Warning: This column mentions violence and self-harm.
NATIONAL
The Trump administration finalized a rule that voids Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for gender-affirming medical care for young transgender people, The Advocate reported. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule requires state Medicaid programs to stop paying for what the administration calls “sex-rejecting procedures” for people younger than 18 and imposes a corresponding ban on CHIP for those younger than 19.
The 2026 Sexually Liberal City Index, compiled by adult entertainment platform Erobella, found that San Francisco is the world’s best city for queer life, topping places such as Amsterdam, Paris and Vancouver, per PinkNews. The study scored 41 cities worldwide across four areas: sex-work law, LGBTQ+ life, reproductive health and adult lifestyle. San Francisco was the only U.S. city in the top 10.
The trans-led nonprofit organization Point of Pride awarded $340,000 to 153 people through its 2026 HRT Access Fund, which helps trans people afford life-saving hormone replacement therapy (HRT)—a new milestone for the organization, a press release announced. To date, the organization has now awarded more than $6.3 million to trans people in need since 2016, with nearly $2 million this year alone.
A new lawsuit claims that Penn State Health violated EJ Stiles’ civil rights when a hospital “abruptly” canceled a gender-affirming procedure less than 24 hours before it was scheduled, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star noted. Doctors for Stiles—who is nonbinary and has a gender dysphoria diagnosis—recommended a mastectomy “to align their outward presentation with their gender identity,” the filing stated. The lawsuit added that administrators at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center claimed such a procedure would violate Catholic doctrine.
On Aug. 11, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Democratic primary for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat—turning back lesbian moderate Rep. Angie Craig in a brutal race, Politico reported. One of the hot points was Craig’s vote for the Trump-backed Laken Riley Act; Craig said in March that she regretted her vote on the GOP-led immigration bill. In New York City, two men allegedly yelled anti-queer slurs and violently attacked two other men in Manhattan, per Gay City News. Two men, ages 31 and 37, were in front of 1190 Broadway near West 29th St. when two unknown individuals approached them and hurled slurs before pushing, punching and kicking them.
Frank Perez—a writer, educator and archivist whose work preserved generations of LGBTQ+ history in New Orleans and who once was a Southern Decadence grand marshal—died at age 57 after a sudden battle with cancer, per The Advocate. The co-founder of LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana is survived by his partner of 12 years, Chris Trentacoste; and his parents, Louise McCann and Frank Perez.
The city of Miami plans to name a part of the street near Bayfront Park after Ruth Shack, a champion of LGBTQ+ rights and a former Dade County commissioner who died in May at age 94, The Miami Herald noted. In 1977, Shack sponsored an amendment to Miami-Dade’s Human Rights Ordinance that protected people from workplace, housing and other types of bias based on their sexual orientation. Anti-gay activist Anita Bryant overturned Shack’s efforts after Bryant petitioned to put the ordinance on the ballot; however, the protections were restored in a 1998 vote.
In Oakland, California, Bishop O’Dowd Catholic High School will be greeting students with a new symbol—a rainbow-color letter “O” that is the school’s official logo, according to New Ways Ministry. In a letter to the school community, President Kim Walsh said the change was made because of an undisclosed problem that occurred last school year when the Pride flag was displayed at school.
In Virginia, Democratic U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman went to predominantly Republican Kings County to reach out to local Democrats—but he ended up defending himself to transgender members of his own party before leaving after a profane confrontation with a constituent, The Advocate noted. In a statement to the outlet, Vindman said, “I failed to meet my own high standards, and for that I am sorry. As a leader, I should spend more time listening and less time talking.”
San Francisco queer bars Badlands and Toad Hall discontinued the use of AI-assisted face-scanning technology after facing community backlash over privacy concerns, The Advocate noted. The San Francisco Gazetteer reported on the use of AI-assisted recognition software at those clubs and The Mix, where managers have defended the screening technology with local press.
In Delaware, the Hideout Arcade Bar & Grille was fined a second time ($15,000 this time) for discriminating against a transgender woman, The Advocate reported. Hideout employees denied trans woman Kaitie Sorber access to the women’s restroom. “She was confronted, required to display her identification again, and instructed she could only use the men’s bathroom,” read a complaint summary.
Grindr CEO George Arison told CNBC that he believes AI can simultaneously create a new premium subscription business while also changing how quickly its engineers build software. He added that Grindr has not eliminated any jobs because of AI adoption but has expanded the use of tools from Cursor, Anthropic’s Claude and Devin.
