Warning: This column mentions violent attacks.
NATIONAL
Queer Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, was among four U.S. soldiers killed during an Iranian missile attack on a base in Jordan, CBS News noted. Donovan Richards—the president of Queens, the borough where Rampersad lived—stated, “To Angel’s wife, her parents, sister and loved ones, we thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice because it is a sacrifice.” Rampersad is survived by her parents, older sister and her wife, whom she met in the military.
All House Democrats voted against U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s amendment to the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would have banned trans people from serving in the military, LGBTQ Nation noted. The amendment claimed that trans people “cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.” Democrats were joined by four House Republicans to defeat the measure 217-212.
The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program (HOPWA) is being drawn into the Trump administration’s expanding system of immigration checks, The Advocate reported.
Florida may elect two Black gay Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives this year: incumbent Shevrin Jones and candidate Elijah Manley, The Los Angeles Blade noted. However, Manley is seeking a seat from the state’s 20th Congressional District—against longtime Democratic Congresswoman and queer ally Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is running there instead of the 22nd, where she lives. (Because of redistricting by the state’s GOP-led government, the 22nd is now Republican-leaning, hence Wasserman Schulz’s decision to run in the 20th District.)
In California, several LGBTQ+ Bay Area city councilmembers launched their bids for re-election, Bay Area Reporter noted. They include Sunnyvale City Councilmember Richard Mehlinger, Redwood City District 2 City Councilmember Chris Sturken, San Leandro District 2 City Councilmember James Aguilar and Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, among others.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a new law eliminating a felony enhancement for people with HIV who don’t disclose their status while engaging in prostitution, The Advocate noted. The Pennsylvania LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus had worked for years to modernize the state’s criminal code.
In her first political ad, Darline Graham—sister of the recently deceased (and allegedly queer) anti-LGBTQ+ Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)—said, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports” and other statements meant to bolster her MAGA conservative credentials, according to LGBTQ Nation. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline to fill her deceased brother’s U.S. Senate seat two days after his death. She is now running against nine other Republican candidates (including former U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford) in the GOP’s Aug. 11 special primary race to hold the seat for the next six years.
In North Carolina, authorities shot and killed an armed man outside the Asheville gay bar Shakey’s, per The Advocate. The staff posted online that police were called after a man who had been ejected from the bar earlier that night was seen in the parking lot holding a gun.
In Florida, Black trans teen Jayla McGee was fatally shot—but almost no one reported the news, The Advocate noted. McGee’s relatives announced her death on social media after she died July 5.; posts promoting a candlelight vigil held July 18 identified her as Jayla and Baby Jay, while others used her apparent assigned name. However, the Palm Beach sheriff’s office misgendered and deadnamed her. Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents noted that McGee was the 15th reported transgender person of color killed in the United States this year.
U.S. President Donald Trump mocked trans advocate/actress Dylan Mulvaney in his White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech—and she responded, per Yahoo! Mulvaney said, in part, that “being publicly mocked and criticized by this administration is actually, like, the greatest compliment of all.” Originally, Trump said, “I thought [CNN’s] Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can—it was Dylan Mulvaney. That was the worst commercial ever made, by the way. … I wouldn’t want to hire Dylan any time soon.”
The University of Alabama system voided explicit protections for LGBTQ+ people from its nondiscrimination policy, The Advocate noted, citing The Crimson White. The change seems to have happened last November. University officials told the student newspaper that the change aligns with federal law, particularly current federal interpretations of titles VII and IX.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, historians Josh Burford and Maigen Sullivan have been quietly building the Invisible Histories Project—which may be the largest collection documenting the South’s queer history, WFAE noted. The archive contains photos, videos, love letters, political memorabilia, costumes and more dating back to the 1940s.
Ames, Iowa, is ready to welcome its only queer nightclub, The Ames Tribune noted. Studio 13 in Ames plans to debut in the lower level of 400 Main St., with a grand opening slated for Aug. 21. Spectrum Hospitality Group CEO Jason Zeman described the Ames location as a high‑energy nightclub, most similar to the Iowa City flagship.
Michael J. Anderson has been chosen as the new Edgar D. and Deborah R. Jannotta President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago History Museum, a press release noted. Anderson—a member of the LGBTQ+ community who was previously vice president of external affairs and development—was named interim president after his predecessor, Donald Lassere, resigned in January.
