NATIONAL
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed eliminating federal housing protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation, LGBTQ Nation reported. The proposed rule would require temporary and emergency shelter programs that receive federal funding to house trans people in facilities that align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives very narrowly passed a bill that would establish anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people, as lawmakers approved H.B. 2103 101-100, LGBTQ Nation noted. Openly gay state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D) said that legislators have spent decades trying to enshrine these protections “because Pennsylvanians are experiencing this discrimination and they want it to end.”
Murry Foust—a 22-year-old trans student at Northern Kentucky University—has gone missing, according to Them. Foust was last seen April 27, captured on footage in Highland Heights’ Latonia neighborhood walking down a sidewalk wearing a yellow backpack. Police are asking anyone who sees Foust to call 911 immediately; anyone with tips is encouraged to call detectives at 859-292-2234 or reach out to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Crime Stoppers at 513-356-3020.
Openly gay former Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, talking with CNN’s Jake Tapper, said he is living with end-stage heart failure, The Advocate noted. He added that progressive Democrats were right to force the issue of inequality onto the party’s agenda—but added that he felt success also created a new problem: the momentum to push a broader set of social and cultural changes (e.g., trans women’s participation in sports) faster than the public was prepared to accept.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a woman does not have parenting rights to children born to her same-sex partner under Ohio law, The Ohio Capital Journal reported. Priya Shahani and Carmen Edmonds were never legally married, but entered into a shared custody agreement after they split. The three children born during the relationship had hyphenated names for the two women during their relationship, but Shahani removed the hyphenation later.
The TransLatin@ Coalition broke ground recently in East Hollywood for its future home—a $30-million facility, per Q Voice News. The new headquarters—located at 5314 Sunset Blvd. and scheduled to open next year—will be a 24,000-square-foot building. The TransLatin@ Coalition is the largest trans-led organization in the country.
You Gotta Believe—the New York City-based, national organization that specializes in finding permanent families for young adults, teens and pre-teens in foster care—celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special gala event in New York City, a press release noted. Ta’Nika Gibson hosted the event, which honored Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson; performers included Ainsley Melham, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Charlotte d’Amboise and Tony Yazbeck.
Freshman anthropology student Mia Wallen hosted an art exhibition titled “Queer Art, For and By Queer Artists” at the St. Louis Virtuoso Collective, The University News noted. All proceeds from the event went to Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis.
Conservative openly gay billionaire Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund raised $6 billion for a new fund to invest in later-stage companies—the firm’s largest haul ever, per Yahoo! Finance. One-quarter is from senior management and employees at Founders, including Thiel.
WORLD
The European Parliament voted in favor of a ban on conversion therapy—and the demand has been sent to the European Commission for a response, per LGBTQ Nation. The move came after the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) successfully petitioned the European Parliament to take up the issue, garnering more than 1.2 million signatures from EU citizens to ban the discredited practice.
More than six years after Botswana’s courts voided the ban on same-sex intimacy, the government has now formally removed the discriminatory provisions from the law, per Erasing 76 Crimes. Attorney General Dick Bayford has removed the sections, leaving only the actions of anyone who “has carnal knowledge of an animal” as an unnatural offense.
The Vatican released a report from Group 9—the study group from the 2024 General Assembly of Synod on Synodality that handled the topic of “controversial issues,” per New Ways Ministry. The report surprised many because of how progressive it was in recommending processes that hold hope for a more open discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in the church.
In the world of pro tennis, queer player Daria Kasatkina won her first tournament since becoming an Australian citizen when she topped Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in this year’s Catalonia Open final in Vic, Spain, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The win couldn’t have happened at a better time for Kasatkina, who had slumped to her lowest world ranking for 11 years. She entered the tournament ranked #75 in the global WTA standings—a far cry from her career-best ranking of eight, which she achieved in 2022.
In a first-time joint action, radical feminist activist groups Pussy Riot and FEMEN occupied the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, per a press release. Police had to close the doors of the pavilion, as a loud protest performance happened outside. After performing “Disobey,” FEMEN stepped forward with blue and yellow smoke, Ukrainian flags and chants. Pussy Riot members wore pink ski masks and had pink smoke; also, they raised their fists, played guitars and moshed in protest.
The Argentinian film A Few Feet Away will be available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, GooglePlay/YouTube, Tubi, Pluto and additional VODs on May 25, per a press release. Directed by Tadeo Pestaño Caro, the film—which stars Max Suen, Jazmín Carballo and Esteban Kukuriczka—focuses on Santiago, who works in a data center by day and obsessively searches gay hookup apps by night. He begins to realize that while sex may be plentiful, intimacy is a rarity. A trailer is here.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi want to build new horse stables at their farm estate in the Cotswolds, England—but their plans might not happen, as they would be building on land that could contain Roman remains, Page Six noted. DeGeneres and de Rossi first purchased the 43-acre property in 2024 before implementing major renovations.
