The city council of Worcester, Massachusetts—responding to the community’s petition—voted in favor of becoming a sanctuary city for transgender and gender-diverse people, WBUR reported. The resolution affirms the city’s support for the queer and trans community after President Trump signed an executive action recognizing only two genders. ”This is my home,” said Brynn Cotter, a trans woman. “And I love this city, because in this city, I find my sanctuary.” The vote was nine to two, with dissenting council members expressing concern that the measure puts Worcester organizations and nonprofits at risk of losing funding.
As of Feb. 13, the word “transgender” has been removed from the Stonewall National Monument web page in New York City, News Is Out reported. The site and monument, which are part of the National Park Service, also removed the “T,” representing trans people, as well as the “Q,” for “queer.” Trans and gender-nonconforming people, butch lesbians and gay men were among those who led the rebellion, calling for better treatment and an end to anti-LGBTQ+ abuse; notable participants included Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Stormé DeLarverie, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Mark Segal, and Virginia Apuzzo, among others. Openly gay New York City Council member Erik Bottcher posted, “The Trump administration has erased transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website. We will not allow them to erase the very existence of our siblings. We are one community!!”
And in connection with that development, the Stonewall Inn held a rally to protest the Trump administration’s erasure of transgender people from its landmark’s website, The Advocate reported. Now the National Park Service website states, “Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) person was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGB civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.” The Stonewall Inn and the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, whose employees organized the protest, said in a statement that they are “outraged and appalled” by the development, calling it a “blatant act of erasure” that “not only distorts the truth of our history, but it also dishonors the immense contributions of transgender individuals—especially transgender women of color—who were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots and the broader fight for LGBTQ+ rights.”
Hundreds of activists, drag performers and allies took to the streets, marching from Washington Circle to the Kennedy Center in defiance of President Donald Trump’s appointment as chair of the D.C.-based performing arts institution, The Advocate noted. Protesters held signs reading “Drag is here to stay” and “Free D.C.,” while others played music and danced in the street. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA—ONLY THE BEST,” when he announced gay MAGA loyalist Ric Grenell, Trump’s special envoy, as the Kennedy Center’s “executive director”; however, that position doesn’t actually exist.
Democratic National Committee (DNC) members elected Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta as one of its three vice chairs, per News Is Out. In 2018, Kenyatta made history as the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He joins co-vice chairs David Hogg and Artie Blanco, along with newly elected chair Ken Martin, as part of the DNC’s new leadership team. “We must broaden our vision by supporting parties across all 57 states and territories,” Kenyatta emailed supporters. “Democrats are poised to organize within their communities, and it’s time to empower them. Establishing infrastructure in all 3,244 counties will enable local organizing and ensure we reach every ZIP code.”
LGBTQ+ U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) said that she may run for the U.S. Senate, per Yahoo! News. “I am giving serious consideration to the open Senate seat in Minnesota,” she wrote on social media. “I’ll be talking to Minnesotans in the weeks ahead about the best way to continue to serve my community and will make a decision in the near future.” Craig—the first out LGBTQ+ person to represent Minnesota in Congress—was first elected in 2018, flipping a Republican district.
Democratic Texas Rep. Venton Jones filed a bill this legislative session to ban insurance companies from requiring prior authorization before covering anti-HIV medications, KXAN reported. The bill, HB 1680, would apply to any insurance plan that covers a state resident—except for any issued before March 24, 2010—that hasn’t had “significant changes.” Jones emailed KXAN that this bill is critical for Texas, as the state ranked second in the nation for new HIV cases during the 2023 legislative session; he estimated that Texas has 5,000 new HIV diagnoses annually.
Also in Texas, state lawmakers are looking to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in higher education, KIII reported. House Bill 2311 would eliminate exemptions to the DEI ban, including student coursework and research, while House Bill 2339 would prohibit colleges from offering courses in LGBTQ+ or DEI studies. Political analyst Dr. Bill Chriss said the proposed bills violate one of the many freedoms students look forward to, stating, “That reduces students’ freedom of choice to take a professor they either want to be exposed to a different idea or teaches ideas they … have themselves.”
