Trump administration closes iconic Dupont Circle Park during WorldPride against city’s objections

*This is reported by The Advocate. This comes less than 2 days after they agreed to leave park open.

The Trump administration has closed Dupont Circle Park for the peak weekend of WorldPride in Washington, D.C., fencing off a landmark deeply tied to LGBTQ+ history despite objections from local officials and organizers.

The National Park Service and U.S. Park Police barricaded the park Thursday evening. The closure, which extends through Sunday night, includes the central fountain, grassy areas, and sidewalks within the circle but excludes the surrounding streets, according to Washington’s NBC affiliate, WRC.

Earlier this week, D.C. Councilmembers Brooke Pinto and Zachary Parker announced that the Metropolitan Police Department had withdrawn its request to close the park following backlash from community members. But federal officials proceeded with the shutdown anyway and have not responded to requests for comment.

“I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that Dupont Circle Park will be closed this weekend despite MPD’s commitment to keep folks safe there,” Pinto said in a statement to The Advocate. “This closure is disheartening to me and so many in our community who wanted to celebrate World Pride at this iconic symbol of our city’s historic LGBTQ+ community. I wish I had better news to share.”

According to a June 4 Record of Determination obtained byThe Washington Post, the National Park Service said that the closure was necessary “to secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presence.”

Despite MPD’s reversal, the U.S. Park Police doubled down. In a memo to NPS Superintendent Kevin Greiss, USPP Commander Major Frank Hilsher wrote that “the threat of violence, criminal acts, and NPS resource destruction has only increased since MPD’s original April 22, 2025, park closure request.” He referenced a local DJ advertising an unpermitted party at Dupont Circle and said, “Less restrictive measures will not suffice.”

The Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, told The Advocate it was not consulted about the decision.

“This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor,” the group said in a statement. “It’s much more than a park — for generations, it’s been a gathering place for D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting.”

“This sudden move was made overnight without consultation with the Capital Pride Alliance or other local officials,” the statement continued. “No official WorldPride activities have been planned in Dupont Circle this weekend; thus, no events will be impacted.”

While MPD had initially requested the closure, Chief Pamela Smith rescinded that request in a formal letter sent Tuesday. When asked for comment Friday, MPD spokesperson Tom Lynch told The Advocate, “We have nothing to share beyond the letter rescinding the request, which we shared on Tuesday.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not respond to The Advocate’s questions, but a spokesperson pointed to an appearance she made on local radio Friday in which she discussed the fencing.

She said the closure represented a breakdown in coordination between federal and local authorities. “I think I put this in the category of an unfortunate error,” Bowser told The Politics Hour With Kojo Nnamdi on WAMU. “We had a communication with the Park Service … and it looks like at this stage, they’re going to proceed with the closure, though we continue talks.”

Pressed on whether the decision originated at the White House or with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Bowser said, “I can’t say that with any clarity. I do know, unfortunately, the public safety issue rose to the top over the cultural celebration.” She added, “We don’t control the NPS, though we will continue to try to lean on them for a different decision.”

The Park Service has cited past incidents (none of which were linked to Capital Pride Alliance events), including $175,000 in damage to the fountain during Pride 2023, as well as a recent executive order from President Donald Trump instructing federal agencies to protect national monuments and public spaces. But LGBTQ+ advocates say the move appears politically motivated.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund filed Freedom of Information Act requests this week seeking communications and records from the Department of the Interior, the MPD, and the D.C. Mayor’s Office. In a statement Tuesday, Executive Director Mara Verheyden-Hilliard called the decision “a dangerous step and outside the legitimate authority of the Park Service.” Staff attorney Sarah Taitz said, “The LGBTQ+ community and general public deserve to know how and why the decision to shut Pride out of Dupont Circle was made, and how and why that decision was reversed.”

Though no official events were scheduled at the park, many saw its closure as symbolic — a federal message during a global celebration of queer life.

