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NBC News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
LGBTQ rights group Human Rights Campaign launches tour through mostly red states
The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ rights organization, is taking its LGBTQ equality message on the road with a multicity tour focused on changing more hearts and minds, particularly in red states. The 'American Dreams Tour' will kick off Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio, and travel to cities in predominantly Republican-led states through November. The tour's goal, according to HRC, is to amplify LGBTQ people's stories 'at a time of rising political attacks and cultural erasure' and 'celebrate the communities pushing back against hate and fighting for a future of equality for all.' 'For half a century, our movement has changed hearts and minds with our stories — Harvey Milk in the Castro, Pedro Zamora on the Real World, trans youth and parents coming forward in statehouses across the country. When people know who we really are, everything changes. This tour is about reclaiming that legacy,' Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. 'We're traveling to the places where harm is happening—and where hope is rising. We're showing up for communities who've been told they don't belong and reminding them, and the country, that they are the American dream.' The tour will 'anchor' in six major cities — Columbus; Las Vegas; Washington, D.C.; Dallas; Atlanta; and Nashville, Tennessee — with other stops to be announced in the coming weeks, according to HRC. Each stop will be tailored to the issues queer people are facing in those particular locales. The Columbus stop, for example, will be centered on 'Ohio's legacy of LGBTQ+ activism while confronting today's political backslide and barriers to HIV care,' according to HRC, while Atlanta's stop will be in partnership with Atlanta Pride and will zero in on 'Black LGBTQ+ leadership and community-led care models.' The 'American Dreams Tour' comes at a precarious time for LGBTQ rights — and particularly transgender rights. So far this year, nearly 600 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in statehouses across the U.S., according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union. And a report published last week by LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD asserted that 300 anti-LGBTQ actions had come from the Trump administration since January. An NBC News analysis published in February found that lawmakers in at least nine states had recently introduced measures to try to chip away at same-sex couples' right to marry. "For the first time in decades, we're actually seeing a backslide in LGBTQ+ rights across this country, and we've got to do something," Robinson said Monday in an interview with MSNBC. "We've got to get back to basics in telling our stories and meeting people where they are, because we know that when we tell our stories, we not only change hearts and minds, we shift the way people behave, that they vote, that they advocate in their communities."
CBS News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Man from Guinea detained by ICE agents outside immigration court in Lower Manhattan
A man from Guinea is now being held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility after being detained outside immigration court in Lower Manhattan. CBS News New York's Adi Guajardo spoke with his husband, who fears his partner could get deported and persecuted in his home country. Mamadou faced persecution in Guinea Three weeks after Mamadou got married and just days before Pride festivities, federal agents took him into custody outside of immigration court in Lower Manhattan. "It was emotional. I was trying to be very strong for him," said Fitz Smith, Mamadou's husband. Smith said they begged the judge to no avail. "He spent probably 10 minutes pleading to the judge, like, you know, these are the consequences of me going back to my country. I'm [in] danger in my community," Smith said. "There are numerous reports from that ... from that area where LGBT people are persecuted on a regular basis, stoned, they're burned." According to the Human Rights Campaign, same-sex marriage is legal in 38 countries, but in Guinea, homosexuality is illegal. Smith said Mamadou fled Guinea in 2023 after his family found out he was gay. He then sought asylum in the U.S. and was picked up by border patrol in Lukeville, Arizona. Once released, Mamadou made his way to New York, where the couple met. "We went to our first Pride. We went to Queens Pride. We try to be a part of the community as best we can," Smith said. Smith said he now fears for his husband's life. "The judge dismissed his case and with the dismissal he fell on to what we call expedited removal," said Ravi Ragbir, executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition. Immigrants urged to get legal representation The Trump administration's ramped-up immigration efforts have led to ICE arrests outside immigration courts. Attorneys say it's vital to seek legal advice and add that virtual hearings are an option in some cases. "Very effective, depending on the kind of case you have. But you still need a lawyer that will return phone calls, or read the substance and build the case," immigration attorney Michael Wildes said. Mamadou is now at an ICE facility in Texas, as Smith works to stop his deportation. "I tell him, like, hold on to your faith, you know? I ask him if he's still praying. He still prays. I tell him I'm praying for him as well," Smith said. CBS News New York reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for a comment on Mamadou's case, but has yet to hear back.
