04/14/25

Hi y'all,

Happy Monday! Here are some highlights from The Advocate:

⭐ Democratic state Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons of Texas schooled a Republican colleague who apparently didn't know intersex people existed. In a video shared on social media, Simmons calls out the GOP for attacking LGBTQ+ rights in a budget bill. Watch the exchange here.

💔 Hungary's parliament passed a law banning LGBTQ+ events in public and allowing authorities to use facial recognition to identify those who participate. Thousands have protested over the weeks, including over the weekend when the political opposition put on a "grey Pride" march calling out the legislation.

🙃 Donald Trump has nominated an Alabama urologist, Brian Christine, with a long record of anti-trans rhetoric — but also a history of marketing gender-affirming care to some transgender people — to replace Dr. Rachel Levine in a top federal health role — the highest ranking out trans person in the federal government in U.S. history. Christine has called for "corrective care" for trans youth.

Check out these stories and more below. ⬇️

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, The Advocate

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

'Andy, that's not true:' Texas Republican mocked after admitting he doesn't know what intersex is

footage stills via instagram @texashousedems

Trump and El Salvador's president attack transgender people during White House meeting

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Rachel Levine's potential replacement once said trans youth should undergo 'corrective care'

Courtesy HHS; footage still via youtube

Keith St Clare, pioneering gay magazine publisher, dead at 79

Vanguard magazine via The LGBTQ History Project; Will Shellhorn; shutterstock creative

Maine Gov. Janet Mills doubles down on defying Trump’s attacks on trans rights after court victory

Trans Norwegian politician wants to give asylum to transgender people fleeing Trump's policies

footage still via instagram @karinaodegard; mark reinstein/Shutterstock

Hungary passes constitutional amendment banning public LGBTQ+ events

ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images

🌈 Look, queer trivia! 🌈

Each week, The Advocate newsletter has a little bit of LGBTQ+ trivia. Today, you'll get the question. Wednesday, you'll get a hint. And Friday, you'll get the answer.

This week's question: What is the name of the new film that is a remake of a 1993 movie directed by Ang Lee?

⚡ Respond with the correct answer, and you might get a shoutout in a future email newsletter.

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📣 What you should be reading:

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger sends marriage equality & abortion rights amendments to voters

“We want to make sure that Virginia families know that here in Virginia, it is not just a Supreme Court decision that protects them, but it is also our state constitution," the Democratic governor said.

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'Andy, that's not true:' Texas Republican mocked after admitting he doesn't know what intersex is

Trump and El Salvador's president attack transgender people during White House meeting

Rachel Levine's potential replacement once said trans youth should undergo 'corrective care'

Keith St Clare, pioneering gay magazine publisher, dead at 79

Maine Gov. Janet Mills doubles down on defying Trump’s attacks on trans rights after court victory

Trans Norwegian politician wants to give asylum to transgender people fleeing Trump's policies

Hungary passes constitutional amendment banning public LGBTQ+ events

🌈 Look, queer trivia! 🌈

Get The Advocate in your physical mailbox, too!

📣 What you should be reading:

The Latest

Mike Johnson lecturing the pope Is a blasphemy that LGBTQ+ people know all too well

Opinion: The speaker reads the Trump Bible, while Pope Leo uses the King James Version, which teaches love, compassion, and acceptance, writes John Casey.

Don Lemon at HRC dinner: 'When the First Amendment becomes optional, democracy becomes hollow'

The out journalist, making a surprise appearance, talked about press freedom and his recent arrest.

Becca Good attends memorial for wife Renee, offers statement: 'Renee always showed up'

"You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know," Becca Good pointed out.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: a time for action on many fronts

With Black Americans disproportionately affected by HIV, it's a day to encourage testing, prevention, and treatment but also to talk about systemic barriers.

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Turning Point USA's halftime lineup: All the musicians taking the stage

Turning Point USA is organizing a show headlined by Kid Rock for right-wingers upset with Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The lush life of Billy Strayhorn, the gay Black man who was Duke Ellington's 'right arm'

Strayhorn wrote many of Ellington's big hits and lived as an out gay man in mid-century America.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger sends marriage equality & abortion rights amendments to voters

“We want to make sure that Virginia families know that here in Virginia, it is not just a Supreme Court decision that protects them, but it is also our state constitution," the Democratic governor said.

Amber Glenn is set to be the first out queer woman on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team

This pansexual skater is heating up the ice!

Ian McKellen recites Shakespeare to slam 'mountainous inhumanity' in U.S.

The gay actor delivered a 400-year-old monologue on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that fiercely confronts American cruelty toward immigrants in 2026.

When feminists feared the 'lavender menace' of lesbians — and how those lesbians fought back

Lesbians fought homophobia in the feminist movement with humor and heart.

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04/14/25

🌈 Look, queer trivia! 🌈

📣 What you should be reading:

FROM OUR SPONSORS

The Latest

Opinion: The speaker reads the Trump Bible, while Pope Leo uses the King James Version, which teaches love, compassion, and acceptance, writes John Casey.

The out journalist, making a surprise appearance, talked about press freedom and his recent arrest.

"You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know," Becca Good pointed out.

With Black Americans disproportionately affected by HIV, it's a day to encourage testing, prevention, and treatment but also to talk about systemic barriers.

More For You

Most Popular

Turning Point USA is organizing a show headlined by Kid Rock for right-wingers upset with Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Strayhorn wrote many of Ellington's big hits and lived as an out gay man in mid-century America.

“We want to make sure that Virginia families know that here in Virginia, it is not just a Supreme Court decision that protects them, but it is also our state constitution," the Democratic governor said.

This pansexual skater is heating up the ice!

The gay actor delivered a 400-year-old monologue on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that fiercely confronts American cruelty toward immigrants in 2026.

Lesbians fought homophobia in the feminist movement with humor and heart.