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Welcome back to our Interview series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Anna has a couple Queer News headlines to share, then later, join Anna for an exclusive interview with advocate, and chair of the council of justice leaders with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Robert Suttle! Robert's work is rooted in combating the criminalization of HIV through consultations, and education on the stigmas and harmful legislation surrounding HIV. His passion has personal ties, as he himself experienced felony charges and jail time as a result of the existing laws related to HIV.  Through The Sero Project, a program Robert co-founded, he  uplifts voices directly impacted by HIV criminalization and strongly advocates for policy reform across the globe.  On this episode of Queer News, Anna and Robert discuss the criminalization of HIV, Robert's personal story, states with laws actively criminalizing HIV, and ways people can support the HIV is not a crime movement and the true not crime series. You can find Robert Suttle on instagram @suttlevision.  Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News          02:50     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew                    03:50     Queer News Headlines        10:50     Interview with Robert Suttle                           23:13     Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair Today 24:32     Interview with Robert Suttle (continued) 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Connect with Robert Suttle: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.suttle.3/  Instagram: @suttlevision Website: https://www.robertsuttle.com/  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Important Episode Links Get Your Purple Tie Tickets RSVP for Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio  📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 359. This Week's Queer News Headlines  Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Inductees Announced The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame is the only city-sanctioned LGBT Hall of Fame in the world, has announced its slate of 2026 inductees: 13 LGBT-identified individuals, two LGBT-identified organizations and three friends of the community, or allies. The 2026 inductees represent a wide cross-section of the diverse Chicago community.  This year there are five Black LGBTQ individuals and one organization that will be inducted into the hall! (in alpha order) Adodi Chicago, David Dodd, Coquie Hughes, Saundra DeAnne Johnson, Alderman Lamont J. Robinson, and Marshall Titus. Wow! This cohort spans politics, culture and entertainment. We are also sending special congratulations to our friends Brad Balof and Simone Koehlinger who we love dearly here. Congratulations to them all 🎉 A Different World Reboot A Different World is back with a brand new look. The reboot launched on Netflix September 24th, 39 years after the original premiere back in 1987, and many have already binged the season, myself included. New and familiar faces return to Hillman College for a semester filled with comedy, drama, and a whole lot of heart. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.  Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Associate producer Myana Zhané Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story pays respects to Sophie Lee, and Asia Williams, two black trans women killed in Baltimore this year. In politics, A group of LGBTQ+ middle schoolers sue their school board, and we cover the mass arrests at a lgbtq+ led protest in Istanbul. In culture and entertainment, the queer trans project supplies more than 500 gender-affirming supply kits to Floridian youth, and Chicago's International Film Festival Returns in October with a stunning lineup of queer films. Let's get into it! Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right     00:26     Welcome to Queer News 01:03   LGBTQ Veteran's Day 01:50 Join our Substack 02:21 Join the QCrew   02:49 Queer News Headlines  03:31 Remembering Sophie Lee and Asia Williams 06:11 LGBTQ+ middle schoolers sue their school board 08:13 Mass Arrests in Istanbul                                11:56   Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair today         12:50 The queer trans project supplies more than 500 gender-affirming supply kits  15:25 Chicago's International Film Festival Returns in October with a stunning lineup of queer films             18:12     Anna's Got A Word   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links Fundraiser for Denise Jackson by Baltimore Safe Haven : I WAS SOMEBODY'S CHILD. I DESERVED TO LIVE  Fundraiser by Lisa drummond : Support for Jacqueline After Asia's Tragic Loss  Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 358. This Week's Top Story Rest in Power to Sophie Lee, And Asia Williams, Two Black Trans Women Killed In Baltimore This Year It's with a heavy heart that I share that two Black Trans Women have been killed in Baltimore. Sophie Lee, and Asia Williams have both been shot and killed in Baltimore this year. Police Investigations for both cases are under way, but no suspects or motives have been found. Asia was the 22nd trans woman killed this year and Sophie was the 23rd according to Pgh Lesbian. The gofundme's for both Asia and Sophie will be linked in the show notes if you'd like to support the families.   This Week In Politics A group of LGBTQ+ middle schoolers sue their school board And Are Victorious! This all started when 17 students attending a King George County school wanted to establish a GSA. The King George County School Board enacted a policy change in response to the backlash so that middle school students can no longer form noncircular clubs. Well,  the students weren't having that so they took the school board to court! The students argued that the school board violated their first amendment rights by blocking their club from forming meanwhile other student organizations were allowed to continue. The students victory in court resulted in the policy being changed back to how it was as well as a settlement. Mass Arrests At A LGBTQ+ Led Protest In Istanbul In international news, multiple people were detained at a LGBTQ+ led protest in Istanbul. The protestors were asking for the release of numerous LGBTQ+ activists who were arrested during a police crack down on LGBTQ+ groups and organizations earlier this month. It's estimated that 150 people were detained at the protest in front of Istanbul's courthouse. Titled the "My Family Is Safe" operation, local police swept through LGBTQ+ organization offices, popular queer hangout spots and safe spaces, LGBTQ+ activists homes, and they even went as far as to delete websites affiliated with the LGBTQ+ community. Close to 50 people were detained as a result of those raids. This Week In Culture & Entertainment The Queer Trans Project Supplies