BEAR—the magazine dedicated to rugged, furry queer culture—is returning to print this September after 15 years away, The Dallas Voice noted. The new quarterly will be available to buy online, at major bear events and in certain retail stores.
In Downey, California, “Stronger Together” is this year’s theme for the 6th Annual Downey Pride Festival that will be held Aug. 8, per Adelante and the event’s website. Mexican-American rapper/singer Snow Tha Product will headline the event.
In Minnesota, Kaohly Her—St. Paul’s first female mayor—is reportedly under investigation for sexual harassment following a complaint filed by Police Chief Axel Henry, The Guardian noted. Allegations against Her (who plans to remain in office, per KARE11) include commenting on the breasts of a female deputy chief in a locker room then asking that woman her thoughts on Her’s breasts; and engaging in unwanted physical contact and sexualized communication with Henry.
WORLD
During a confrontation, police shot and killed Abdul Ballout—the suspect in the deadly Berlin Pride attack that left one person dead and 29 injured, the AP reported. Prosecutors said Ballout had previously tried to join the militant Islamic State group. Hundreds of thousands of people were in Berlin to celebrate Christopher Street Day—one of Europe’s largest queer celebrations.
However, despite the horrific attack in Berlin, hundreds of thousands of people lined Amsterdam’s canals on Aug. 1 to watch the city’s canal boat parade—the highlight of an annual Pride festival, the AP noted. Openly gay Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten waved to crowds as he sailed in a small boat through the colorfully decorated parade of 80 vessels.
More than 50 queer people from Spain, Mexico and the United States recently journeyed along the Camino de Santiago—the historic Spanish pilgrimage route to the tomb of St. James the Greater, according to New Ways Ministry. The pilgrimage coincided with Pope Leo’s visit to Spain, which sparked public debate on the role of the institutional Church in Spain.
Nigeria’s Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) expelled two students accused of engaging in same-sex relationships, according to Erasing 76 Crimes, citing the BBC. The country’s Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, signed into law in 2014, imposes a 14-year prison sentence for anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage or civil union.
Thailand is solidifying its position as a top destination for LGBTQ+ travelers in Asia, per Nomad Lawyer. The latest results from the Spartacus Gay Travel Index 2026 place the country ahead of several regional heavyweights, including Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and Cambodia.
In addressing the European Parliament in Brussels recently, Cardinal Robert Sarah—who formerly served as prefect of the Roman Catholic Church’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments—criticized attempts by the European Union to use international law to require African countries to be more open to accepting abortion and LGBTQ+ ideology, according to The Christian Post.
In the UK, there has been another annual rise in the number of Premier League soccer matches at which anti-queer incidents are reported, Outsports noted. Hate-crime incidents related to sexual orientation were reported at 14.7% of all games in England’s elite men’s soccer league during the 2025-26 season—a 1.8% increase compared to the previous season.
Gay British music legend Boy George is receiving backlash for releasing a controversial new song titled “Od Nirkod (We Will Dance Again),” with the caption “Shalom” to his X account, according to Out. The reggae-style record refers to the Hamas attack on the Supernova Sukkot Gathering festival on Oct. 7, 2023. George’s comment section was flooded with posts that called out his “narcissist” move to release a song denying a mass genocide, although he called the song “pro-peace.”
In Japan, newly restored 4K versions of pioneering gay director Ryosuke Hashiguchi’s movies Hush! (2002) and All Around Us (2008) are in theaters, per The Japan Times. Despite Hush!’s triumphs, Hashiguchi struggled with depression, resulting in a seven-year gap until All Around Us.
SHOWBIZ
WNBA superstar Brittney Griner is now separated from Cherelle, her wife of eight years, and wants a divorce, according to Them, citing TMZ. Atlanta attorney Cherelle Griner stood by her wife when she was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison in 2022; they have been raising a son named Bash Raymond Griner, born in 2024. The basketball icon (who currently plays for the Connecticut Sun) said in a document that their marriage is “irretrievably broken.”
