NATIONAL
Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed what LGBTQ+-rights advocates called an anti-transgender “bathroom bounty” bill, The Advocate noted. Senate Bill 244 would have required trans people to restrooms and other single-sex facilities in government buildings according to their sex assigned at birth, not their gender identity. It also would have banned multi-occupancy gender-neutral restrooms in government buildings.
In Orlando, Florida, the Pulse Nightclub—the scene of a horrific 2016 mass shooting that resulted in 49 people being killed and 53 being wounded—is set to be demolished next month in preparation for the construction of a permanent memorial, The Advocate noted. The city of Orlando took over the memorial’s development after a private nonprofit organization, the onePULSE Foundation, was dissolved in 2023. It is scheduled to start construction this fall, and is expected to be completed at the end of 2027.
NYU Langone Health—a major New York City provider of trans healthcare—has banned gender-affirming medical care to trans minors because of the “current regulatory environment,” according to Them, citing The New York Times. While patients can still receive mental-health care for gender-related issues at NYU, many felt the policy change is an alarming blow against the city’s trans youth. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said to the Times, “I’m horrified at the consequences that might result for some of these young people. It’s crucial that they find alternative care as soon as possible, and I think it’s the responsibility of the hospitals that are ending this treatment to make those arrangements.”
The Tennessee House of Representatives passed House Bill 1473, which claims the state’s private citizens and organizations are not bound by the Fourteenth Amendment or by the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges when it comes to recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples, The Advocate noted. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso, passed 68–24 after advancing through committee largely along party lines. In a statement, the Tennessee Equality Project said, “This bill sows fear about the very protections that give families security, and it fails to address real problems in our state like emergency preparedness and the affordability crisis.”
The pro-LGBTQ+ organization PFLAG was among the many offering statements regarding the passing of civil-rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson. CEO Brian K. Bond said, “As we learn of the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, we mourn the loss of a giant among us. … In his address to the Democratic National Convention in 1984, Rev. Jackson named us specifically as part of the fabric of the ‘American Quilt.’ He has shown up for and marched with the LGBTQ+ movement through the AIDS crisis, marriage equality, and ever after. Rev. Jackson’s leadership and allyship for LGBTQ+ people will be felt profoundly by his PFLAG family. We will honor his legacy as we continue to strive to achieve justice and equality for all.”
In California, Visalia Unified School District Superintendent Kirk Shrum called the anti-gay slur photo taken by a group of high school students—featuring them spelling out “2 Faggots“ on their shirts—an act that has deeply impacted our community, per the Fresno Bee. (Initially, the front row of students wore white shirts with black letters and numbers, initially spelling out “Always legit, Class of 2026,” per Q Voice News.) According to a Visalia Times Delta news report, the school’s associated student body led an eighth-grade orientation on Thursday when some of the group’s leaders reacted to two middle-school boys holding hands. District officials said hate speech will not be tolerated.
WORLD
Legislators in the Mexico City Congress introduced a legislative package aimed at improving and expanding LGBTQ+ rights, according to Out & About Puerto Vallarta. The package includes four proposed bills and 17 resolutions accrued from discussions held during the LGBTIQ+ Parliament 2025.
One proposal would amend the city’s fiscal code to establish incentives intended to promote inclusion and prevent discrimination; another seeks changes to the penal code related to hate speech; and yet another would modify the health law to include provisions guaranteeing comprehensive, non-discriminatory medical care for LGBTQ+ people.
Uganda’s Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal challenging the 2012 closure of a queer advocacy workshop that Sexual Minorities Uganda and Freedom and Roam Uganda organized, Erasing 76 Crimes noted. The decision upholds the High Court’s 2014 finding that the shutdown was justified in the public interest to protect so-called moral standards. East African Visual Artists Executive Director Vincent Kyabayinze reacted, saying, “By upholding the ban on workshops, the court signals that any civic gathering or community education can be branded a ‘threat.’”
The Church of England’s ruling body recently agreed to halt work on LGBTQ+ equality, per The Guardian. At a meeting in London, the General Synod backed a document from bishops concluding that an agreement between conservative and liberal groups within the church could not be reached. The issue will now be tabled until a new synod is in place. Liberal and conservative factions are likely to campaign on the issue in elections later this year.
As Stephen Thairu Kamau reportedly faces deportation from Sweden back to Kenya, serious concerns are being raised about his safety should he return home, MSN noted. According to sources familiar with his case, Kamau was involved in online activism and advocacy around LGBTQ+ issues during his time in Kenya—and that subject remains very divisive in the African country. Also, reports indicate that Kamau’s family has publicly disowned him.