On a related note, in Michigan, the City of Lansing held a meeting to discuss its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, according to WILX. The city appointed Cheryl Bernard as its DEI advisor. During the public comment session, residents brought up recent attacks by the government against the trans community and asked for more protection.
Drag queen/climate activist Pattie Gonia became the first person to deliver a TED Talk in drag, according to LGBTQ Nation, citing Out. The almost 10-minute talk, “Why joy is a serious way to take action,” featured Pattie in a pink dress that displayed the words “Climate Change is a Drag.” She said that drag taught her that “you can take fighting for something seriously without taking yourself too seriously.” In addition to talking about the climate, Gonia spoke about queer history and how drag queens have always been at the forefront of protests and activism.
In the wake of the FCC chairman’s probe into DEI practices at Comcast and NBCUniversal, Amazon Studios has rolled back its inclusion program, according to Variety. “We’ve said from the beginning that our efforts to ensure diverse and inclusive storytelling would be fluid and change over time,” a spokesperson said. “Above all, we strive to tell the very best stories, while empowering diverse voices in our storytelling wherever possible.” Amazon introduced its inclusion playbook in 2021, with the goals of increasing racial, ethnic and gender diversity with its staff and casting a variety of characters in speaking roles. However, the inclusion guide was removed from Amazon’s website last September.
The Education Department is investigating if five Northern Virginia school districts violated Title IX and one of President Trump’s recent executive orders by letting transgender students use their chosen names and pronouns at school as well as access restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity, The Hill reported. The department’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating the Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William County school districts. America First Legal—founded by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller—argued in its complaint that the policies also conflict with a Jan. 29 executive order targeting public schools that promote what Trump and his administration call “gender ideology.”
The Indiana University School of Medicine cancelled its LGBTQ+ Health Care Conference fewer than three months before the event was to take place—and has said little about it, according to The Herald-Times. The school has hosted the conference, which is dedicated to “informing healthcare providers on the unique needs of LGBTQ patients,” either virtually or in-person since 2017. Chris Geidner—a journalist and legal expert who covers LGBTQ+ issues in the U.S. Supreme Court—said he was invited to be a keynote speaker at the 2025 conference just two days before he was informed it would not be held. Geidner said the sudden cancellation, without reason, left him thinking that efforts aimed at targeting DEI across the United States and in Indiana played a role.
And in other school-related news, Iowa’s “Don’t Say Gay” law would ban K-12 schools from offering instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation at all grade levels under a bill that would expand that statute, according to the Des Moines Register. Iowa’s law currently bans instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation through sixth grade; Gov. Kim Reynolds signed that law in 2023. A three-person House subcommittee voted two to one to advance House Study Bill 84, which would extend the ban on LGBTQ+-related teaching through high school.
One Institute announced the third annual Circa: Queer Histories Festival—promoted as the first and only LGBTQ+ History Month festival in the United States, according to a press release. The theme for this year’s Circa Festival is “Reclaiming Freedom,” highlighting how the LGBTQ+ community has relentlessly fought for liberation despite historical and ongoing threats to their rights. The festival will take place Oct. 1–31 at venues across Los Angeles County; submissions to this year’s call for program proposals are due by March 28.
Out WNBA star Brittney Griner pulled out of a speaking engagement after finding a piece of tape in her hotel room with the words “Gay Baby Jail” written on it, NBC News noted. Griner was slated to speak at the Women Grow 2025 Leadership Summit—dedicated to cannabis policy and industry—in National Harbor, Maryland, when she discovered the note. Griner had been imprisoned in Russia after vape canisters with cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February 2022; she was released the following December in a prisoner swap that the Biden administration brokered.
