.
The Ruby Fruit—one of Los Angeles’ two lesbian bars—announced that it would close permanently because of the effect of the wildfires that have devastated the city, NBC News reported. “Sadly, along with all the feelings of grief and shock that we have experienced over the last few days, also came this undeniable reality: that running our small business is no longer sustainable,” owners Emily Bielagus and Mara Herbkersman said on social media. Meanwhile, the queer community is attempting to save the other lesbian venue, Honey’s at Star Love, which closed during a recent weekend “out of respect for those impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.” Houston lesbian nightspot Pearl Bar created a call to raise money for Honey’s and its staff; the post was shared by bars in San Francisco, New York and Phoenix.
The Trans Formations Project—a fully remote, digital grassroots effort to resist anti-transgender legislation—issued a press release “condemn[ing] fascism in the strongest possible terms.” In part, the organization stated, “Gender-diverse communities are under existential threat from this administration. On day one, Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) intended to legally deny the existence of gender diverse people by federally endorsing the disproven binary sex model, rather than the bimodal sex model accepted by scientists. This denial that transgender people exist lays the groundwork for eliminationism through federal policy.” The project also noted that almost 200 state and federal anti-trans bills have already been filed in 2025 so far, in at least 27 states.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced its slate of speakers, presenters and performers for this year’s HRC Greater New York Dinner, taking place Feb. 1 at the New York Marriott Marquis, per a press release. Those individuals include HRC President Kelley Robinson, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (the first out trans person to be elected to Congress), singer/songwriter David Archuleta, drag queen and musical artist Kevin Aviance, actress/HRC board member Sophia Bush; former pro soccer player Ashlyn Harris; and comedian Dana Goldberg.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a claim by parents of elementary school students in Maryland who objected to books available in classrooms concerning gender transition and same-sex relationships, NBC News reported. The case concerns a policy enacted by the Montgomery County Board of Education in November 2022 requiring new story books covering LGBTQ+ issues that could potentially be read in class. Initially, the board said parents could opt their children out of the curriculum; however, the following March, it changed course—and parents in the demographically diverse county, including Muslims and Eastern Orthodox Christians, objected, with some ultimately suing.
The Virginia Senate approved a resolution that seeks to repeal a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, per The Washington Blade. The resolution, introduced by state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), passed by a 24-15 vote margin. An identical measure that state Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) proposed also passed in the Virginia House of Delegates the previous week. (Ebbin and Sickles are both members of the LGBTQ+ community.) Last year, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
LGBTQ+-rights advocates are criticizing California health officials for the sudden cancellation of a queer youth mental-health initiative—especially in light of how queer young people may face negative effects from the second Trump administration, the Bay Area Reporter noted. To address and reduce the unique stigmas faced by LGBTQ+ youth, state health officials had awarded a $3 million-plus contract to a queer-owned consulting firm last year to develop a campaign to roll out statewide. But according to an email sent out Jan. 15 from the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, the California Department of Public Health canceled the LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Campaign “without explanation.”
With just a few hours remaining in his presidency, now-former Chief Executive Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, his own family members and members of the Jan.6 Committee and their staffs, Deadline noted. Also being pardoned were staffers of the committee as well as the U.S. Capitol and Metropolitan Police officers who testified. The committee included one of Trump’s most vocal opponents—Liz Cheney, who was vice chair of the committee and sister of LGBTQ+-rights activist Mary Cheney—as well as its chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi). President-elect Donald Trump said on Meet the Press recently that Cheney and Thompson should be jailed, and had suggested that Milley face execution.
The Trevor Project—a national LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization—announced that it will undergo a “transformation” that will include layoffs and restructuring, according to NBC News. CEO Jaymes Black said the organization, which has about 600 employees, is in the middle of a “perfect storm” of soaring crisis calls and messages from queer youths, an increasingly hostile anti-LGBTQ+ climate and a drop in individual donations. Aside from one large government grant that can be used only to fund its work related to the government’s 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, every other fundraising category “came in under the budgeted revenue” and has continued to decrease, Black stated.
Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) President Charles Moran said that he will be stepping down from leading the organization after five years at the helm, per a press release. The release stated, “Moran was named Managing Director of the Log Cabin Republicans in 2019 and President in 2021. During Moran’s tenure, the organization played a critical role in the 2022 midterms, securing the 2024 re-election of Donald Trump, and paving the way for the Republican Party’s historic embrace of LGBT conservatives and their allies.” Among those thanking Moran for his efforts were LCR Chair Richard Tisei and Log Cabin Institute Chair Shane Shannon. Moran will continue to serve as president until the board is able to properly identify candidates to succeed him.
Gay Capt. Paul Hrebenak filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department of illegally demoting him as well as subjecting him to harassment and retaliation for taking parental leave (for which he was granted permission) to care for his newborn son, The Washington Blade reported. Hrebenak is claiming that police officials violated the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act, a similar D.C. family leave law, and the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause by refusing to allow him to return to his position as director of the department’s School Safety Division upon his return from leave. D.C. police spokesperson Thomas Lynch said police had no comment, citing a longstanding D.C. police policy of not commenting on pending litigation.
The CrossFit Games had previously allowed transgender women to compete in their women’s category—but that’s no longer true, per Outsports. Without mentioning the words “trans” or “transgender,” the Games’ new gender-classification policy now places all competitors into the category corresponding with their “gender assigned at birth.” CrossFit is the latest sports organization to take action regarding trans women in sports’ female and women’s categories—and many trans people fear that the anti-trans policies of the new Trump administration could encourage more sports organizations to go this route.
In Dallas, a street market promoting predominantly LGBTQ+ small businesses in one of the city’s historic gay neighborhoods was shut down by the city after local businesses complained, KERA News reported. Market on the Strip, which launched last March, hosted local queer businesses every weekend; market manager Christopher Evans said he received a phone call in November from a staffer for City Council Member Paul Ridley, who told him a complaint was sent to their office. Days later, Evans said he submitted a request to allow the vendors to set up on the other side of the street, but was told by the city they were no longer allowed anywhere in the neighborhood—with no explanation. Ridley’s chief of staff, Max Sanchez, eventually told a market vendor that it wasn’t that office’s call to shut down the market. “As I understand it, they were already having issues with their permit and the officer of special events, unrelated to our inquiry,” the email read.
After a guest complained of mistreatment while using a ladies room at the venue, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will hold gender sensitivity training for its front-line staff and contractors throughout January, per Philadelphia Gay News. Francesca L. Cantarini, a gender nonconforming lesbian, said a male caterer at the museum tried to deny her access to a ladies room and a female guard harassed her as she used a toilet, shouting, “The man in this bathroom needs to get out now!” Vice President of External Affairs Maggie Fairs apologized for the incident and added that approximately 250 staffers and contractors will engage in training.
Poet, publisher, director and qFLIX founder Thom Cardwell passed away Jan. 2, according to Philadelphia Gay News. “[Cardwell was] a major force in QFest, the successor of the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival,” said a friend, filmmaker Judith Redding. “When QFest folded, Thom took the reins and founded, produced, and directed the qFLIX festival.” A celebration of life is in the works for the first weekend of April, around what would have been Cardwell’s 80th birthday. Cardwell is survived by his partner, Randal Edelstein.