2/4/25

Hi there,

🚨 The Human Rights Campaign is set to lay off approximately 20 percent of its workforce in a major restructuring effort in what the group's leadership said is to adapt to the evolving political and financial landscape. The Advocate has the exclusive.

🚔 A man who worked as a journalist in LGBTQ+ media has been arrested and identified by California authorities as a fugitive sex offender who police say had been living under an assumed identity since at least 2016.

💄 As companies abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, e.l.f. Beauty is staying true to the "community that we serve," its CEO recently said in a TV interview, adding, "our diversity is a key competitive advantage in terms of our results."

📣 In a time of unprecedented challenges for LGBTQ+ families, Family Equality, the national nonprofit dedicated to advancing equality for LGBTQ+ families, has announced the appointment of Darra Gordon as its new CEO.

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, Advocate.com

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

📰 In other news:

Kim Davis is back in court because she doesn't want to pay a gay couple

Ty Wright/Getty Images

Transgender author Jennifer Finney Boylan: The fight is not over

Courtesy Macmillan Publishers; Dan Haar via Jennifer Finney Boylan

Amber Ruffin to headline 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. But, will Trump attend?

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

Trump moves to abolish Education Department amid push against 'wokeness'

YES Market Media via shutterstock

Fugitive sex offender posed as LGBTQ+ journalist for years, authorities say

ANDRANIK HAKOBYAN/Shutterstock

e.l.f. Beauty CEO defends DEI: 'Our diversity is a key competitive advantage'

LisaChi/shutterstock

Lawsuit challenges Trump's executive order targeting gender-affirming care

shutterstock creative

Donald Trump's DOT will prioritize areas with higher 'marriage and birth rates'

Mark Van Scyoc/shutterstock

Darra Gordon to lead Family Equality as LGBTQ+ families grapple with an uncertain time (exclusive)

Liz Farrell Photography (provided)

N.Y. attorney general: stopping care for trans youth will violate state law

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for (BAM) Brooklyn Academy of Music

Human Rights Campaign to lay off 20% of staff as LGBTQ+ organization restructures (exclusive)

BenjaminCarver/shutterstock

🚨Check out the Jan/Feb 2025 Health PLUS Wellness digital edition

We're celebrating Black History Month with our annual African American issue.

🌈 Look, queer trivia! 🌈

Each week, The Advocate newsletter has a little bit of LGBTQ+ trivia. Today, you'll get the question along with last week's answer.

This week's question is: What U.S. Supreme Court case decision made marriage equality the law of the land?

Last week's question was: Who was the first out LGBTQ+ person to be the White House press secretary?

This week's answer is: Karine Jean-Pierre. Jean-Pierre stepped into the role of principal deputy press secretary on day one of the Biden administration in January 2021, becoming the first LGBTQ+ person to give a press briefing that May. One year later, in May 2022, she was promoted to the chief spokesperson role.

“I think about the different communities I carry,” she said in a recent interview with The AdvocateThe Advocate. “The LGBTQ+ community, the Black community, women, the immigrant community.” Read the interview to find out what she has planned next.

Congrats to Jack, Cher, Andre, Heather, D. Ann, and Steve for getting the answer right! 🎉