Warning: This column mentions violent activities.
NATIONAL
Marianne Duddy-Burke has decided to step down from being executive director of the LGBTQ+ Catholic organization Dignity USA. On Facebook, she stated, in part, “The past few years have brought significant challenges and opportunities, a great deal of travel, and I am ready to make more space for time with my family, do more of the writing and speaking that I love, and take life a little more slowly. In addition, I believe that emerging priorities will be well served by the talents, vision, and capabilities of the rising generations of Dignity leadership.”
The Advocate noted that the LGBTQ+ news outlet The Washington Blade was one of the few publications that continued to provide print press pool coverage of President Donald Trump after major outlets declined out of solidarity to the White House ban of CNN, MS Now and Politico. The secondary print outlet in the pool on Sept. 21 was the conservative outlet The Daily Caller; interestingly, that outlet shared duties with a professional from the Blade, which has criticized Trump’s attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.
On a related note, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists criticized the White House ban of CNN, MS Now and Politico. In a press release, NLGJA stated, “Denying access to journalists because of coverage the government dislikes is fundamentally at odds with the principles of a free press as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Journalists must be able to ask tough questions, scrutinize those in power, and report without fear of retaliation or exclusion from the institutions they are charged with covering.”
The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that El Paso County officials’ failure to enforce Colorado’s red-flag law against the Club Q shooter created a “state-created danger”—and dismissed a lawsuit that some of the victims of the 2022 mass shooting filed, The Denver Gazette reported. (The law allows family members or law enforcement to request the temporary confiscation of firearms from people who pose a threat.) Attorneys from Chicago-based law firm Romanucci & Blandin said there were clear signs that Anderson Aldrich would carry out a mass-casualty event.
The Rev. Jerry Lamb—who died on July 26 at age 85—was recently remembered, The Sacramento Bee reported. Lamb was bishop of the Diocese of Northern California for the Episcopal Church from 1991 until the mid-2000s; during this time, Lamb surprised some by voting to ordain Gene Robinson, a gay man, as bishop in 2003. Robinson became the first openly gay bishop. Matthew Woodward—a gay man who is dean of Trinity Cathedral—credited Lamb with helping make his job possible.
Harriet Hancock—a prominent figure in South Carolina’s LGBTQ+-rights movement who helped organize the state’s first Pride march—has died at age 89, per PinkNews. In 1990, “the Mother of SC Pride” helped lead more than 2,000 people down Main Street to the State House in Columbia.
New Ways Ministry announced the publication of an online resource for people interested in LGBTQ+ issues and the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV: A Timeline of His LGBTQ+ Record contains all public statements or gestures that the pontiff has made concerning LGBTQ+ issues since becoming pope on May 8, 2025.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Oregon can house transgender female inmates in men’s prisons, overturning a lower-court ruling, per The Advocate. U.S. Appellate Judge Eric Tung wrote, in part, that there was no evidence of discrimination against a class of inmates and that the state’s prior policies could stand.
In California, the Cathedral City Council voted five to zero to officially change the name of the annual event from Cathedral City LGBT+ Days to Cathedral City Pride, per a press release from the organization. In addition to the official rebranding, the Council approved moving the event’s dates to March 12-14, 2027.
In Idaho, the Boise Pride parade—which thousands of people attended—had the theme of “Louder Than Fear,” the Idaho Statesman noted. The theme was meant to be a statement against legislators introducing more than 15 bills that Boise Pride board member Tom Wheeler said “discriminate against LGBTQ people” in the Idaho Legislature this year.
Also regarding Boise Pride, resident Jon Tomlinson made a $10,000 donation to the organization in honor of his late LGBTQ+-rights activist sister, Laurie, KTVB reported. Laurie passed away in 2015 from lymphoma, and Jon said she dedicated her time in Boise to helping the local LGBTQ+ community as well as low-income families.
In Los Angeles, there are three current exhibitions that are focused on lesbian artists, The Guardian noted. They include Monica Majoli: Countervision, which brings the artist’s new drawings into the June L Mazer Lesbian Archives; the Museum of Lesbian Dreams, the first retrospective of Millie Wilson’s four-decade project; and Diving into the Wreck, Susan Silton’s first major survey, which takes its name from a 1972 Adrienne Rich poem.
In June, the world’s first Chinese LGBTQ+ museum, called the OUT Museum, opened in San Francisco’s Chinatown, KALW noted. Xiangqi Chen—an artist and LGBTQ+-rights advocate who spent more than 20 years pushing for queer visibility in China before moving to the U.S. in 2023—is the force behind the venue.