“World Pride will continue this weekend,” Pinto said, “and it will be a time of celebration and commitment to uplift our LGBTQ+ neighbors.”

June 6, 2025 0

LGBTQ group says pride flags were vandalized at Apex NC Park

*This is reported by WRAL.

An LGBTQIA+ fitness group in Apex claimed their pride flag was vandalized several times in the last few weeks, most recently on Wednesday, June 4.

The Apex Police Department is now involved.

Project Rainbow is a fitness and wellness group based in Apex that holds weekly community walks around the area, specifically in Apex Community Park.

On May 28, the group recorded and confronted a man who deliberately removed and destroyed a pride flag that serves as a marker for the group to identify the gathering location at the park. The flag was then discarded into the surrounding woods.

Initially believed to be an isolated incident, the group returned to Apex Park for their walk Wednesday. This time, the group had a larger turnout and additional flags were added to show “unity and resilience.”

Project Rainbow said the same man came back and repeated the same act of vandalism.

The group said the actions from this person have caused “concern among participants” and highlights “the need for increased community awareness and support for safe, inclusive spaces.”

Tom Voss, the lead of Project Rainbow, said when the vandalism was happening, it was “unreal.”

“I was like, ‘wow this is actually happening in our backyard here in Apex.’ It was disheartening too,” said Voss. “This is an inclusive community and, we feel great coming here and will continue to be here but when it happened again, it was kind of mind blowing.”

Voss said they have added more safety protocols to the group and will continue to host walks in the park.

WRAL News reached out to Apex Police to ask if they’re planning to investigate the person and figure out their motivation. No charges have been announced.

This incident occurred during an important month for the LGBTQIA+ community, as June is Pride Month, which WRAL News recognizes by highlighting LGBTQIA+ history, local leaders and events happening around the Triangle for Pride Month.

June 5, 2025 0

Asia could outstrip Europe as key beneficiary of U.S. capital flight

*This is reported by Reuters. For corresponding graphs, check their original article.

As global investors consider reducing their exposure to U.S. financial assets, the key question is where money flowing out of the U.S. will go. While Europe may be the obvious destination, relative value metrics may favour emerging Asia.

Even though U.S. equities have recovered from the steep losses suffered in the week following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, the same cannot be said of the U.S. bond market. Since hitting a recent low on April 4, the 10-year Treasury yield has spiked by around 50 basis points, with bond investors demanding more compensation for the risk of holding longer-dated U.S. debt. Worryingly, the benchmark Treasury yield has surged higher than nominal U.S. GDP growth – a key risk measure.

Additionally, the usual positive correlation between Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar has broken off, as rising yields are no longer attracting money to the “safest” asset in the world. Broad-based depreciation of the greenback suggests that – despite the equity rebound – many U.S. assets are being sold and the funds are flowing into markets whose currencies are appreciating.

EUROPEAN ALTERNATIVE

The euro’s almost 10% rise against the dollar this year suggests that a significant portion of the capital flowing out of the U.S. is going to Europe, likely driven both by concerns about U.S. policy as well as expectations of higher regional growth.

Further monetary easing by the European Central Bank should promote economic activity, as should the expected surge in fiscal spending following Germany’s recent constitutional reform, opens new tab, which approved partial removal of the “debt brake” for infrastructure and defence spending.

The fiscal splurge is already offering a boost to European equities – the surprise winner thus far in 2025 – especially defence, industrial and technology stocks.

DEBT WOES

But there are reasons to question the new ‘European exceptionalism’ narrative.

One likely cause of investors’ growing apprehension with U.S. assets is the Trump administration’s apparent inability to narrow the country’s gaping fiscal deficit or reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, which has risen to more than 120%.

But elevated debt metrics are also an issue across the pond, as they are found in Italy (135% of GDP), France (113%) and the UK (96%). Importantly, both Italy and France have seen their 10-year bond yields rise above their nominal GDP growth rates.