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Pride Month: How Inclusive Leaders Can Support The LGBTQ+ Workforce
Happy Pride Month 2025 - These Colors Don't Run Pride Month, observed in June, focuses on acknowledging, celebrating, and supporting the progress and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. 2025 launches without the usual presidential proclamation but instead with a theme of courage and resilience, dubbed "These Colors Don't Run" by the Human Rights Campaign. The slogan pays homage to the courage shown during the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a pivotal milestone in the recognition of gay rights. This article will highlight some of the challenges facing the community that impact the workplace and the role of the inclusive leader. Additionally, I will outline available resources that inclusive leaders can leverage to bolster and weather the ongoing diversity and inclusion Challenges For LGBTQ+ CommunitiesGallup research cites that in 2025, 9.3% of adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ+. Additionally, Generation Z and Millennials have a higher concentration of those who identify as LGBTQ+. These are important facts for inclusive leaders to keep in mind as they continue their commitments to lead inclusively in the Donald Trump's leadership, there are increased actions (i.e., firing prominent transgender leaders, modification of healthcare support for transgender people, etc.) impacting the LGBTQ+ community. Executive Order 14168, 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government issued in January 2025, focused on restricting gender identification to male/female is a contradiction to the expansion of the LGBTQ+ community to create more inclusion in this area. It took some time to build awareness around pronoun usage, for example. These times may adjust the education offerings available to build cultural is a focus on removing traces of the community's history and impact. These challenges carry over to the workplace, which, in itself, is ebbing and flowing around the issue of inclusion. We saw an uptick in inclusion in 2020, with an increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Now, we are experiencing a setback that undoubtedly impacts how the workplace community supports the LGBTQ+ community. Participants and allies note these challenges and have expectations around leadership handling in these areas. As an inclusive leader, it's worth noting the intentional actions necessary to support these communities during these challenging Month Support for Inclusive LeadersTap Into Available Resources: Stay informed about the latest developments and key issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Credible facts are available through various Support: Inclusive Leaders Must Determine What Support Looks Like in 2025. Is it enrolling in continuing education, showing up to advocate for legislation and funding, and allyship to support the community? Inclusive Leaders can get creative with education consumption. Remember, education comes in various forms. Recently, on an American Airlines flight, I noticed content integrated to make it easy to learn more about LGBTQ+ Pride Month comes to a close, let's remember how much can change in a year. More than June is needed to support LGBTQ+ communities. Our leadership is critical to maintaining an inclusive workplace in the long term.
CBS News
29-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Denver PrideFest 2025 was a celebration as much as a protest
The 2025 Denver Pride Parade was just as joyous and fun as ever, and some people took a more serious message along with them. "There are some attempts to erase us, and we're not going to be erased," said a man who only wanted to go by Jared. Thousands of community members showed up to celebrate themselves and their LGBTQ friends, neighbors, and coworkers. "I think it's great. This is comparable to what it was a few years ago, and I feel like we're seeing even more people as our rights are more and more under attack," another man, who only wanted to be called Chandler, said. In addition to the festivities, many brought with them a message of resistance to moves from the federal government, such as the executive order banning trans women from women's sports, and Friday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows parents to opt their kids out of lessons that highlight LGBTQ people and rights. Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, reported a spike in hate crimes in 2023, despite a reduction in overall crime rates nationwide, citing crime data from the FBI. And earlier this year, the Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA's law school focusing on the intersection of crime, law, gender, and sexuality, reported that LGBT people were five times more likely than non-LGBT people to be victims of violent crimes. Marchers head out from Cheesman Park to take part in a parade to mark pride month Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Denver. David Zalubowski / AP Friends Chandler, Jared, Lauren, and Phoebe said they came to the parade to make sure the LGBTQ community knows they are with them, no matter what happens. "In a time when our rights are under attack, I think it's important to stay strong and be together," Jared said. "I'm just so happy to be here," Lauren said. "Even just as an ally, to make sure that everyone feels loved here." From left to right, friends Phoebe, Lauren, Jared, and Chandler attend Denver PrideFest on Sunday June 29, 2025. CBS Jared and Chandler are gay, and they say seeing this obvious display of pride is important, not only to show support, but to let those who may be afraid to come out know that they have allies when they are ready. "I was scared to come out for so many years in my life. So when I came to pride the first time a couple of years ago, just seeing so many queer people from different walks of life was just such a revolutionary experience," Chandler said. They say they will keep fighting for the rights of everyone -- gay, straight, non-binary, and trans -- to be who they are without fear. ''Know that the future's going to be better if we make it," said Jared.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Potential 2028 Dems quiet after Supreme Court upholds ban on care for some transgender minors