Gender-fluid Roman Catholic nun Sr. Suzanne Patterson identified a moment at a New Ways Ministry retreat for lesbian and queer religious as her life’s greatest moment of “joyful ascent,” the outreach organization noted. Patterson—a member of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana—told the story of this moment on The National Catholic Reporter’s Global Sisters Report.
Trans radio DJ Fievel Crane quit on air, claiming a hostile work environment at their Virginia radio station and saying they were censored from speaking on political issues, per The Advocate. Crane—who hosted the Morning Mixtape on 106.1 FM The Corner in Charlottesville—announced their departure from the airwaves earlier this month.
GLAAD announced in a press release that the call for submissions for the 38th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are now open. Submissions (sent to submissions@glaad.org) will close on Monday, Nov. 16; all materials must be submitted via GLAAD’s official submissions portal by no later than 6 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 30. Submissions are $400/project submitted; those received after Nov. 16 are considered late and will incur a $200 late fee. More information is here.
Quaaludes—which had been banned in 1984—have made a comeback because of the film The Wolf of Wall Street, Queerty noted. The 2013 film has apparently inspired people to start synthesizing their own versions of the drug. However, Quaaludes aren’t sold over the counter; synthetic opioids like kratom, kava and its derivative 7-OH can be purchased at gas stations and cafes in states like Florida because of legal loopholes.
WORLD
Ukraine’s government proposed a major expansion of its employment nondiscrimination law to protect women as well as LGBTQ+ people, per Erasing 76 Crimes. A draft of the new Labor Code has been registered in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The reform is meant to bring Ukrainian legislation closer to EU law.
Two gay men who were held in an Arizona ICE detention camp have been unreachable since they were deported to a Central African hotel/detention center, Q Voice News noted. Pietro Graza (who’s from Brazil) and Ahmed Soliman (a gay man from Egypt) were eventually deported to Hotel Bamy in Equatorial Guinea. Shortly after Graza arrived, armed police officers forced him to hand over his phone; police officers and military officials reportedly beat Soliman and another man from Eritrea, and they are now in an undisclosed location.
In Tasmania, a government Inquiry found that LGBTQ+ students in Catholic schools are relatively frequent targets of bullying and don’t receive enough support, New Ways Ministry noted. Australia’s Star-Observer newspaper reported that these developments were especially clear in cases involving transgender or gender-diverse students.
Indonesia’s top Muslim clerical body suggested replacing the term “LGBT” with “LGSP”—grouping lesbian and gay people with sodomy and sexual abuse, The Washington Blade reported. The Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa Commission, in doing so, is preparing a proposed law that would criminalize conduct and advocacy it considers taboo. The council also warned men against wearing women’s clothing during Independence Day festivities.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Portugal’s film festival Queer Lisboa took place at its regular venues— the Cinemateca Portuguesa and Cinema São Jorge—on Sept. 18-26, Variety noted. The festival opened with the Portuguese premiere of Ira Sach’s The Man I Love, starring Oscar winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody); Leah Nelson’s acclaimed animated drama Tangles closed the event.
In the UK, three men were charged after three other people were stabbed following an alleged altercation linked to Liverpool LGBTQ+ venue GBar, PinkNews reported. Since, the venue has had its license suspended, the BBC noted, with the Liverpool Echo reporting it has been shut down immediately.
In the Netherlands, a survey revealed that secondary-school students are much more negative about homosexuality than they were four years ago, per the NL Times. The share of boys who view homosexuality positively plummeted from 40.3% to 23.3%, according to the HBSC report from Utrecht University and the Trimbos Institute, based on a survey of Dutch 11-16-year-olds; half of girls remain positive toward homosexuality, compared with more than three-quarters four years ago. The advocacy organization COC urged the Cabinet to take action to promote the acceptance of homosexuality among younger people.
The Netherlands will return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 despite a boycott by Dutch network Avrotros, which was previously in charge of the country’s participation, the BBC noted. Avrotros withdrew in 2026 and plans to not take part in 2027 because the competition could “no longer be considered neutral” due to divisions over Israel’s involvement and the Gaza war. The NPO, which oversees public broadcasting in the country, has now said broadcasting organization NOS will cover the event, while an independent panel will select the Dutch participant.
Art director Yves Goldstein will leave Belgium’s new Kanal-Centre Pompidou two days after its opening on Nov. 28, ArtForum noted. He has spent a decade leading Kanal through the planning and renovation of its home in a massive Art Deco building and navigating a partnership with the Centre Pompidou. Goldstein and Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès reportedly differed over the vision for Kanal’s future.