While the latter metric is also true of Germany, the country’s debt load is modest at only 62% of GDP, so the statistic mostly reflects a stagnating economy that’s about to get a spending boost.

Fiscal expansion in Europe will likely continue to benefit the region’s equities, but whether it is good news for fixed income investment there is still an open question.

ASIAN OPTION

Meanwhile, in emerging Asia – another potential destination for U.S. capital outflows – the debt picture is better and the growth outlook is stronger.

Government debt in many Asian countries is low, ranging from 37% of GDP in Indonesia to around 85% in China and India.

Benchmark bond yields across the region have been declining since October 2023, speaking to fixed income investors’ limited concerns about Asian countries’ fiscal situations. In fact, yields in China, Thailand and Korea are all below those in the U.S., though those in Indonesia and India remain higher.

Modest debt burdens mean there is also plenty of room for more fiscal stimulus in many countries, which could improve consumption, while the benign inflation environment should enable central banks in the region to continue cutting rates to stimulate growth.

Emerging Asia also offers far more high-growth, technology companies than Europe. The release of the affordable Chinese artificial intelligence model, DeepSeek, Beijing’s focus on semiconductors and advanced manufacturing and the country’s electric vehicle dominance could all attract tech-focused investors looking for an alternative to the U.S..

RELATIVE VALUE

Even though European equities have outperformed their U.S. counterparts significantly in 2025, the twelve-month forward price-to-earnings multiple of the major European index, the STOXX50, is considerably lower than that of the S&P 500, at 15.4x and 21.0x, respectively, as of May 23. But the major emerging Asia equity index, the MSCI Asia ex Japan, is even cheaper at 13.4x.

Moreover, earnings growth forecasts are higher in Asia than in either the U.S. or Europe through 2026.

Finally, reallocation of assets from the U.S. could potentially have a bigger positive impact on Asia than on Europe because of their relative sizes. Let’s say 5% of the U.S. free floating market cap of around $58 trillion, or roughly $3 trillion, moves out. That would represent 36% of Asia’s market cap, but only 22% of Europe’s.

NO SLAM DUNK

Caution remains warranted, though. Asian nations’ ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S. will likely still encounter numerous twists and turns, and increasing protectionism could hinder the region’s more export-oriented economies. Moreover, Chinese economic growth remains tepid despite the monetary and fiscal stimulus delivered over the past eight months.

Finally, the capital flowing into emerging Asia is a double-edged sword because of the impact on Asian currencies versus the U.S. dollar. If Asian currencies strengthen much more, the region’s export engine could stutter.

Investors, thus, have to keep a close eye on macroeconomics, geopolitics and policy statements, not just valuation metrics.

But given emerging Asia’s benign debt environment and positive growth outlook, both the region’s equity and fixed income markets have the potential to benefit from the death of American exceptionalism.

(The views expressed here are those of Manishi Raychaudhuri, the founder and CEO of Emmer Capital Partners Ltd and the former Head of Asia-Pacific Equity Research at BNP Paribas Securities).

June 5, 2025 0

Angry pridegoers force administration to cave after it tried closing a queer park during WorldPride

*This is reported by LGBTQ Nation.

In less than 24 hours, the National Park Service (NPS) has rescinded its decision to close off Dupont Circle Park in Washington D.C. for WorldPride, citing “significant” damage to the park’s fountain during a previous pride event, costing nearly $200 thousand. The rescinding of their decision followed pushback from LGBTQ+ community leaders and advocates, as the area is a vibrant gathering place for queer people with many nearby LGBTQ+-owned shops and gay bars.

On Monday, the NPS announced that, “at the request of the [local] Metropolitan Police Department,” they would be closing off Dupont Circle Park for the final weekend of WorldPride 2025 to prevent “disorderly and destructive behavior” from WorldPride participants. The closure was set to occur from Thursday, June 5 to Monday, June 9, as a public safety measure and to protect park resources, the NPS’ statement added.