The NYC organization GMHC (formerly Gay Men’s Health Crisis) honored Broadway songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman with the annual Howard Ashman Award at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater on Feb. 10, Gay City News noted. The event featured a special performance from Shaiman, who sang Ashman’s song “Sheridan Square.” Also, Darlene Love, who was the lead singer of the group The Blossoms, performed “I Know Where I’ve Been,” while comedian/actress/singer/writer Bridgett Everett sang “I’ll Take You Home.” J. Harrison Ghee sang “You Coulda Knocked Me Over with a Feather,” and couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick presented awards.
Boston Pride For The People announced that the 2025 Pride Parade will take place on Saturday, June 14, accompanied by festivals on Boston Common and at City Hall Plaza, according to NBC Boston. “These past two years, I have had the pleasure of seeing a beautiful ocean of love, joy, and euphoria on the streets of Boston—all rooted in LGBTQ+ liberation. I expect this year to be just as moving,” said Boston Pride For The People President Adrianna Boulin . “Our commitment to building a celebration reflective of the dynamic ways LGBTQ+ communities honor Pride remains strong.”
In the latest chapter of corporate America’s changing stance on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Aldi silently scrubbed all DEI-related language from its U.S. careers page, MSN reported. No press release was issued. While some companies have taken a more public approach—either defending their DEI commitments or backtracking in response to conservative pushback—Aldi’s decision to remove DEI language without explanation suggests a more subtle retreat.
A venue in Columbia, South Carolina, hosted free weddings for LGBTQ+ couples and raised funds for a transgender organization, The Advocate noted. Y’all-Mart—a quarterly art fair held by Art Bar—recently invited couples to “come get gay married,” with a fee of $100 that included cupcakes, flowers, photography and bolo ties, according to the Columbia newspaper The State. All proceeds were slated for the name change and gender marker fund at the Harriet Hancock Center, the city’s LGBTQ+ community center. The event surpassed its goal of $2,000, raising $3,500, and the eight couples who got married did so for free.
In New Jersey, a new LGBTQ+-advocacy group has launched: the Pride Center of Montclair, Patch noted. The group announced, “The Pride Center of Montclair envisions a thriving, inclusive community where all LGBTQIA2S+ individuals are empowered, celebrated, and have equitable access to opportunities. We aim to be the premier resource hub fostering a society where diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, ability, and age is embraced and valued.” The organization aims to provide resources such as mental-health support, medical and legal assistance, interfaith connections and social programming for all ages.
As research has shown that LGBTQ+ folks often experience bias or discrimination regarding financial services, Business Insider ran an article on locating an LGBTQ+-friendly bank. Factors in such a bank include Inclusive policies and non-discrimination practices; training and support for LGBTQ+ employees; and support for queer causes and community engagement. Also, people should research and evaluate banks—and that includes asking friends and associates. “Asking people around you is really the best way to learn about how certain banks or certain organizations treat LGBTQ people,” said Brian Thompson, CFP, who heads Brian Thompson Financial.
According to Colorado Politics, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from Denver Public Schools parent Nathan Feldman, who wanted to force the district to display “straight pride” flags in his children’s classrooms. Feldman brought suit on behalf of himself and his two children, alleging discrimination and a violation of the First Amendment. Feldman—who wanted damages of at least $3 million and for an order allowing him to display the straight pride flag—filed suit after school administrators allegedly allowed “non-binary and non-cisgender students to have flags displayed that represent their genders but not allowing Plaintiffs to have flags displayed that represent their genders.”
At a U.S. House DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) hearing, openly gay Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of California held up a large photo of Elon Musk in a tuxedo, calling it his version of a “dick pic,” The Advocate noted. Garcia’s remark reminded some of a 2023 hearing where Republican Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene displayed explicit images of Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, prompting outrage. Texas Democratic Rep. Greg Casar appeared to suppress his laughter as Garcia revealed the image; however, Garcia’s critique was serious—directly aiming at Republican efforts to cut funding for the Department of Education, Medicare, Medicaid and the National Institutes of Health.