03/09/25

Hi all,

🗳️ As Republican lawmakers dodge in-person town halls, avoiding direct engagement with voters furious over the Trump administration’s devastating policies (looking at you, anti-trans executive orders and DOGE), LGBTQ+ Democrats like Washington U.S. Rep. Emily Randall and Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan are doing the opposite. They're meeting people where they are and making themselves accessible. Both have held town halls with huge turnouts.

🕯️ Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto, a gay couple known for art and activism, were killed in their Buffalo, N.Y., home last week, and a suspect has been charged with murder.

👏🏽 Kim Davis is still losing. The former Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples nearly a decade ago just got another legal setback — this time from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled unanimously against her.

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, Advocate.com

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

Massive turnout at Democratic lawmakers’ town halls as Republicans hide from voters

Emily Randall

Gay artist-activist couple killed in upstate New York; suspect charged with murder

Heather La Forme via gofundme; Terrence Harmon via gofundme

Wyoming governor signs anti-transgender bathroom bill allowing for lawsuits

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images; haireena/shutterstock

Defense Department to remove photos of WWII plane Enola Gay because it has 'gay' in its name

Bettmann Contributor/Getty Images; PhotoQuest/Getty Images

Kim Davis's latest legal loss: The infamous Kentucky homophobe loses in court again

Ty Wright/Getty Images

Montana Republicans block GOP anti-drag bill after emotional debate

Rep. Zooey Zephyr via x.com; Representative Sherry Essmann via facebook

Is the U.S. government turning back to the 'Fellow Travelers' era for LGBTQ+ people?

Showtime