“This decision was based on a history and pattern of destructive and disorderly behavior from unpermitted activities happening in the park during past DC Pride weekends, including vaŋdalism in 2023 that resulted in approximately $175,000 in damage to the historic Dupont Circle fountain,” the statement claimed.

Indeed, $175,000 is a substantial amount of money, but it is unclear how they arrived at this figure. Despite $175,000 in damages to public property being a newsworthy story in itself, there is little to no reporting to suggest the fountain sustained critical damage during a Pride event in 2023. The event they are likely referencing was The Capital Pride Parade and Block Party in 2023. Most news coverage on the event paints it as a mainly peaceful event with no significant rioting having occurred.

It is worth noting that the fountain had been undergoing numerous repairs at the time, including waterproofing at the base, upgrades to the water pump system, and pressure testing for the pipes.

During the initial decision to close the park, reporters from The Washington Blade attempted to reach out to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department concerning the decision, but the spokesperson declined to comment and referred them to the NPS. Additionally, the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also declined to comment.

“We have nothing else to add to the National Park Service statement at this time,” mayoral spokesperson Daniel Gleick told reporters.

In less than 24 hours after the announcement, the NPS rescinded their decision to close off the park this morning, according to D.C. Council member Zachary Parker.

In the moments leading up to NPS changing its mind, local LGBTQ+ rights activists condemned the agency for blocking off a major historic community within the LGBTQ+ movement.

Jeffrey Ruegauer, a member of the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), in a public meeting, proclaimed, “The circle belongs to everyone, it is the city’s town square. It is intimately linked with the gay community and the gay rights movement and so many other rights movements over the years,” The Washington Post reported.

Fellow ANC commissioner and official with D.C.’s Rainbow History Project told the aforementioned publication, “The community should be as outraged as I am.”

Ryan Bos, executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, the organization behind D.C.’s annual Pride events and that also helped organize this year’s WorldPride events, said no official WorldPride events were set to occur at Dupont Circle Park during the upcoming weekend, though he was unsure if independent individuals or groups had planned any events there.

Bos also said he felt certain that participants of Capital Pride events did not cause any damage to the park in past years.

In February, NPS removed all mentions of transgender people from its website for Dupont Circle to comply with the president’s executive orders prohibiting any federal recognition of trans people in any aspect of civic life.

June 4, 2025 0

Cadets who met all Air Force Academy graduation standards denied commissions because they’re transgender

*This is reported by The Advocate.

They stood in formation at Falcon Stadium, diplomas in hand, having met every standard of physical endurance, academic excellence, and military discipline. But, on Thursday, when the time came for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s class of 2025 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to commission as second lieutenants, three cadets were quietly held back.

They are the first out transgender cadets to graduate from the Academy. And under a newly reinstated Trump administration ban, they will not be allowed to serve.

One of them, Hunter Marquez, had spent years preparing to become a combat systems officer. He earned dual degrees in aeronautical engineering and applied mathematics. He passed the Air Force’s fitness standards for men. And he did so as himself, having transitioned while enrolled at the Academy. “I really want to stay in for as long as possible, fight this out,” Marquez toldThe Colorado Springs Gazette.

But the rules changed. On May 6, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to begin enforcing Executive Order 14183, which bans transgender people from military service. The unsigned order—issued without full argument and over the dissent of the Court’s three liberal justices—overturned a Washington state lower court’s preliminary injunction and gave the Pentagon the green light to begin separations.

Marquez, along with the two other graduates, was placed on administrative absence, barred from taking the oath, and warned he might need to repay the cost of his education if he refused to leave voluntarily, the paper reports. That education—funded by taxpayers—is valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to The Gazette, Marquez was later told by Air Force officials that if he is involuntarily separated, he won’t be billed. But the message was clear: his government does not want him in uniform.