Instinct ran an article on the best queer movies on Netflix right now. Some of them include the Oscar winner Moonlight; The Half of It, which offers a thoughtful representation of Asian-American experiences; the trans documentaries Will & Harper and Disclosure; Rustin, about the late civil-rights leader Bayard Rustin; God’s Own Country, starring Josh O’ Connor (Disclosure Day) and Alec Secăreanu; the lesbian documentary A Secret Love; and the modern classic Brokeback Mountain.
Starting Aug. 25, Broadway’s The Rocky Horror Show will welcome Lorna Courtney and out gay actor Kevin McHale (Glee) as its new Janet and Brad, respectively, per Playbill. And beginning Sept. 11, Scissor Sisters frontman and former Broadway Kinky Boots leading man Jake Shears will return to Broadway in the revival as Frank-n-Furter; he’ll succeed 2026 Tony nominee Luke Evans, who’s taking his final bow Aug. 23 (along with queer actress Stephanie Hsu and Andrew Durand).
Transgender, non-binary runner Nikki Hiltz won the women’s 1,500-meter race at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in New York on July 25, Marathon Handbook noted. The win was the eighth consecutive national title Hiltz has won, counting both the indoor and outdoor championships—a record for the event.
Queer actors Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson co-star in the horror movie Camp Miasma, which will be in theaters Aug. 7, per a press release. The plot is described thusly: “After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young director for resurrection. But when she visits the original’s star, a now-reclusive actress shrouded in mystery, the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear and delirium.”
The upcoming national tour of Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary! has RuPaul’s Drag Race star Alaska Thunderf*ck and non-binary Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot) joining the tour’s first performances, per Playbill. The tour is set to launch from Hartford, Connecticut’s Bushnell beginning Sept. 19 before visiting Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, D.C. and more; a full itinerary and ticketing links are at OhMaryPlay.com.
Queer comic Cameron Esposito is hosting the new season of King of Drag, with Ginger Minj, Gottmik, Vico Ortiz and Yvie Oddly among the guest judges, according to Them, citing Variety. The season will begin streaming on Revry on Sept. 20.
New York City-based queer dark pop/electronic artist Danny Blu has released “Type,” the first single from his forthcoming full-length album, a press release noted. The release also stated, “The upcoming album inhabits a world fueled by rebellion, sex, manipulation, grief, passion and reckless abandon.”
Summer House’s West Wilson—anti-trans WNBA player Sophie Cunningham’s friend and co-host on the Show Me Something podcast—posted a viral TikTok video defending trans athletes, Out noted. In part, Wilson said, ““There [are], like, 10 transgender athletes in all the NCAA. I think there are unique questions that can be handled on [an] individual basis, but to allow this to take attention away from housing, healthcare, wars and all the other actual harmful shit in our country is dumb.”
Non-binary “Stay With Me” singer Sam Smith confirmed to The New York Times that they and their partner of three years, fashion designer Christian Cowan, are officially engaged, People noted. News of Smith’s engagement comes ahead of the release of the singer’s fifth studio album, Hazel Eyes—and the title refers to Cowan’s eye color.
Chicago’s Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival revealed a peek at this year’s program with the announcement of five of this year’s feature films, all part of the 44th edition of the annual film festival that will run in person Sept. 17-27, a press release noted. The movies include I Am Going to Miss You, Jaripeo, Meeting Marsha, Son of Sara and Test.
Under Armour announced Canadian bi actor François Arnaud (Heated Rivalry) as a global brand ambassador, per a press release. Arnaud will headline “For When It’s Hot,” a new campaign celebrating Under Armour’s HeatGear® franchise.
The White House responded to Reacher actor Alan Ritchson’s criticism of politicians over the government’s handling of the Epstein files, EW noted. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, “Just as President Trump has said, he’s been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein [and he] … has done more for Epstein’s victims than anyone before him.” On a podcast, Ritchson said, “The Epstein files? The f—ing Epstein files? Goddammit, where are they? It’s a f—ing law, b—h, show it. You f—ing pedophiles.”
Chris Blake Griffith—who has claimed NFL star Stefon Diggs sexually assaulted him—has been asked to submit text messages, according to HotNewHipHop.com. Griffith has also been asked to produce travel expenses and documents between May 20-23, 2023—the dates of the alleged incident. In the aftermath of these allegations, Diggs sued for defamation; Griffith then countersued.