More than 500 Gender-Affirming Supply Kits To Floridian Youth The Queer Trans Project just donated more than 500 gender-affirming supply kits to youth in Florida. Their "Build a Queer Kits" include binders, tucking supplies, makeup kits, health supplies and much more at no cost! The next restock of the build-a-queer kits is November 17th, and it's their biggest restock yet with more than 5000+ gender-affirming care items available. The kits are fully customizable and to apply for one, you can head to https://queertransproject.org/ for all the application details. The kits are distributed on a lottery based system, so even if you don't get selected for this drop, you can reapply for the next one. In addition to their build-a-queer kits, the Queer Trans Project also offers financial assistance for airfare in the form of their Flight Assistance program. Introducing The Queer Films Showing At The Chicago International Film Festival Continuing our coverage of Film Festival Season In Chicago, The Chicago International Film Festival is next month and they've just announced their full lineup for their 62nd year! Club Kid is one of the highly anticipated opening night films. Directed by and starring Jordan Fistman (I Love LA + Ms. Marvel) The film is described as hilarious, touching, racy, and tender and is about a New York club promoter who wakes up one day to find the ten year old british son he never knew he had at his door step. Filmmaker Jordan Fistman will be in attendance at the opening night screening on October 14th at the music box theatre. In addition to premieres, there are many anniversaries being celebrated at the film festival as well. The Watermelon Woman turns 30 this year, and to celebrate, a special tribute to director Cheryl Dunye will be held before the screening of the film on October 17th at the Logan Center for the Arts. During the tribute, Cheryl will be presented with the Career Achievement Award. Anna's Word: Reason, Season, or Lifetime "What felt good then doesn't feel good now. What you accepted then you will not accept now. Hold space to grieve, but recognize that some people come into your life for a reason, a season, and a select few get to be for a lifetime." Family, my word for this week comes from a place of deep personal reflection after a trying week. We grew up hearing the classic quote that people enter our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, but it isn't until we gain lived experience that the truth of those words really hits home. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.  Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome back to our Summer series! As we head into Bisexuality Week, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories and voices that matter most to our community! First, Anna brings you an important Queer News update on the Sam Nordquist case, then later, join Anna for a conversation with the visionary founder of Skirt Club, Genevieve Lejeune.   Genevieve is a leading figure in women's sexual empowerment and the founder of Skirt Club, a private, global members-only club for bi-curious and bisexual women. With over 25,000 members across 36 cities worldwide, Genevieve was the first to curate luxurious global spaces where women can prioritize their desires and gain confidence from the bedroom to the boardroom. Her work and expertise have been featured in high-profile publications such as Marie Claire, Elle Magazine, Cosmo, Bloomberg, Rolling Stone, and the Sunday Times. On this episode of Queer News, Anna and Genevieve discuss dismantling the stigma around bisexuality, reclaiming pleasure, the power of women-only spaces, and the launch of Skirt Club's new global app. You can find Genevieve Lejeune and Skirt Club online at SkirtClub.co.uk and on Instagram @skirtclub. Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right       00:25     Welcome to Queer News      03:55     Join our Substack      04:36     Join the QCrew             05:23     Queer News Headlines        09:48    Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair today          10:42     Send us your Queer News Tip          11:01    Interview      🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 357. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.    Associate Producer Myana Zhane' Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story is a tragic one. We remember our two family members who were killed outside of the Venture-N gay bar in Tuscan, Arizona. In politics, Dr. Everton Blair wins in Georgia and makes gay history. In Arkansas politics, a librarian fired for opposing the censorship of LGBTQ+ books wins a massive settlement. In culture and entertainment, Lil Nas X's mom passes away and Chicago's LGBTQ+ Film Festival Reeling Returns Sep 17th - 27th. Let's get into it! Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right   00:26     Welcome to Queer News          03:01     Join the QCrew              03:40     Queer News Headlines             04:30     A Targeted Shooting in Arizona Outside A Gay Bar Leaves 2 Dead          09:52     Dr. Everton Blair Sworn Into Congress          13:29     Librarian Fired For Opposing the Ban of LGBTQ+ Books Wins Massive Settlement          17:20     Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair today         18:14     Send us your Queer News Tip                19:33     Lil Nas X's mom passes away          20:54     Chicago's LGBTQ+ Film Festival Reeling Returns Sep 17th - 27th          24:36     Anna's Got A Word   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Interview: A conversation with Dr. Everton Blair about his historic run for congress in Georgia's 13th district   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 356. This Week's Top Story   A Targeted Shooting in Arizona Outside A Gay Bar Leaves 2 Dead A targeted attack outside an Arizona gay bar left two dead and hundreds in mourning on Monday. Local police arrived to Venture-N around 12 am Monday morning after reports of shots fired. Shortly after they found Vincent Anthony Siqueiros (42N) and Cameron Davis Capara (33M) who were pronounced deceased at the scene. The shooter, Ousman Ceesay, was also found at the scene. He had a self inflicted gunshot wound and was transported to a nearby hospital where he died.    A hit list of LGBTQ+ businesses was found on Ceesay's body, leaving local law enforcement to believe that Ceesay intended to cause a lot more harm than he did. Vincent Anthony Siquerios and Cameron Davis Capara were remembered fondly by hundreds on Wednesday during a candle lit vigil outside of Venture-N. Portraits of the two were surrounded by flowers brought by friends, family, and patrons paying their respects.   This Week In Politics   Dr. Everton Blair Sworn Into Congress Family do y'all remember Dr. Everton Blair? He's a friend of the show and an openly gay politician running from the South running for congress. Well he has just been sworn into congress, making him the first openly gay Black man from Georgia to hold a seat in Congress.   