SHOWBIZ
Drag legend Ginger Minj announced that her new EP, The Broad’s Way, will be out Nov. 6 via PEG Records, distributed by ADA/Warner Music Group, per a press release. The release includes a collection of iconic Broadway songs from Sister Act, Man of La Mancha, Wicked, Annie Get Your Gun and more. Also, in New York City, Minj will make her 54 Below debut on Nov. 10, performing selections from The Broad’s Way alongside surprise guests.
Out actors Russell Tovey and Ben Platt are joining Industry as guest stars for its fifth and final season, which is currently in production, according to Instinct, citing Variety. Kit Harington’s Sir Henry Muck became one of the reasons to watch in the fourth season, with the character having some charged scenes with Whitney Halberstram, played by Max Minghella (The Handmaid’s Tale).
Openly gay Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black (Milk) has made a new four-part documentary series, Rock Out, for Revry, according to Queerty. It explores the queer history of rock and punk music, from the managers and other influential figures in the 1950s and 60s to the more defiantly out figures of the 70s, 80s and beyond—and Black revealed that his late older brother, Marcus, partly inspired him to make Rock Out. In part, Black stated on Instagram that Marcus “died not knowing that he not only had a place in the music worlds he loved, but that LGBTQ people were instrumental in building the hard hitting music he loved.”
Queer Scottish-born and West Virginia-based singer-songwriter/acoustic-guitar player Ali Tod has released her lead single, “Down,” in advance of her upcoming self-titled album that’s due to drop on Oct. 23, a press release noted. Supporting the release, Ali is performing throughout Europe as part of the 2026 MusiSHEans Guitar Tour before launching the new record.
Lesbian supermodel Lauren Chan will be joining the cast of Heated Rivalry for the show’s second season, according to Them. Chan will play Gen, described as a professional photographer for the Ottawa Centaurs in the original Game Changers book series. Although Gen dates a man in the book series, it’s not known if that will carry over to the television adaptation.
The cause of bisexual actress Hayden Panettiere‘s death at age 36 has been revealed. According to People, the Greenville County Coroner’s office in South Carolina confirmed her death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP (a precursor in the synthesis of fentanyl), Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine; the manner of death was ruled an accident.
Hacks star Hannah Einbinder was among celebrities (including some other queer ones) the NYPD arrested for protesting the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations, The Advocate noted. Bisexual actress Susan Sarandon and queer comedian Caleb Hearon (who wore a “People Not Bombs” T-shirt) were also zip-tied by the NYPD and escorted away from the protest.
Non-binary Iranian influencer Cyrus Veyssi will make their Broadway debut in the hit musical comedy & Juliet starting Oct. 13 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, per Playbill. Veyssi will play May in the production through Dec. 6, succeeding Michael Iván Carrier.
Yes, a reboot of Glee is happening—and co-creator Ryan Murphy said that there’s a script, according to EW. “Brad [Falchuk], Ian [Brennan], and I, who wrote all of the first two seasons, have written something,” Murphy said at the New York City premiere for American Horror Story: 13. He added that he spoke to “around 10 of the original cast members” about returning for a new iteration of the show.
And speaking of Ryan Murphy, on Sept. 16 Netflix hosted the premiere of his Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story at The Paris Theater in New York City, a press release noted. The series stars Ella Beatty, Vicky Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Joey Pollari, Rebecca Hall, Sarah Paulson and Billie Lourd, among others.
Gay adult star Alfonso Osnaya spoke out after a group of men attacked him in San Francisco, The Advocate noted, citing Out. Osnaya said the assault began after the men taunted him at the queer bar Beaux; initially, he walked away, but was eventually confronted by the men once he exited the bar. “This is [what] slut-shaming looks like,” Osnaya wrote on his Instagram Story, along with an image of a cut above his right eyebrow.
At the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 27, Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, ABC noted. A press release stated that the honor recognizes “groundbreaking music artists whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling.” The event will run live from Los Angeles on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+.
Cara Delevingne released her debut album, Not Normal, via Warner Records, a press release announced. Delevingne co-wrote every track on the album and co-produced alongside BJ Burton (who has worked with Bon Iver and Charli XCX).
Chris Meloni—who played Det. Elliott Stabler on Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime (which has been cancelled)—will return for the upcoming 600th episode of SVU, TVLine confirmed. SVU’s 28th season will start Oct. 8.
Eighties singer Tiffany made her New York theatrical debut in Spandex the Musical, a jukebox musical featuring her biggest hit, “I Think We’re Alone Now,” EW.com noted. The Asylum NYC production—which runs through Sept. 27—stars Tiffany as Linda, a housewife who discovers aerobics as an escape from her boring life.