3/30/25

Hi all,

🍗 A restaurant on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is getting pushback for advertising a couples’ night limited to “the real kind of couple,” those who “can produce a child.” I'm not kidding...

📣 Queer and allied lawmakers are demanding answers to Trump's ban on the VA providing gender-affirming care to veterans. Sixty-nine members of Congress, led by gay Rep. Mark Takano, have sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins opposing his decision to phase out gender-affirming care for transgender veterans.

🌈 As Texas Republican lawmakers consider one of the most extreme anti-transgender bills in the country, Joelle Espeut of The Normal Anomaly Initiative is urging community members to resist fear — and instead, lean into joy and hope. Here's how.

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, The Advocate

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

Mississippi restaurant gives out straight-couples-only offer and is roundly lambasted for it

Google Street View; Shutterstock

Congress members denounce VA's end to gender-affirming care, demand answers

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

White House Correspondents' Dinner scraps Amber Ruffin's comedy routine, bowing to Trump administration

Bryan Bedder/Variety via Getty Images

New photo from Pulse shooting shows exit blocked by refrigerator, which may have cost lives

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

Judge reinstates nationwide stop to Trump’s trans military ban

Proxima Studio via shutterstock

RFK Jr. to shut down HHS Office of Infectious Diseases & HIV Policy

Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock.com

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Signalgate, Trump’s tariffs, and defending the LGBTQ+ community

Boston Globe/Getty Images

Transgender Texans refuse to be erased as Republicans try to make their existence illegal

Courtesy The Normal Anomaly Initiative

Missing gay Arizona yoga instructor, Marcus Freiberger, found dead after blind date

Tim Roberts Photography via Shutterstock

Federal judge again blocks Iowa book ban; expected to rule on 'don't say gay' restrictions soon

MKPhoto12/Shutterstock

Walmart fires 6'4" cisgender woman threatened by man who thought she was trans

Youtube/@Next Gen; Iv-olga/Shutterstock

Trump executive order targets law firm challenging anti-trans policies

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Parents call out school board member for anti-LGBTQ+ posts

Footage Still via WFIE 14 News; Union County Board of Education

20 things we have more of than transgender NCAA athletes: From Trump felonies to measles cases

Tavan smith/Shutterstock; World of Wonder; MKPhoto12/Shutterstock

New Netflix show has a gay president and first gentleman — and its actors are 'profoundly proud'

Erin Simkin/Netflix

Enjoy the Mar/Apr 2025 Health PLUS Wellness digital edition.

Check out an inspiring chat with our spring cover star, wellness expert Jess King — and read the full issue now!