Although it is unclear whether Congressman Blair will remain in congress after January, he's been known to pull off upsets in his past races. Congrats Congressman Blair. Make us proud.   Librarian Fired For Opposing the Ban of LGBTQ+ Books Wins Massive Settlement In Arkansas, a librarian won a big settlement after she was fired for refusing to comply with a LGBTQ+ book censorship. Patty Hector had been a librarian at the Saline County library for almost 10 years before Saline County Judge Matt Brumley fired her because she opposed the censorship of LGBTQ+ books. The ordinance that Patty rejected stated that she was to remove books with "sexual imagery or content" from the children's section of her library.   Patty, alongside the ACLU of Arkansas untied to sue the county, but to avoid litigation the county agreed to pay a 275 thousand dollar settlement to Patty. She hopes this serves as a motivator for more librarians to stand up against book censorship, saying "I hope this settlement sends a message to librarians and other public servants across Arkansas that their voices and their constitutional rights matter." This Week In Culture & Entertainment   Lil Nas X's mom passes away Family, keep Lil Nas X in your prayers. It was announced August 29th that his mother, Tameka Hill, passed away. In a social media post dedicated to his mother the musician wrote: "RIP TO THE BADEST EVER. LOVE YOU FOREVER MOMMY. this one's gonna hurt."   Chicago's LGBTQ+ Film Festival Reeling Returns Sep 17th - 27th One of Chicago's largest LGBTQ+ film festivals is back for it's 66th year. Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQIA+ International Film Festivals returns September 17th - 27th for another year of the best and boldest queer films. Anna's Word   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome back to our Summer series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Anna has a Queer News headline to share, then later, join Anna for an exclusive interview with leading journalist and broadcaster Hunter Kelly. Hunter is a leading journalist and broadcaster whose focus on music and LGBTQ+ issues has influenced his work for more than a decade. His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Apple News Radio, Variety, and NPR just to name a few publications.    Hunter served as the Nashville Correspondent for ABC News and ABC News Radio, where he's interviewed celebrities such as Katy Perry, Loretta Lyn, Garth Brooks, and Taylor Swift. From there he transitioned to Apple Music's Proud Radio, where he hosted "an hour-long show featuring LGBTQ+ artists in country and Americana music."   On this episode of Queer News, Anna and Hunter fondly remember the life and legacy of Dolly Parton.   You can find Hunter Kelly on instagram @nashvillehk.    Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News     02:35     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew         03:55     Drag Show Ban In Texas Struck Down By Judge      09:20     Interview with Hunter Kelly      35:41     Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair Today    36:35     Subscribe to our Newsletter      36:57     Send us your Queer News Tip  p          37:30     Interview with Hunter Kelly (continued)   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Featured Artists & Key Links Hunter dropped incredible country, folk, and Americana artists during this conversation. Check out their music and support independent queer artists in country:   Denitia — Black queer country artist and featured vocalist on Dolly Parton's official symphony tour. Joy Oladokun — Acclaimed Nashville-based Black queer singer-songwriter. The Kentucky Gentlemen — Twin brothers making waves as Black queer artists in country music. D'orjay (The Singing Shaman) — Canadian Black queer country singer-songwriter. Chris Housman — Out gay country artist; check out his album Dodge City! Allison Russell — Grammy-winning roots/country artist and activist. Brandi Carlile — Multi-Grammy winning queer icon and champion of Dolly's legacy.   Connect with Hunter Kelly: Substack: Untethered Southerner Instagram: @nashvillehk Website: hunterkelly.com   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 355. This Week's Top Story   Drag Show Ban In Texas Struck Down By Judge U.S. District Judge David Hittner struck down a 2023 state law that had sought to ban drag shows last week in Texas.The law, also known as Senate Bill 12, was ruled as a violation of the First Amendment. Under Senate Bill 12, businesses would've faced fines up to $10,000 dollars and even up to 1 year in prison for hosting events that involve public nudity and/or sexual content.   In his ruling Judge Hittner wrote. "The vast majority of the law's numerous applications violate the First Amendment because all the performances that it has an actual impact on are constitutionally protected and are targeted for prohibition based on content and viewpoint." He added that for "those who find such activities as described in this case offensive…The solution is relatively simple ... just don't go." 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.    Associate producer Myana Zhane' Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story highlights trans and nonbinary politicians on the precipice of making history. In politics, co-owner of the Lesbian Bar My Sister's Room Jen-Chase Daniels was arrested over the weekend, and the Trump administration is getting sued again! In sports, culture and entertainment, WNBA security pulls fans for pro and anti trans shirts, the lgbtq+ community now makes up 12% of the population and the chicago therapy collective will soon be prohibited from providing funds for gender affirming care by the Trump administration. Let's get into it! Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.                     00:26     Welcome to Queer News     02:05     Subscribe to our Newsletter          03:14     Join the QCrew            03:47     Queer News Headlines             05:10     Two Trans Women Are Poised To Win Positions in State Legislature in Two Separate States      09:36     Atlanta Lesbian Bar Owner Arrested After "Noise Complaints"          14:35     Trump Gets Sued Over Trans Healthcare Ban      17:55     Get your tickets to the 12th annual Purple Tie Affair today 18:49     Send us your Queer News Tip        19:10     WNBA Pulls Fans For Pro and Anti Trans Shirts          27:43     The LGBTQ+ Community Now Makes Up 12% Of The Population     30:04     Anna's Word       🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 354. This Week's Top Story   Two Trans Women Are Poised To Win Positions in State Legislature in Two Separate States   Jaelynn Scott and Joanna Whaley have the potential to do something historic: Become the first trans woman elected to State Legislature in their respective states of Washington and Michigan. In Washington, Jaelynn Scott is on track to become the first Black trans woman in the country to be elected to a state legislature. Over in Michigan, Joanna Whaley is running for Michigan's 2nd House District.    