The WNBA criticized people trying to create a narrative about trans women playing in the league, the AP reported. “There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” a league spokesperson said. Two former NBA players—Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White—declared themselves eligible for next April’s WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.
As college athletes become more prominent targets for sexual exploitation online, the NCAA and FBI announced a partnership to educate athletes on how to prevent private images from falling into the wrong hands, ESPN noted.
WORLD
For the first time, Australia’s census (which is currently held under the center-left Labor Party) has included sexual orientation and gender identity, PinkNews noted. The change was reported Aug. 11,, ahead of Australia’s next national population and housing count that same day. The inclusion means sexuality will be captured in official statistics collected at a national level.
After a nearly four-year legal battle, Fabiana Banzer and Scarlett Rocha became the first same-sex couple to be civilly married in Bolivia, LGBTQ Nation noted. However, the victory only applies to them since Article 63 of the South American country’s constitution still bans same-sex marriages.
The archbishop of Tokyo, Cardinal Isao Kikuchi, lauded the decision of Japan’s government to promote the public understanding of the LGBTQ+ people, New Ways Ministry noted. Kikuchi told UCA News that new plan for how government agencies approach LGBT issues was“meaningful” and “the Japanese government had clearly articulated a policy aimed at deepening understanding of sexual minorities.”
In Senegal, 28 out of 99 men who were arrested on charges of homosexuality have been released and the charges against them were dropped, Erasing 76 Crimes noted. The others still face legal proceedings on charges of “unnatural acts” and criminal conspiracy. Consensual same-sex relations are punishable by five to 10 years in prison, along with excessive fines.
Erasing 76 Crimes noted that Cameroon’s queer community is experiencing an unprecedented crisis because of the departure of many strong leaders, a decline in funding, and the absence of institutional support. Last year, following a police raid, health authorities ordered the closure of the LGBTQ+-rights group Alternatives-Cameroun; later, the activists resigned and the organization closed its doors.
Miss Equality World 2026 will take place Aug. 22-30 in Bangkok, Thailand, per the event’s website. Miss Equality World is described as “an international beauty pageant that highlights humanitarian issues and gender equality, particularly within the transgender community.” Among the judges will be Chicago queer-rights activist and Metropolitan Water Reclamation Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis.
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) and the IGLTA Foundation marked World LGBTQ+ Tourism Day (Aug. 10) by honoring the legacy of the late President/CEO John Tanzella and inviting the global travel industry to invest in the next generation of LGBTQ+ tourism leaders through the John Tanzella Fellowship Fund, a press release noted.
Right-wing political figure Nigel Farage regained his seat in the UK Parliament, beating a field of fringe candidates led by trash-can-wearing comic Count Binface in a special election that mainstream parties boycotted and called a farce, the AP noted. In July, Farage quit his seat amid an investigation into whether he failed to report a $6.7-million gift from an overseas crypto billionaire. However, the investigation—which had been suspended when he stepped down— resumed hours after the result was announced.
SHOWBIZ
Pro women’s tennis player Coco Gauff understands the reasoning behind the WTA Tour’s new gene-testing policy—but doesn’t like how politicized the discussion becomes in generating what Gauff called “animosity [toward[ the trans community,” ESPN noted. Gauff also questioned the process’ transparency by noting that some players didn’t find out about the new policy until it was announced.
GLAAD hosted Reel Change: Black Film, Culture, and the Stories That Shape Us—a panel at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival exploring how film and visual storytelling can shape culture, influence perception and expand what’s possible for Black LGBTQ+ communities, a press release noted. The panel featured Emmy-winning actress, producer and activist Laverne Cox; ViiV Healthcare Head of Enterprise Communications Bithiah Lafontant; podcast host and cultural strategist Ryan Mitchell; and Emmy–winning filmmaker and activist Nneka Onuorah.
Transgender filmmaker Lilly Wachowski is trying to get her next project, The Hunted, out of late-stage production—but has said that nobody in Hollywood wants to finance the thriller because of its trans representation, according to Variety. “People like it, but they really don’t want to make it because it’s [got a] wall-to-wall trans cast,” Wachowski said on The Business podcast. “I have to get creative and figure out different ways that I can get this in front of people.”
There has already been backlash to the news that Superman actor Nicholas Hoult has been cast in the greenlit second season of the upcoming HBO-produced Harry Potter remake series, according to Them. Other cast members have had to deal with blowback for taking roles in anything associated with anti-trans author J.K. Rowling. Bel Powley—set to play abusive aunt Petunia Dursley in the upcoming adaptation—said that she “strongly disagrees” with Rowling’s beliefs when it comes to trans people.
Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival revealed the full slate of screenings and programs for the 44th edition of the second-longest running LGBTQ+ film festival in the world, per a press release. The festival runs Sept. 17-27 with screenings at the Music Box Theatre, Landmark Century Centre Cinema and Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema. Among the 36 feature films and 59 short films (all from 22 countries) are The Brittney Griner Story, La Bola Negra (with Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close), A Deeper Love: The Story of Peppermint and a 30th-anniversary screening of The Celluloid Closet.
The Whitney Houston Barbie doll is available for purchase on Walmart and Amazon, and features Houston in the same dress she wore in the “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” music video, Rolling Stone noted. While Houston died in 2012, this Barbie was created in partnership with Pat Houston, executor of Whitney’s estate. Per a press release, the doll was unveiled Aug. 8 at The Whitley Atlanta hotel in Atlanta at the 5th Legacy of Love Gala.
The Kennedy Center board voted to return President Donald Trump‘s name to the front of the building—with a judge saying that only Congress could change the official designation of the arts institution, Deadline noted.
Forty-five years after shooting President Ronald Reagan to impress queer actress/director Jodie Foster, John Hinckley Jr. sent well-wishes to her, per Page Six. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and spent more than three decades committed at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital; he was released in 2022.
Out actor Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is the face of Giorgio Armani’s newest men’s fragrance, I Will, according to Instinct. Bailey headlines the cinematic new promotion directed by Oscar nominee Todd Field. Bailey told People that the name “I Will” represents intention and personal growth.
American Horror Story co-creator Ryan Murphy told Vogue that he got Oscar winner Jessica Lange to reprise all four of her series characters in the upcoming season and revealed that she agreed on one condition—that she gets to sing, per Page Six.
James Haven—Angelina Jolie’s brother, who’s an activist and former actor, director and producer—came out as gay to the thousands of followers on ex-wife Romi Imbelli’s Instagram, per Out. “I, James Haven, begin a new chapter of my life,” said Haven, 53, in a video that started with photos of himself and Imbelli set to Elton John’s 1970 hit “Your Song.”
A new 4K restoration of Mysterious Skin—Gregg Araki’s drama starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brady Corbet, Elisabeth Shue and the late Michelle Trachtenberg—was set to screen at various venues around the country on Aug. 14, per a press release. The film follows two young men from Kansas whose lives diverge sharply after a shared childhood on the same little league baseball team—only to intersect again years later as secrets resurface. A North American rollout is set to follow, including a Sept. 11 screening at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre; people can see dates and venues here.
LGBTQ+ streaming platform Dekkoo plans to release Scorch Marks—a new apocalyptic survival horror film starring Chris Salvatore and Brandon Shypkowski—on Oct. 1, per a press release. The film follows Beckett—a man who awakens to a seemingly devastated world, only to find himself trapped with the haunting presence of his abusive ex-husband, Joel, as an even greater force approaches from beyond the horizon. The trailer is here.
The inaugural LA Jazz Festival—which was slated to feature Janelle Monae, Big Freedia, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, and John Legend, among others—didn’t take place after organizers canceled the event, citing unexpected public safety and municipal permitting costs, per KABC.
Perez Hilton’s mother wants custody of his three children amid his mental-health hospitalization, USA Today noted. Teresita Lavandeira filed a petition for temporary custody on Aug. 7, just three days after Hilton livestreamed himself performing acts of self-harm on social media.
Ahead of his four-night stand at the Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater starting Aug. 14, British singer Morrissey canceled his residency, Rolling Stone noted. Morrissey—who has become notorious for canceling gigs—said he did so due to “unforeseen logistical challenges.”
Former Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Kelly Dodd claimed Bravo host Andy Cohen was “full of s—” after he defended the inclusion of “MAGA women” on the show, according to Page Six. “If we didn’t showcase people with different [points of view,] there would be no show. Also, it’s a show about the women and their relationships, not about politics,” Cohen had posted.
Actor Jared Padalecki (Supernatural; Gilmore Girls) apologized after he got backlash from sharing a post supporting Perez Hilton, who livestreamed footage harming himself, per Page Six. The actor wrote, “I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about his past. I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly ‘been kind’ to me in the past.”
NOTE: This week’s column mentions suicide/self-harm. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues mentioned here, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.