Last month, the UK’s four-year-long review of medical interventions for transgender youth was published. The Cass Review, named after Hilary Cass, a retired pediatrician appointed by the National Health Service to lead the effort, found that “there is not a reliable evidence base” for gender-affirming medicine. As a result, the report concludes, trans minors should generally not be able to access hormone blockers or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and instead should seek psychotherapy. While the review does not ban trans medical care, it comes concurrently with the NHS h ..read more

The far-right is really missing the boys in Boy Scouts. After Boy Scouts of America — officially known as Scouts BSA since 2019 — recently announced another rebrand to the name Scouting America, conservative heads began exploding over the switch. The new name takes effect in February. “This is a tragedy!” ranted Fox & Friends host Pete Hegseth, laying blame for the name change at the feet of “the left.” “They didn’t want to improve it. They wanted to destroy it or dilute it into something that stood for nothing.” “And as a result, the government gets more powerful to fill the void ..read more

Target retail stores will only sell Pride-themed gear in about half of its estimated 1,897 stores across the U.S., following a conservative backlash against its LGBTQ+-themed clothing and products during Pride Month 2023. Leaders of the Minneapolis-based national retailer are examining store-level data to determine which locations will carry the items, Bloomberg News reported. The company also said that it will have a presence at Pride events across the country this year. In a statement to LGBTQ Nation, Target said, “Target is committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month ..read more

A Los Angeles surfing competition cannot exclude transgender women from its women’s division, the California Coastal Commission wrote in a letter to the event’s organizer this week. “Prohibiting or unfairly limiting transgender athletes from competing in this or any surf competition that takes place in the coastal waters of California does not meet the requirements of the public access policies of the Coastal Act and impedes access by discriminating against transgender surfers,” the commission’s executive director Kate Huckelbridge wrote in the Tuesday letter to American Longboard Association ..read more

Fans of the long-running children’s educational TV show Sesame Street have often wondered whether the show’s roommate couple, Bert and Ernie, are gay. But perhaps they’ve overlooked the queerest thing about the show: the many LGBTQ+ celebrity guest stars. Sesame Street has demonstrated LGBTQ+ inclusion over the years: a gay man helped develop some of the show’s most beloved muppets, the show introduced a married gay couple with a daughter, and also celebrated Pride month 2023 on social media. But let’s take a look at the queer guest stars and their lessons about life and learning. Brandi Car ..read more

While Mother’s Day typically honors women who have given birth to, adopted, or raised kids, there’s another type of mother in the queer community that deserve recognition: drag mothers who raise their inexperienced young drag daughters to become truly dazzling and seasoned queens. We spoke with three drag mothers from Dallas, Texas and one from New Orleans, Louisiana about their drag children, how they support them, and the effect it has had on their lives. Their responses show how lots of love can transform a misfit bunch of “chosen family” members into a band of creative activists who unapo ..read more

The U.S. Department of Drug Enforcement and Administration (DEA) is working to reclassify cannabis as a lower-risk drug — something cannabis activists have sought for decades. Reclassification could loosen research restrictions around marijuana’s possible health benefits and lead to the development of cannabis-based medicinal products to treat things like advanced HIV, seizures, anxiety, anorexia, chronic pain, and more. Right now, the DEA classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” alongside other drugs like heroin, LSD, a ..read more

With over two million TikTok followers and 650k on Instagram, Jason Diaz has probably shown up in your algorithm. With his long hair, feminine features, and sculpted physique, he defies expectations of gender norms – and revels in it. While the upbeat bisexual influencer posts affirmations, he also includes reactions by men to meeting him online. He is undeniably attractive, and the confusion men sometimes feel when he appears on their screen can be both amusing and disheartening. As his presence has grown, he’s an easily recognizable person. When we attended the Queerties Awards show togethe ..read more

“I have completely accepted my children, their journeys, their identities, and their preferences,” actress Marcia Gay Harden told LGBTQ Nation a few days ahead of celebrating Mother’s Day with her kids, all of whom identify as queer. “I speak out, and I talk about it in an environment full of hatred, full of canceling, and full of violence against each other,” says Harden. “And I’m against that. And so whatever way I can stand up against that, I do.” On April 29, Harden accepted the Advocate Award from GLSEN, a nonprofit that develops resources for educators, advocates to protect LGBTQ+ youth ..read more

One woman was killed and three others severely injured Monday when a man set fire to the room the four women were sharing in a Buenos Aires boarding house. While police have not yet specified a motive in the horrendous attack, the Buenos Aires Herald reports that the victims were two lesbian couples. In a statement, the Argentine LGBT Federation called the attack “potentially one of the most abhorrent hate crimes in recent years.” According to the Buenos Aires Herald, the woman who died has been identified as Pamela Cobas. The three others were taken to local hospitals. On Monday, one remaine ..read more