We'd also like to shout out Bentley Hudgins in Georgia won their democratic primary for Georgia's House of Representatives in the 90th District. Should they win in November, they'll be the first openly nonbinary member of Georgia's state legislature.November is shaping up to be a historic election season. Good luck to all the candidates, and we'll continue to monitor their campaigns progress through November.   This Week In Politics   Atlanta Lesbian Bar Owner Arrested After "Noise Complaints"   In Atlanta, co-owner of the Lesbian Bar My Sister's Room (MSR for short) Jen-Chase Daniels was arrested over the weekend allegedly due to noise complaints. Here's what we know so far: A video of Jen-Chase's arrest was uploaded to the my sisters room instagram Saturday night. In the video, you can hear the co-owner tell officers that the building was not at capacity, and the event going on in the bar that night was not 18+ as she asks the person recording to call her wife shortly before being escorted to the back of a police car.   Jen-Chase wrote "I was asked to show my ID. The officer already knew who I was, and I questioned why I needed to provide identification when we had not done anything wrong. I was willing to show the video footage demonstrating that the noise was not coming from MSR. Instead, I was arrested." Jen - Chase spent the next 12 hours at Grady Memorial Hospital, where she was unable to notify her family of her whereabouts. Upon her release from the hospital, she was transferred to jail.   Trump Gets Sued Over Trans Healthcare Ban   The Trump administration is getting sued again and we love to see it! This time, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is allegedly being sued by five federal workers because healthcare coverage was revoked for transgender employees, retirees, and their families. The plaintiffs argue that this is a violation of Title VII of the civil rights act, which prohibits places of work from discriminating against race, religion, or in this case, sex.   The plaintiffs are seeking an end to the Carrier Letter 2025-01b policy as well as reimbursements to employees who've had to pay for procedures out of pocket. They also are seeking to reinstate healthcare coverage to employees whose coverage was revoked as a result of The U.S. Office of Personnel Management's new policies.   This Week In Sports   WNBA Pulls Fans For Pro and Anti Trans Shirts   A game with the Atlanta Dream vs The Indiana Fever got heated in the stands as guests were asked to remove their shirts by security. Reportedly three fans were asked to cover up and/or remove shirts with messages that contained both pro and anti trans language.   In response to the incident, the WNBA wrote "The WNBA is aware of interactions at (Sunday) night's game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. This should not have happened." A representative from the Atlanta Dream also commented on the actions taken by the WNBA's security during Sunday's game, saying that "The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Unfortunately, at last night's game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard. At no point was Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security."   This Week In Culture & Entertainment   The LGBTQ+ Community Now Makes Up 12% Of The Population   Cheers Queers, we now make up 12% of the adult population in the United States! The Human Rights Campaign Foundation analyzed the U.S. census and found that there are approximately 26.5 million LGBTQ+ adults in the US which totals up to 12% of the recorded population from the years 2021 - 2024. The data was collected from that specific time period because shortly after the Trump administration had removed sexuality and gender metrics from a majority of federal surveys.   Chicago Therapy Collective Will Soon Be Prohibited From Providing Funds For Gender Affirming Care By The Trump Administration   Due to a new ruling by the Trump Administration, organizations such as the Chicago Therapy Collective will soon be prohibited from providing funds to assist people receive the gender affirming care they need. The new ruling specifically prohibits the use of "federal funds and CHIP funds from covering certain forms of gender-affirming care for trans youth." This will go into effect on October 13th of this year, and youth currently accessing gender-affirming care will have a six month grace period before the loss of federal funding.   All is not lost. Plans are being made across the nation for amendments to the new ruling, however at this current point in time legislative action is necessary to get these funds resumed. On a state level, states can allocate funds to supporting those seeking gender affirming care, but there's no guarantee that individual states can (or will) move those funds.    Anna's Word   I'm Built for More   "This year has been about persistence and a bullish attitude that I've always been built for more."   Family, it's my birthday week! As I prepare to turn 43 on August 30th, I'm taking a moment to reflect on a year defined by true fortitude. It hasn't been easy, personally or professionally, but if there's one thing this season has taught me, it's that we are built to push past the resistance.   In this week's word, I share:   Standing in Fortitude: Navigating tough seasons with persistence and the refusal to let challenges take us out. Evolving for Today: Why sustaining independent media means focusing on expansion, pivots, and meaningful collaborations right now—not relying on what worked five years ago. Choosing Hope: Showing up authentically for ourselves, our purpose, and this community every single day.   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome back to the show! This is a special episode brought to us by our Queer News contributor Darian Aaron, Senior Director of Local News: U.S. South for GLAAD. This episode digs into GLAAD's newly released 2026 HIV Stigma Report with a powerful intergenerational conversation taking root down South.   While Gen Z is the most out generation in history, GLAAD's latest report reveals a startling knowledge gap: only 31% of Gen Z feel knowledgeable about HIV, compared to 60% of Gen X. To bridge this divide, four generations of Black Southerners, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, gathered at the ArtsXchange in East Point, Georgia, to put real faces, history, and radical honesty behind the data.   Darian was joined by Jerrell Hardnett, Associate Director of Education & Advocacy at GLAAD and author of the report, alongside Black Southern advocates to unpack what it takes to break historic silos. They discuss the systemic failures of sexual health education, the promise of modern prevention like PrEP, and why sharing stories of thriving, joyful lives today is the ultimate antidote to lingering epidemic-era shame.   As GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis notes in the report: "Ending HIV stigma is possible. But it will require all of us to choose truth over misinformation, visibility over silence, and empathy over fear."   Follow GLAAD @glaad and learn more at glaad.org/hiv.   We want to thank Darian for bringing these stories to Queer News.  Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe in supporting independent and local LGBQ journalism, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Read GLAAD's full HIV Stigma Report   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome back to our Summer series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Anna has a few quick Queer News headlines to share then join Anna for an exclusive interview with USA today woman of the year and award winning recording artist Lachi. Lachi is so much more than a visionary. She is the vision. In addition to her work in the music industry, Lachi is an author, champion of disability cultures, and a media personality. She has spoken on national and international stages advocating for new ways to converse about stigmas surrounding disabilities. Lachi is also the co-founder of R.A.M.P.D. aka Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. RAMPD "works to make the highest levels of the music industry more disability inclusive."   Lachi talks with Anna about her loss of sight, overcoming adversity and how she's breaking down stigmas in her own way. They also discuss her singles Life on Hard and The Bag as well as the journey to virality and a grammy nomination. Her new book I Identify As Blind is out now so get your copy today!    Lachi lives by the mantra: "Always be truest to the part of yourself that society wants you to be most ashamed of. Because once you can accept that part of yourself — despite what anyone else thinks, does or says — that's how you win at life."   Follow Lachi @lachimusic Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe in supporting independent and local LGBQ journalism, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.   00:26     Welcome to Queer News          02:45     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             03:37     Queer News Headlines             07:28     Lachi       19:12     Subscribe to our Newsletter            20:06     Send us your Queer News Tip   🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, fIn politics, trans troops continue fighting for their right to serve in the military and Iowa teachers receive a settlement after being suspended for a drag show. In sports, Cleveland announces a new WNBA team and transphobes have entered the WNBA chat. And last but not least, In culture and entertainment, the thrive fund has opened grant applications for gender-affirming care and you might meet the criteria. Let's get into it! Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News          02:50     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             03:37     Queer News Headlines             04:15     Trans Troops Continue Their Fight For Their Right To Serve In The Military      11:13     Iowa Teachers Receive Settlement After Being Suspended For Dragshow          15:28     Subscribe to our Newsletter             15:52     Send us your Queer News Tip                 16:24     Cleveland Announces New WNBA Team: The Cleveland Sirens          20:42     Transphobia On The Rise In The WNBA?          25:04     The Gender-Affirming Fund, The Thrive Fund, Has Opened Applications For August          27:43     Anna's Word       🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   About – Out in National Security    Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 351. This Week's Top Story   Trans Troops Continue Their Fight For Their Right To Serve In The Military   Ever since Trump has (allegedly) cheated his way back into office, his administration has made it their personal vendetta to make life harder for trans people in America. From sports to the largest employer of lgbtq+ people the military, it's feeling more and more these days like there are fewer places where trans people can simply exist. Even in the face of that, there are people and organizations who continue to fight back.   Federal claims judge Elaine D. Kaplan in D.C struck ruled to deny the US Justice Department's attempt to dismiss a lawsuit with 17 trans military members who are suing the justice department for "unlawfully stripping them of retirement pay and benefits after promising they could leave military service with early retirement." We will continue to monitor this lawsuit and deliver any updates as they occur.   This Week In Politics   Iowa Teachers Receive Settlement After Being Suspended For Dragshow   Three teachers in Iowa have received a settlement after facing suspension for a drag show. The drag show was a collaborative effort between middle and high school students from local GSA's (Gay Straight Alliances) as a way for students to get to know each other. The event was also an ice cream social and it was a private event only for GSA students. Footage and photos from the show made their way across the internet and ended up in some right-wing circles deeming the event inappropriate.    The school district couldn't handle the heat from the right-wing, so the teachers were placed on suspension. The teachers filed a lawsuit against Iowa's Ankeny school district for "basis of their sexual orientation, as well as association with others based on sexual orientation" and won $150,000!   This Week In Sports   Cleveland Announces New WNBA Team: The Cleveland Sirens   Family, have y'all heard the call? Cleveland's new WNBA team, the Cleveland Sirens, have swum ashore. The team was announced on August 4th and they describe themselves as "sharp, unapologetic, fearless, and relentless". The Cleveland Sirens are the 16th team in the league. Cleveland is no stranger to the WNBA. The Cleveland Rockers precedes the Sirens as a founding franchise, and they were active in the lead from 1997 - 2003 when the team couldn't find a new buyer. Fun fact, former Cleveland Rocker Janice Braxton lends her vocal talents in a trailer announcing the Sirens.   The Cleveland Sirens are one of four teams announced as a part of the WNBA's league expansion. We met the Golden State Valkyries last year and they are currently sitting at the number two spot in the league. Detroit is up next, announcing their return to the league in 2029, and Philadelphia will enter the league in 2030. The demand for the WNBA is growing, so It's great to see the WNBA continue to expand the league! Family, where would you like to see the WNBA expand to next?   