And yet, there is no question he met the standard. “We want warfighters. We want people with grit, that are resilient. They have done all that,” a U.S. Air Force Academy staff member told The Gazette, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation. All three cadets passed physical fitness tests for both men and women. All three graduated with distinction.

What disqualifies them is not their performance but their identity.

Marquez is a plaintiff in Talbott v. United States, one of the central legal challenges to the policy. In a sworn statement, he wrote that the executive order describes people like him as “undisciplined,selfish, and dishonest.” “None of those are correct descriptions of my character or my abilities,” he wrote. “I have achieved alongside my peers throughout my time at the Academy.”

The policy is not theoretical. It is personal. It has required cadets like Marquez to trek across dorms to find gender-compliant restrooms and showers. It has forced them to race through final semesters in case they’re expelled before graduating. And it has turned what should have been a joyful week of ceremonies into a lesson in resilience.

Marquez, now 23, is applying to the University of Colorado Boulder to earn an advanced degree in aerospace engineering. He is still receiving medical benefits and cadet pay, but he knows that may be temporary. “There’s still a lot of anger and frustration and sadness,” he said. “Just because I have worked so hard to be a second lieutenant in the Air Force, and at the very end that was taken from me.”

Academy alumni have responded with solidarity. Nearly 1,000 graduates have signed an open letter defending transgender cadets and midshipmen. “Being transgender is in no way incompatible with any of our Academies’ cherished virtues and values,” the letter reads, according to Military.com.

June 4, 2025 0

Puerto Rico Supreme Court recognizes ‘X’ as third gender for birth certificates in landmark decision

*This is reported by The Advocate.

Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court has mandated that the government include an “X” gender marker on birth certificates in a ruling issued on Monday. A group of nonbinary Puerto Ricans filed the case, and the ruling allows for the representation of those who identify outside of the gender binary.

“Puerto Rico’s current Birth Certificate Policy is not supported by a rational basis, and therefore violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the justices wrote in their 19-page decision.

The court found that while the government might have a legitimate interest in maintaining an accurate record of each citizen’s sex assigned at birth, lawyers for the government “failed to articulate why this particular interest is furthered by treating nonbinary individuals differently than binary individuals.”

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RELATED: Trump’s ‘two genders’ executive order will hurt millions of Americans: study

A federal court in 2018 ordered Puerto Rico to permit transgender individuals to change their gender markers, but nonbinary individuals were left unable to accurately reflect their gender identity on official records. Six nonbinary plaintiffs filed suit in court, and the court on Monday ruled in their favor.

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RELATED: Trump’s ‘two genders’ executive order will hurt millions of Americans: study

“Their request is simple: to be permitted to have a gender marker on their birth certificate that reflects their true gender identity, like everyone else,” the justices wrote of the plaintiffs in their decision. “Specifically, Plaintiffs request the Court to order the Demographic Registry of Puerto Rico to modify its application to amend a Puerto Rican birth certificate, to include an option to change one’s gender marker to an ‘X.’”

The justices found the government’s current birth certificate gender identification policy discriminatory and that there was no rational reason to deny the plaintiff’s request.

“The current Birth Certificate Policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico arbitrarily distinguishes between binary and nonbinary individuals and subjects nonbinary individuals to disfavored treatment, without any justification for doing so,” the justices concluded in their ruling. “In such cases, it is the duty of the federal courts to intervene, to guarantee the equal protection of all persons under the law.”

Puerto Rico’s Republican Governor Jenniffer González Colón indicated that she would consult with government lawyers before determining her future course of action.

Puerto Rico Representative Jorge “Georgie” Navarro Suárez announced he was introducing a non-binding resolution condemning the ruling.

“The Federal Court’s ruling represents a challenge to the administrative and social stability of Puerto Rico,” Navarro Suárez said in a statement announcing the resolution. “While we fully respect human dignity and rights, we firmly believe that traditional gender identification based on male and female provides essential clarity and consistency in the administrative processes of the Demographic Registry.”