The Supreme Court's conservative-leaning justices this week upheld a Tennessee ban on some gender-affirming care for youths, prompting immediate criticism from their liberal-leaning colleagues. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent that 'the court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims.' But one group on the left has been quiet since the ruling sent shockwaves: Democratic leaders across the country eyed as potential 2028 White House picks. The lack of response to the 6-3 ruling underscores what some political observers have called the party's continued nervousness over how to address an issue that became pivotal in the 2024 election. It also shows how fraught the topic remains heading into the 2026 midterms that will decide control of Congress. President Donald Trump campaigned heavily on a promise to ban gender-affirming care for youth and prevent transgender athletes from competing – and he's taken several executive actions impacting transgender Americans since the start of his second term. Here's what to know about how prominent Democrats responded to the Supreme Court's ruling. More: Supreme Court upholds state ban on transgender minors using puberty blockers, hormone therapy The Supreme Court said preventing minors from using puberty blockers and hormone therapy doesn't violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. It was immediately criticized by liberal and progressive organizations, like Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. The court's ruling comes after Trump and Republicans made transgender rights a key part of the final weeks of the 2024 campaign. "Kamala supports tax-payer funded sex changes for prisoners," one of Trump's campaign ads alleged about then-Vice President Kamala Harris. "Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you." Some Democrats called the ads among the most effective of the campaign, according to multiple reports last year. And in recent months some Democrats have worked to separate their party from elements of transgender rights efforts. For example, California Gov. Gavin Newsom made headlines in March when he suggested transgender athletes' participation in women's sports was 'deeply unfair' and acknowledged the campaign ad was "devastating." Since taking office in January, Trump has signed executive orders to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports, end federal support for gender-affirming care and prevent transgender people from serving openly in the military. Trump also signed on his first day back in office an order declaring that the government recognizes only two sexes, male and female. Newsom of California, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, the three governors considered leading contenders to run for president in 2028, all kept quiet after the Supreme Court's decision this week. Most forthcoming of the party's potential 2028 contenders was Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, who has a transgender cousin, and who wrote on X that Illinois has protections to "meet this very moment.' 'In a time of increasing overreach and hateful rhetoric, it's more important than ever to reaffirm our commitment to the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community,' he added. 'You have a home here always.' Reaction among Democrats on Capitol Hill was largely quiet as well, though several members of Congress made statements. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York denounced the decision on the Senate floor as part of a 'cruel crusade against trans Americans.' On social media he called it a distraction from issues impacting all people, regardless of gender identity. His counterpart in the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, did not mention it in a news release or on social media. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, pointed out in a statement that 24 other states have similar laws blocking some gender-affirming care for transgender youths. "Today, hate won," he said, alleging the Supreme Court's conservative-leaning justices "endorsed hate and discrimination by delivering a win for Republicans who have relentlessly and cruelly attacked transgender Americans for years." 'Once again, politicians and judges are inserting themselves in exam rooms,' Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Delaware, the nation's first openly transgender member of Congress, said Wednesday on X, formerly called Twitter. 'This ruling undermines doctors in delivering care to some of the most vulnerable patients in our country.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Potential 2028 Democrats shy away from Supreme Court trans care ruling