Transphobia On The Rise In The WNBA? From Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham voicing her belief that trans kids don't belong in sports to subpar former NBA Athletes Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared their eligibility for the WNBA draft, it's evident that there's a rise in bigotry and transphobia amongst players and fans of the WNBA. Heck I even saw it first hand at the Chicago Sky vs Indiana Fever game. But what is the league doing about it?   The Women's National Basketball Players Association released a statement on their instagram page on Friday. They said, "We embrace justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion," the players' union said. "Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women's sports while creating transformational change. Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns." We will of course be following to see what the W does here but they better do right by our trans siblings because trans kids in sports is not a real issue. And stay close to the substack because I want to elaborate as to why it isn't an issue.    This Week In Culture & Entertainment   The Gender-Affirming Fund, The Thrive Fund, Has Opened Applications For August   The Thrive Fund is now accepting applications for their 2026 grant season! The Thrive Fund is a fund that rewards grants up to $2,500 for gender-affirming care not covered by other programs. If you are seeking financial support for gender affirming care such as updating government ID's, vocal therapy, certain legal services, and more then this fund is for you!   The application is open now until August 31st. Applicants who have been selected for the fund, or need to submit additional information for review will be contacted by the Point of Pride team 8-12 weeks after the application deadline. Recipients will have 6 months to utilize the funds for retail purchases and 18 months for services after receiving the grant.   Anna's Word 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome back to our Summer series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Anna has a few quick Queer News Headlines to share then join Anna for an exclusive interview with gardener, educator, author, and fashionista, Plant Kween. Plant Kween, is a Brooklyn based gardener, author, and educator with more than 200 plants in their personal collection. They use their knowledge of horticulture to create prosperous green third spaces in NYC, and educate people about how to not only care for their plants – but for themselves. An abundance of joy is rooted in all that they create.   Plant Kween converses with Anna about their 200 green girls (name inspired by their love for Golden Girls), Their journey to becoming Plant Kween and the value of one's time, Their work building flourishing third spaces with New York city parks, and words of encouragement for plant parents who may be struggling in their caretaking journey.   "As a Black queer non-binary femme, Christopher enjoys exploring creative and accessible ways to use plants as a catalyst to incite further conversations centering the empowerment of QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) in the lush world of horticulture, to help people reconnect with nature, live more sustainable lives, and be more curious of how they can contribute to making their lives and this planet greener." Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News          02:55     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             03:49     Leave a Queer News Tip, Email info at e3radio.fm or leave a message here https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/243669/19/rc6z5z67pp1op502          04:19     Queer News Headlines             07:16     Exclusive Interview: A conversation with Plant Kween          21:28     Subscribe & Support us on our new Substack https://queernewspod.substack.com           21:50     Leave a Queer News Tip, Email info at e3radio.fm or leave a message here https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/243669/19/rc6z5z67pp1op502    🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links Plant Kween's Official Website Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter, https://bit.ly/QueerNews  Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, we begin with breaking news out of Berlin after a white van ran into a crowd on Saturday during Berlin Pride. For our top story, 200 million dollars in HIV prevention federal grants are at risk because of Trump administration budget cuts. In politics, rugby team the Baltimore Ferals won't comply with Trump's trans sports ban. In culture and entertainment, Meshell Ndegeocello debuts a new album of cover songs, Raven Symone is to be honored on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and Chicago's Esteem Awards uplifts courageous queers in the city. Let's get into it!   Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News          03:05     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             03:50     Berlin Attack          06:30     Queer News Headlines             07:19     200 Million in HIV Prevention Federal Grants At Risk          10:46     Rugby Team The Baltimore Ferals Wont Comply With Trumps Trans Sports Ban          13:43     Subscribe to our Newsletter          14:06     Send us your Queer News Tip          14:26     Meshell Ndegeocello Debuts New Cover Album          16:34     Raven Symone To Be Honored On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame          18:57     Chicago's Esteem Awards Uplifts Courageous Queers In The City          21:30     Anna's Word     🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Check out Pride on Full Display at the Obama Presidential Center   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 349. This Week's Top Story   200 Million in HIV Prevention Federal Grants At Risk   200 million dollars in federal funding towards HIV prevention are at risk after the CDC allegedly declined to renew the grant program. The current grant runs through September, thanks to an extension passed earlier this year. Some speculate that the CDC will announce a new program and/or funding opportunity in place of the current grant, but with no guarantees, 96 organizations may be left without crucial funding. What's interesting is this grant has been in circulation for more than 30 years, so to cut it now with no alternative in sign is alarming.   Organizations need this funding to continue providing free/low cost HIV prevention services to the general public. The lack of funding could also lead to the closing of even more HIV treatment sites. We've already seen a decrease in them since last year due to Trump's increased cuts to funding. According to the human rights campaign, a study by amfAR found that over 1,700 HIV testing sites have already shuttered their doors since Trump took over.    