Navarro Suárez is a member of the New Progressive Party (PNP), which advocates for statehood with the U.S. Both of Navarro Suárez’s brothers were recently arrested on federal corruption charges. Edgardo Navarro Suárez and Ricardo Luis Suárez were arrested in April and charged with financial fraud and money laundering of federal funds meant for relief during the global economic shutdown. Prosecutors claim the two brothers and a third man attempted to bribe a bank official to help facilitate over $2 million in allegedly bogus COVID-19 relief funds.

June 4, 2025 0

Hegseth orders renaming of ship named after gay rights icon Harvey Milk

*This is reported by CNN

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the secretary of the Navy to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk, according to a defense official.

The ship, which was launched in 2021 and named after the gay rights activist and Navy veteran, who was made to resign from the force because of his sexual orientation, is set to be officially renamed later this month, the official said. It is not clear what the new name will be, but the timing is notable given that June is Pride Month.

Military.com first reported the expected name change.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense did not respond to a request for comment.

It is rare for a ship to be renamed, and it has not happened on the orders of a defense secretary in recent memory.

The last time a ship was renamed in 2023, the move was based upon the recommendation of a congressional commission established to review names across the military with ties to the Confederacy. As a result of the study, the Navy decided to rename the cruiser USS Chancellorsville and research ship USNS Maury.

The USNS Harvey Milk is part of the John Lewis class of oiler ships that are named after civil rights leaders. Other ships in this class include the USNS Earl Warren, USNS Robert F. Kennedy, USNS Lucy Stone and USNS Sojourner Truth.

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The move is in line with Hegseth’s focus on reestablishing a “warrior culture” across the military, which he has mainly tried to do by eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs and content throughout the Defense Department and finding creative ways to revert military bases back to their original, Confederate-linked names.

Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement saying decisions to rename any vessels would be announced when internal reviews are complete.

“Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos. Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete,” Parnell said.

In a statement, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said that “the reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream. Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.”

Who was Harvey Milk?

At the time the ship was launched, the Biden administration had a very different stance on diversity.

“He made a difference. That’s the kind of naval leader that we need,” then-Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said of Milk during the christening ceremony in November 2021.

The ship was co-sponsored by then-Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat who was the president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors when Milk served on the board. She publicly announced Milk’s assassination in 1978 at the age of 48. Milk was one of the first out gay politicians elected to office in the United States, and the first out gay official elected in California.

Milk served in the Navy as a diving officer during the Korean War, at a time when gay service members were not allowed to openly acknowledge their sexuality.

During his time as a diving instructor in San Diego in the 1950s, his supervisors caught him at a park popular with gay men, according to his nephew Stuart Milk.

In 1955, after the Navy officially questioned Milk about his sexual orientation, he was made to resign with the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

After moving from New York to California, Milk helped start the Castro Village Association, one of the first predominantly LGBTQ-owned business groups in the country. In 1977, he was elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors.

While serving as a city supervisor, Milk introduced legislation to protect the gay community, including a gay rights ordinance in 1978 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing or employment. He and other activists also succeeded in striking down Proposition 6, which would have mandated the firing of gay or lesbian teachers in California.

Less than a year after Milk was inaugurated as city supervisor, he and Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in the San Francisco City Hall by a former fellow city supervisor over a job dispute.

When his killer was sentenced to seven years, riots broke out over what many perceived to be a lenient sentence.

June 4, 2025 0

What are the safest places for gay and trans people? See where your state ranks

*This is reported by USA Today.

As Oklahoman legislators push to restrict trans rights and overturn the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Zane Eaves says his identity as a transgender man has put a target on his back in his home state.

One of 18,900 trans adults in Oklahoma, Eaves has received death threats as has his wife of 10 years and their two children.

“All the hatred and political stuff going on” are driving this Oklahoma lifer from the place he was born and raised, Eaves, 35, said. He has only crossed the state line three times in his life, but in recent weeks, he made the difficult decision to move his family to North Carolina to be closer to friends and allies.