SHOWBIZ
Uzo Aduba and Darren Criss announced nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing’s 79th Annual Antoinette Perry Tony Awards®, per a press release. Just a few of the individual and production nominees include The Lost Boys, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Nathan Lane, costume designer Paul Tazewell, Carrie Coon, Luke Evans, Stephanie Hsu, Andre De Shields and Giant. P!NK will host the awards event at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall on June 7. Tickets are available at TonyAwards.com and Ticketmaster.com.
Queer musician Brandi Carlile, trans-led band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, The Hayley Williams Show, Suki Waterhouse and Mitski are among those taking part in D.C.’s All Things Go Festival 2026, a media release noted. The festival is set for Sept. 25-27 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.Elton John is slated to provide a rare performance at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) Hot Pink Party at NYC’s Glasshouse on May 12. Elizabeth Hurley is hosting the affair, which features honorary/gala co-chairs such as John and husband David Furnish as well as fashion designers Michael Kors and Vera Wang.
Obscured Pictures released its Pride Month slate via a media release. Among the movies are Blue Film (with Reed Birney and Kieron Moore); the horror item Leviticus; the coming-of-age comedy She’s the He; and Stop! That! Train!, with RuPaul and several Drag Race alumni.
Celebrating its 28th year, organizers of the Provincetown International Film Festival—running June 10-14—announced its lineup of narrative, documentary and short films as well as honorees for this year’s Filmmaker on the Edge and Festival Tribute. Director/producer Ryan Murphy will be named 2026’s “Filmmaker on the Edge” while choreographer/director Adam Shankman will be honored with a Festival Tribute. Shankman’s Stop! That! Train! will be the opening-night film while Kevin Bacon’s Family Movie will close the festival.
Vulture celebrated the inaugural class of Reality Masterminds—a list of more than two dozen of the most influential reality figures of the past year—at The Lawn Club in New York City, per a press release. The event recognized the selected Masterminds plus celebrated Andy Cohen with Vulture’s Honorary Degree and Kathy Hilton as the Forever Icon.
Madonna’s “I Feel So Free” opened at #12 on Billboard’s recently launched Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart—marking her debut on that list, Forbes noted. Madonna arrives on a Billboard chart that women have dominated since it was first published in January 2025. Madonna debuted right below Adela, whose single “KGB” started at #11.
The recent Brooklyn drag event “Turning Point U.S. Gay NYC” raised more than $25,000 for the American Civil Liberties Union, Instinct noted. Among other things, drag queen Lauren Banall revisited her now-viral impersonation inspired by Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk—using eye drops for tears and a handkerchief for dramatics.
Two years after collaborating with the Ohio University Symphony Orchestra, queer duo Indigo Girls returned to Ohio University on April 24, Ohio Today noted. Approximately 60 students and three faculty members performed on stage, supported by a larger team working behind the scenes to bring the concert together.
Cast and crew from The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy reunited for a special 25th anniversary benefit screening of the gay-themed movie—including Billy Porter, Zach Braff and writer/director Greg Berlanti, Queerty noted. “I got some choice words for that b*tch now,” said Porter about conservative co-star Dean Cain, prompting laughter. “We ain’t going there. It’s a celebration!” However, Cain still speaks with pride about his role in the movie.
Dolly Parton canceled her previously postponed Las Vegas residency due to ongoing health issues, but said, “I’m improving every day,” Billboard noted. “Some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swimmy headed, as my grandma used to say,” added Parton, who plans to open her SongTeller hotel and museum next year in Nashville.
Supermodel Alex Consani made history as the first trans woman to serve on the Met Gala host committee, per LGBTQ Nation. This year’s theme, costume art, brought out a host of elaborate ensembles from queer celebrities like Ben Platt, Lux Pascal, Colman Domingo, Law Roach and Hunter Schafer.
In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning (out May 19), Heroes and Scream star Hayden Panettiere comes out as bisexual, Out noted. At one point, Panettiere stated that she was “afraid” that if she were honest about her sexuality, it would seem like she was “jumping on the bandwagon.”
The Netflix drama Unchosen has thrust openly gay actor Fra Fee (who portrays Sam) into the spotlight, The Tab noted. Fee (who’s married to former boy-band member Declan Bennett) has also starred in Rebel Moon and Hawkeye. He came out to friends when he was studying at Manchester University. Fee grew up in a very religious setting in Northern Ireland and didn’t feel safe enough to come out until he moved to England.
The conservative group One Million Moms is upset that a “vulgar” 30-second commercial for Dr. Squatch men’s deodorant features “highly suggestive and offensive sexual innuendos,” and the “provocatively dressed” bisexual actress Megan Fox, LGBTQ Nation noted. The ad, “Glide Test,” is actually just one of several ads featuring Fox as the head professor of the fictional F.O.X. (the Foundation for Odor Excellence).