This Week In Politics   Rugby Team The Baltimore Ferals Wont Comply With Trumps Trans Sports Ban Rugby team the Baltimore Ferals refuse to comply with Trump's Trans Sports ban. Back in February, USA rugby crumbled to Trump's whims and made a policy stating that only people  "assigned female at birth" could play on the women's team.    A statement released by the team states "Trans women are women and belong in women's sports…We are proud that so many of our opponents have shown us that they share these values and we hope that clubs around the nation continue to recruit and uplift trans players, especially in the face of transphobic policies." The Guardian reported that "While most trans-exclusionary policies in sports face opposition, advocates say that no sport has seen the immediate, collective cry of resistance that US women's rugby has in the aftermath of its ban." This Week In Culture & Entertainment   Meshell Ndegeocello Debuts New Cover Album   Poet, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello returns to the musical world with a brand new cover album. Tilted Synonym, Meshell describes the album as a collection of "classic songs that…have diverse tones, representing various genres and intentional grooves."    In addition to diverse tones, this album is stacked with star studded features and collaborations. Celebrities like "Cat Power, Chaka Khan, Brandi Carlile, Bill Callahan, Chris Thile, Nick Hakim, Robert Glasper, Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, ANOHNI, and Willow" all make appearances on the album. Synonym releases on October 2, but is currently available for preorder wherever you buy music.   Raven Symone To Be Honored On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame  Beloved cheetah Sistah and pop icon Raven Symone will be honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. From the cosby show, to thats so raven, to the cheetah girls, The actress, singer, writer, director etc has graced our screens for so long, so it's about time she received a star. Raven thanked her supporters in a heartwarming video on her instagram. "Thers a lot of feelings, There's a lot of feelings and um I'm still processing them just because it's been a long journey. Thank you guys for supporting me for the last…imma say it forty years…I love you guys, and back to work!"   Chicago's Esteem Awards Uplifts Courageous Queers In The City   Chicago's Annual Esteem Awards was held last week at Sidetrack, and a handful of courageous Chicagoans received high honors.The Esteem Awards honors and celebrates "the changemakers, trailblazers, and community champions who are making a real difference in the lives of African American, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ communities and our allies." Since the creation of the awards in 2007, more than 300 Chicagoans have received an esteem award.   Award recipients for the 2026 ceremony include: "chef Dominique Leach (Outstanding Female Service to the Community); Travis Gayles, MD (Outstanding Male Service to the Community); Darrius Caffey (Future Leader); Myah Brown (Outstanding Service, Transgender); Peter Gaona (Artistic Expression); Brandynicole Brooks (Outstanding Female Service National); with a special recognition for Jerry Jones, UB the Cure (Institutional Award); and the Chicago Women's AIDS Project (Service Organization)." Anna's Word 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Family, sharing our new-ish trailer for the podcast. Hope you enjoy it!

Welcome back to our Summer series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Anna shares an update in the O'Shae Sibley case. Later, join Anna for an exclusive interview with educator and politician Dr. Everton Blair . Dr. Everton Blair is on a historic campaign for a position in congress in Georgia's 13th district. Should he win, he would be the first openly out gay man to win the seat in Georgia. The polls are currently open and this week marks the last week of early voting. Dr. Blair was an educator first and the "first Black and youngest-ever member elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education." During his time working for Gwinnett County, he increased services for students, raised teachers wages, and took the lead for Metro Atlanta's COVID response team. Dr. Blair converses with Anna about his love for math and teaching, the work he's done for Georgia's largest school system and how that inspired him to run for congress, the shade between congressmen, and the future of AI data centers and the detrimental effect it has on Black and Brown communities.   Dr. Blair fights for "a people-first economic agenda that puts money in the pockets of regular people, and puts an end to the loopholes that allow greedy corporations to pick our pockets" Improving schools and raises for educators, the strengthening of LGBTQ+ rights, the abolishment of ICE, and affordable housing.   Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 00:26     Welcome to Queer News          03:46     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             04:43     Queer News Headlines             04:59     O'Shae Sibley's Murderer Finally Sentenced          08:05     Exclusive Interview: A conversation with Dr. Everton Blair           18:04     Subscribe & Support us on our new Substack https://queernewspod.substack.com          18:28     Leave a Queer News Tip, Email info at e3radio.fm or leave a message here https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/243669/19/rc6z5z67pp1op502            🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Everton Blair For Congress    Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter, https://bit.ly/QueerNews  Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 343. This Week's Top Story   O'Shae Sibley's Murderer Finally Sentenced 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story covers Sam Nordquist's accused torturer pleads guilty to all charges. In politics, the supreme court votes 6-3 in west virginia vs b. p. j a case that determines the future of trans athletes ability to participate in sports. In sports, the women's pro baseball league reveals the first four teams and we provide a guide to WNBA's All Star Weekend. In culture and entertainment, GLAAD releases their where we are in film study. Let's get into it! Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.   00:26     Welcome to Queer News          03:40     Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew             04:21     Queer News Headlines             05:26     Sam Nordquist Accused Torturer Pleads Guilty To All Charges          08:53     The Supreme Court Votes 6-3 In WEST VIRGINIA vs B. P. J A Case That Determines The Future Of Trans Athletes Ability To Participate In Sports          12:53     Subscribe & Support us on our new Substack https://queernewspod.substack.com          13:17     Women's Pro Baseball League Reveals The First Four Teams          18:19     Your Guide To  WNBA's All Star Weekend Including Some Lesbian Events Leading Up To The Game          20:59     GLAAD Releases Their We Are in Film Study          25:27     Anna's Got A Word                 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   Important Episode Links   Zero Trans Representation in Film! Raina talks GLAAD's 2025 Where We Are In Film Study on Queer News   Check out the Chicagoland Lesbian Business Directory   Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter, https://bit.ly/QueerNews  Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.  🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 348. This Week's Top Story   Sam Nordquist Accused Torturer Pleads Guilty To All Charges Family, more than a year after Sam Nordquist's murder, his torturer pleads guilty to all charges. Sam Nordquist was a Black trans man who was brutally tortured by a group of 7 people for a month before his murder. One week ago, the alleged mastermind behind the murder Precious Arzuaga pleaded guilty to all of her charges. On September 4th it is suspected that she will be sentenced to life in prison with no parole. The others accused are still awaiting trials.  This is but a small deliverance of justice to Sam Nordquist and his family, who are continuously grieving the loss of their loved one just one year after his untimely death. We will continue to update you as this story progresses.  This Week In Politics   The Supreme Court Votes 6-3 In WEST VIRGINIA vs B. P. J A Case That Determines The Future Of Trans Athletes Ability To Participate In Sports The Supreme Court has made their decision in the case of West Virginia vs BPJ a case that determines the future of trans kids in sports. The Court voted 6-3 in favor of the states deciding the laws regarding whether trans girls can participate in women's sports or not. They cited that states voting to ban trans girls from women's sports does not violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause. This ruling means that states that have a ban in effect have essentially barred their trans students from participating in sports.   27 states and counting have passed laws that are discriminatory against trans people since 2020. This supreme court decision to leave it up to the states to decide who can and can't participate in sports is harmful and could potentially open up even more doors for discrimination against the trans community   This Week In Sports   Women's Pro Baseball League Reveals The First Four Teams Let's play ball! The Women's Professional Baseball League has announced the first four teams of the league. Each team's name is rich in historical significance and the leading ladies who paved the way for the WPBL to shine. The Boston Hunters, Los Angeles Queens, The New York Heights, and the San Francisco Firebells are coming soon to the field near you!   Your Guide To  WNBA's All Star Weekend Including Some Lesbian Events Leading Up To The Game WNBA All-Star Weekend is almost upon us, and if you don't have your itinerary put together then what are you doing? I've rounded up a few events and activations that you don't want to miss during the exciting and jam-packed weekend. WNBA Live presented by AWS will be at the McCormick Place July 23rd-25th. The fan festival aims to unite fans and players for a weekend full of celebration of the WNBA.    The Three Point contest and the Kia WNBA Shooting Stars take place on Friday the 24th. The All-Star game is on Saturday July 25th. Bliss Sundays, Ladies Love Us, and Lovers and Friends are partnering together to host a Lesbian WNBA All-Star Weekend full of meetups! Dirty Matriarch will be joining the fun on July 25th with an All-Star weekend after party at Tunnel Chicago. Yours truly will be co-hosting a WNBA trivia night with Shana Sumers at level sporting club on July 23rd at 8pm.   This Week In Culture & Entertainment   GLAAD Releases Their We Are in Film Study Did TV and Film feel a little less queer to anyone else last year? GLAAD's annual study analyzing the queer representation in media has just dropped for the year and has the numbers to back the decreasing queer representation in media.    Titled Where We Are In Film, GLAAD describes the study as research that " maps the quantity, quality and diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) characters in films released by ten major motion picture studios during the 2025 calendar year. GLAAD researched films released by A24, Amazon MGM Studios, Apple TV+, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Skydance, Sony, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, and their subsidiaries. The report is intended to serve as a road map toward increasing fair, accurate and inclusive LGBTQ representation in film." Hopefully the 2026 numbers will improve.   Anna's Word 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.    Written & associated produced by Myana Zhanè.   Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.

Welcome to our Summer series! This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community! Join Anna for an exclusive interview with Brave Space Alliance's new CEO Nikki Patin. Nikki Patin has been serving as the CEO for Brave Space Alliance for one month, but before then Nikki's had quite the career. Featured in The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Reader, Windy City Times and on WBEZ, WTTW, and HBO, Nikki Patin has been writing, performing, educating, leading organizations and advocating for over two decades.    Nikki talks with Anna about who they are, what qualified them for the CEO position out of the 100 applicants who applied, their tentative 10-year strategic plan for the future of Brave Space Alliance, and the impact Brave Space Alliance has had on the LGBTQ+ community. Brave Space Alliance (BSA) is an LGBTQ+ focused community center on Chicago's South Side that welcomes and serves all who come through our doors.  They strive to empower, embolden, and educate each other through mutual aid, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as we build a world of liberty and justice for all. Want to support this podcast? 🏳️‍🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month.  🎧 We are Queer News Done Right. 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Important Episode Links Join the QCrew! Giving starts as low as $5/month Send In a Queer News Tip or email info at e3radio dot fm 🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨ Interested in advertising? Email: info at e3radio.fm Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/@e3radio    📣 Stay Connected Subscribe for news & queer deals: Queer News Newsletter, https://bit.ly/QueerNews  Follow Anna @annadeshawn on social for the latest queer news updates! Rate, review, and share this episode to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices.    🌈✊🏾🏳️‍⚧️✨   About Queer News An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.  Produced by: Anna DeShawn Associate Produced by: Myana Zhanè  Edited by Esther Ikoro  Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.