A married couple from Azerbaijan claimed the Trump administration is keeping one husband locked in an immigration detention center in Georgia even though both men—one of whom is a legal permanent resident—agreed to leave the United States immediately, per The Advocate. Samir Gadirov said he and husband Tural Atakishiyev have already decided to leave the United States and return to Azerbaijan. Atakishiyev has been held at Stewart Detention Center since Jan. 14; Gadirov said they are waiting for a judge’s decision so his husband can leave voluntarily.
At the Winter Olympics in Italy, U.S. Olympic hockey star Hilary Knight proposed to fellow U.S. Olympian, speed skater Brittany Bowe, per The Advocate. They are one of at least five same-sex couples competing this year. Former figure skater Adam Rippon was among those congratulating them, posting, “OMGGGG I WANT TO FLIP TABLES I WANT TO SCREAM I WANT TO CRY. I am also OBSESSED with how gay it is to propose in sweats. I LOVE YOU GIRLS!”
WOW Presents Plus announced that it is expanding the Drag Race universe in Canada with the all-new series Canada’s Drag Race: All Stars, a press release touted. Brooke Lynn Hytes will be host and resident judge, alongside judges Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race season-one winner) and Jimbo (RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars season-eight winner), forming the first all-drag judging panel in Drag Race her-story. The series will premiere later this year on WOW Presents Plus, and the full cast will be announced at a later date.
SHOWBIZ
Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Matt Ross announced the world premiere of the new musical The Interestings, directed by openly gay Tony winner Michael Arden, per Broadway World. The production—which will be part of Berkeley Rep’s 2026-27 season—features music and lyrics by Grammy winner/Tony and Primetime Emmy nominee/multi-platinum recording artist Sara Bareilles. Performances begin at the California venue on Jan. 31, 2027, with an opening night set for Feb. 17, 2027.
GLAAD announced that Demi Lovato—who received the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award in 2016—will perform at the 37th Annual Media Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 5, per a press release. Actor/producer Jonathan Bennett will host the event; he returns as a two‑time 2026 nominee for the categories of Outstanding Reality Competition Program and Outstanding Film: Streaming or TV. Some of the expected guests include Camila Mendes, Cara Delevingne, the Heated Rivalry cast, Claybourne Elder, Colton Underwood, Don Lemon, Eugene Daniels, George Wallace, Kristen Wiig, Lauren Chan, Laverne Cox, Stephanie Beatriz, Tig Notaro, Tom Daley and Tonatiuh.
On March 4 at L.A.’s Fonda Theatre, GLAAD will host the Fifth Annual #GLAADHonors—a celebration of LGBTQ Black & Brown leaders in entertainment, advocacy, journalism and GLAAD Awards nominees ahead of the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, a press release noted. Jerrie Johnson and Jordan E. Cooper are slated to host, with performers including Destin Conrad, LaLa Ri, LG and Zach Campbell. And David Archuleta will perform on March 3 at an event honoring Latine nominees of the GLAAD Media Awards, a separate release noted. Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero will co-host the event, which will count Carmen Carrera, David Hernandez(American Idol), Ian Paget, Carmen Carrera and Salina EsTitties among its guests.
Queer British rock star and Grammy winner Yungblud officially released the long-awaited second installment of his concept album, Idols, called Idols II, per a press release. The album is out now via Capitol Records/Locomotion and features six new songs alongside the Yungblud and The Smashing Pumpkins’ version of “Zombie.” Yungblud said, “Part 2 is about realizing that I am alive, that I am real, that this journey that I’ve been on didn’t kill me. It’s about realizing that you can feel invincible when you actually feel yourself. It’s about comprehending that my heart is beating and that my lungs are filling up with air.”
The Hannah Montana 20thAnniversary Special is coming to Disney+ on March 24, a press release noted. The special will celebrate the series exactly two decades after its Disney Channel debut. The event will be filmed in front of a live studio audience and will feature an exclusive, in-depth interview with star Miley Cyrus, with Alex Cooper hosting.
Barbra Streisand faced backlash for her “tone-deaf” post about gold medal-winning Team USA ice skater Alysa Liu after mentioning she was “half-Chinese,” per Yahoo! Part of a congratulatory post read, “I heard that she is half-Chinese. My second family in Brooklyn that lived above us was a Chinese family called the Choys. I worked in their Chinese restaurant since I was 12 years old and also [babysat] for their children. She was like a second mother to me.” Some people said Streisand made Liu’s win all about herself while another said, “‘I heard she is half-Chinese’ took me out.”