“I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,” Eaves said.

Oklahoma ranks 44th in the nation on a list released Monday of the most and least welcoming states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans.

More and more, the question of where LGBTQ+ people feel safe is one of blue vs. red, according to advocacy group Out Leadership.

LGBTQ+ equality fell across the board for the third straight year, according to Out Leadership’s State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index shared exclusively with USA TODAY. But the sharpest declines came in Republican-led states.

While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said.

So-called “Don’t Say Gay” bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears.

Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said.

The least and most welcoming LGBTQ+ states

Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and the least discrimination and hardship.

Out Leadership’s index measures the impact of state government policies and prevalent attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community, weighing factors such as support for young people and families, health access and safety, political and religious attitudes, work environment and employment and nondiscrimination protections.

The Northeast had six of the 10 highest-ranked states, while the Southeast had six of the lowest-ranked.

Massachusetts, led by the nation’s first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey and New York, which guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections, tied for first place in this year’s index, with Connecticut and New Jersey close behind.

The least LGBTQ+ friendly state was Arkansas, which ranked last for the third straight year. South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores.

The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to “pro-equality” leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors.

Where are the safest places to live?

The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. But gay and trans people soon began using it to figure out where they should – and should not – live and work, never more so than now as rights rollbacks from the Trump administration and red statehouses hit close to home.

Opposition to transgender rights was a central plank in Trump’s presidential campaign and since taking office he has signed a series of executive orders recognizing only male and female genders, keeping trans athletes out of women’s sports, banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19.

Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes. Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if a trans girl competed in a state track and field event held Saturday.

AB Hernandez, a junior from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, shared first place in the high jump and triple jump and second in the long jump. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics.

Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities.

Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people.

At the same time, socially progressive cities in conservative states like Fargo and Grand Forks are no longer the safe havens they once were, he said.

Now that his fiancee is transitioning to female, the couple is exploring a move to a “sanctuary” state that will be safer for them.

“It feels like five or 10 years ago, trans people were not under the same microscope they are now and that has definitely influenced our move,” McGuire said. “Yeah, people were prejudiced but it wasn’t a witch hunt. They weren’t looking for people in bathrooms and schools. But now things are so polarized.”

That rising anxiety was captured in a post-election survey from UCLA’s Williams Institute which found that nearly half of transgender people had already fled unsupportive communities and nearly 1 in 4 were considering uprooting their lives.

The most frequently cited reasons for wanting to move were concerns about LGBTQ+ rights – 76% – the sociopolitical climate – 71% – anti-trans rhetoric and climate – 60% – and anti-trans laws and policies – 47%.

LGBTQ+ Americans on the move

Interest in relocating to friendlier states is even higher today than it was after Trump’s reelection, say nonprofit workers who aid trans and gender-diverse people relocate to more liberal states with broader protections.

So far in 2025, Rainbow Railroad in Canada has received more than 3,000 requests from LGBTQ+ people living in the United States, up more than 1,000% from the same time last year, according to communications director Timothy Chan.

Nearly all requested international relocation support. For now, Rainbow Railroad can’t aid Americans with resettlement services because of immigration restrictions, Chan said.

TRACTION has heard from a record number of people from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with many of them reporting being threatened or feeling unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods, said Michael Woodward, the executive director of the trans-led organization in Washington state.

Trans and gender-diverse people historically face financial hardship due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and need assistance finding jobs and housing as well as with interstate moving expenses that can run tens of thousands, Woodward said.

TRACTION used to get a few applications a week until Trump won a second term. In the two weeks following the election, “we received as many requests for assistance as we’d received in the entire life of the project thus far,” he said.

After the inauguration, TRACTION started getting three to five applications every day. With one employee and a handful of volunteers, his organization is struggling to keep up with demand, Woodward said.

