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Happy Tuesday,
📚 It's Banned Books Week. More than 10,000 books were banned from public schools in the 2023-2024 academic year, nearly triple the number from the previous year, according to preliminary findings from PEN America, a group that advocates for freedom of expression. To celebrate books and how important fighting against censorship is, here's a nifty story about community building that LGBTQ+ book clubs can foster. From Virginia to Texas, LGBTQ+ book clubs are growing, allowing queer book lovers to come together, hang out, and explore some new literary worlds.
📣 Sometimes, the far-right is just going to far-right, you know what I mean? A recent report seems to have outed an anti-LGBTQ+ education activist as a former gay adult film actor. Online users were quick to point out the hypocrisy. Another right-winger, Valentina Gomez — who made a name for herself by posting videos on social media using anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and a flamethrower — had her Instagram disabled. It's about time. 🔥
In other news:
- Donald Trump’s latest anti-transgender attack on Kamala Harris ‘reeks of desperation,’ advocates say
- D.C. police consider hate crimes charges for suspect arrested after second vandalism attack on Little Gay Pub
- Second man pleads guilty in death of trans activist Cecilia Gentili
- Project 2025 architect allegedly admitted to killing neighbor’s dog: report
Onward and upward,
Alex Cooper
Right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ education activist exposed as former gay adult film actor: report
Gage Skidmore via flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
Meta disables far-right Republican's Instagram after months of antigay, slur-filled posts
Valentina Gomez via x.com @ValentinaForUSA
D.C. police consider hate crimes charges for suspect arrested after second vandalism attack on Little Gay Pub
Courtesy Dito Sevilla/Little Gay Pub
Second man pleads guilty in death of trans activist Cecilia Gentili
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO
Donald Trump’s latest anti-transgender attack on Kamala Harris ‘reeks of desperation,’ advocates say
Prashantrajsingh/Shutterstock; ScottMorris/Shutterstock
New questions raised about Melania Trump's lucrative Log Cabin speech
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes rose in 2023, even while crime decreased overall: FBI report
J Pat Carter/Getty Images
Project 2025 architect allegedly admitted to killing neighbor’s dog: report
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Look, queer trivia!
Each week, The Advocate newsletter has a little bit of LGBTQ+ trivia. Today, you'll get the question. Thursday, you'll get a hint. And Saturday, you'll get the answer.
This week’s question is: What gay political strategist helped on both Harvey Milk's and Kamala Harris's campaigns?
What you should also be reading:
- Jenny Shimizu spills on her steamy booty calls with pop icon Madonna in the 90s (Pride)
- JoJo Siwa drops provocative photoshoot and the internet is TORN (Pride)
- A producer from Todd Hayne's gay drama film opens up about Joaquin Phoenix's sudden exit (Out)
- Ryan Murphy & Nicholas Alexander Chavez respond to the Menéndez brothers' criticism of Monsters (Out)
