Advocate NL 4/3/26

Happy Pride Wednesday, folks!

This is Audience Editor Edgar Ramirez, back in your inbox. I say "Pride Wednesday" because, well, apparently Pride Month isn't being recognized by conservatives in these five states. Instead, they're renaming June “Nuclear Family Month” and "Strong Families Month,” among other proclamations. Texas, I owe you an apology for singling you all out in Tuesday's newsletter (and should have been clearer in critiquing conservatives, not Texans), as at least the Lone Star State hasn't joined this list.

But as Dawn Ennis reminds us all in that story: "The reality is that June has never belonged exclusively to any single cause. Alongside Pride Month, it is also National Caribbean American Heritage Month, Men’s Health Month, and National PTSD Awareness Month. Pride Month’s existence has never prevented anyone from celebrating their faith, family, or values, and the good news is there's plenty of room on the calendar for everyone."

This GOP-led rebranding comes as our sibling publication Them reports that acceptance of LGBTQ+ people across the board has backslid since its peak in the 2010s, according to a new dataset from Gallup. Unfortunately, helping that backwards trend is this Republican congressman who could become Wisconsin's next governor.

But it's not all gloom and doom: Democrats and Republicans managed to find something in common, and that was to call out this GOP congressman for a vile antigay tweet that was later deleted. And a few LGBTQ+ candidates notched key wins in California congressional primaries.

To keep the good news going: If you're looking to get more into the Pride Month spirit, our own Christopher Wiggins has pieces on an '80s song and an upcoming film that may do just that.

Until next time!

-- Edgar Ramirez, Audience Editor

10 of the most queer-friendly colleges for students seeking a rural campus experience

Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

LGBTQ+ candidates notch key wins in California congressional primaries

Courtesy Marni von Wilpert; Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

George Santos is under investigation for betting on George Santos

Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

CBS correspondent Scott Pelley fired after accusing Bari Weiss of ‘murdering’ 60 Minutes

Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Senators clash over whether parents or politicians should decide on trans youth care

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

At least 5 GOP-led states have a new Pride Month tradition — renaming June

Philipp Salveter / Shutterstock.com

Tennessee congressman called ‘absolutely idiotic’ by fellow Republicans after vile antigay post

Heather Diehl/Getty Images

‘You remember where you were the first time you heard it’: On Book of Love and their queer anthem

Michael Halsband

Why Stonewall’s Pride flag mattered enough to sue Trump — and win

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Families fight the Trump administration's effort to obtain their children’s private medical records

Noam Galai/Getty Images (left) and Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images (right)