June 4, 2025 0

Jonathan Joss Dead at 59; Husband Alleges Hate Crime

*This is reported by Instinct.

Actor Jonathan Joss, best known as the voice of John Redcorn in King of the Hill, has died following a fatal shooting in San Antonio, Texas. He was 59. The tragic news was first reported by TMZ, citing a dispute between neighbors as the initial cause of the altercation.

Joss, also known for his role as Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation, was shot on the afternoon of June 1 near his home on Dorsey Drive. According to a police report from the San Antonio Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene in response to an active shooting. When they arrived, they found Joss with gunshot wounds to the neck and torso. Witnesses say three shots were fired. He later succumbed to his injuries.

The suspect, identified as Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, was alleged to have shot Joss after what appeared to be an altercation. Though early police statements cited a disagreement as a possible motive, Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, has since claimed the shooting was a hate crime fueled by ongoing homophobic harassment.

In a heartfelt public statement shared via Joss’s official Facebook page, Tristan detailed the harrowing moments leading up to the shooting. He wrote that the two were at the site of their former home, which had burned down earlier in January. While retrieving mail, the couple came across the skull and harness of one of their beloved dogs, sparking visible grief.

“We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw,” Tristan said. “While we were doing this, a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired.” Tristan claimed Joss saved his life by pushing him out of the way.

Tristan went on to describe years of harassment from individuals in the area and repeated threats to burn their home down, which he says were reported to law enforcement but not acted upon.

The San Antonio Police Department, however, has publicly stated that there is currently “no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss’s murder was related to his sexual orientation.” The statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) emphasized that SAPD investigators “handle these allegations very seriously” and will reclassify the charges if new evidence supports a hate crime motive.

Still, the area’s residents noted that Joss had struggled publicly in recent months. SAPD confirmed that they had responded to at least 40 calls involving Joss’s residence since January 2024, ranging from mental health checks to neighborhood disturbances and a house fire. Yet between February and the fatal June incident, no additional calls were logged.

Despite these complexities, many neighbors expressed sadness over Joss’s death. One long-time resident told San Antonio News,

“He was just very loud, very loud. But we knew how he was… we wouldn’t disturb him. Even if he looked at us, talked mess to us, we just ignored him because we knew that’s how he was.”

For fans around the world, Joss will be remembered as a cultural icon who gave voice to underrepresented communities. His performances — rich, bold, and deeply human — left a mark on television history. His husband’s words paint a picture of a man who, despite personal struggles, deeply valued love, community, and legacy.

“He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get,” Tristan said. “Jonathan saved my life. I will carry that forward. I will protect what he built.”

Joss’s death is currently under active investigation.

June 3, 2025 0

Moving company employee terminated after attacking trans woman in Nashville

*This is reported by WSMV 4. We have removed the repeated misuse of the word “allegedly” from the story.

A Nashville moving company has confirmed to WSMV4 that it has terminated one of its employees after a recent attack against a transgender woman.

Black Tie Moving released a statement on Monday confirming the employee’s termination and condemning the assault.

“We were made aware of an incident that took place over the weekend at a storage facility in Nashville, TN, involving one of our employees and another individual, a member of the LGBTQ+ community,” Black Tie Moving said. “Security footage captures a physical altercation that is deeply troubling and entirely unacceptable.”

Black Tie Moving added that the employee was immediately terminated and the company is fully cooperating with the Metro Nashville Police Department’s investigation into the incident.

Following the incident, MNPD confirmed that its Specialized Division is investigating the attack at the Extra Space Storage facility on Charlotte Avenue on Friday.

Extra Space Storage confirmed to WSMV4 that it’s turned over the security camera footage of the incident to police for the Specialized Division’s investigation.

“While the property has security features like video surveillance, cylinder locks, and coded doors and gates, we do not have on-site security. At the time, the store was staffed by a single employee,” the facility told WSMV4.

The victim also made the following post about the assault:

June 2, 2025 0