03/13/25

Hi y'all,

🎧 Have you listened to The Advocate's new podcast The Advocate Weekly? Our host Kevin Ortega-Rojas takes listeners through a roundup of headlines, a deep dive with one of The Advocate's journalists, and a special interview with an LGBTQ+ changemaker. You can find The Advocate Weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms.

🧩 It Gets Better released a "banned words" crossword puzzle mocking Donald Trump's censoring of certain words — including "advocate" — in the federal government. (Honestly, it's the first crossword puzzle I've done in more than 10 years. I'm a bit obsessed.)

🗳️ Pete Buttigieg has decided not to run for the U.S. Senate or Michigan's governorship in 2026. “I care deeply about the outcome of both races, but I have decided against competing in either,” Buttigieg wrote on Substack. The decision not to run may indicate Buttigieg is eyeing a presidential run in 2028.

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, Advocate.com

P.S. Support The Advocate's journalism. Find out how to contribute here.

Transgender Rep. Sarah McBride calls out 'weird' obsession by Republicans in whose minds 'I appear to live rent-free'

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Protesters unveil giant Pride flag in response to Utah's new bill trying to ban it

Brent Olson/Shutterstock; nito/shutterstock

'Banned words' crossword puzzle mocks Donald Trump's LGBTQ+ censorship in federal government

tone kale/shutterstock; a katz/Shutterstock

LGBTQ+ youth feel safer online than in-person — and it's not close

Kaspars Grinvalds/shutterstock

Why Pete Buttigieg said ‘no’ to Michigan’s open political races

Gregory Reed/Shutterstock

The deplorable way House Republicans are treating Rep. Sarah McBride knows no historical equal

Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, fierce LGBTQ+ ally & progressive champion, dies at 77

Courtesy Office of Raúl Grijalva

Federal judge dismantles Trump's trans military ban in explosive hearing

Courtesy United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary; Courtesy The Federalist Society

Felice Picano, acclaimed gay author, has died at 81

Picano: Jude Domski/WireImage via Getty Images

Fox News covers transgender issues almost twice as much as other major networks

Rena Schild/Shutterstock