Stories of justice and action across America | |
But Pride Month's origins didn't begin with festivals, parades or picnics. Instead its roots are a political resistance that was catalyzed with the Stonewall Riots in the late 1960s marked by five days of rioting against police harassment. |
While many Americans are rightfully celebrating advancements in LGBTQ+ rights, there is a noticeable backlash as the country remains divided over gender identity with even some fearing a backpedal on same-sex marriage. | A young protester holds up a pride flag during a session at the State Capitol building in Nashville, Tenn., in 2024 Nicole Hester / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK, Nicole Hester / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images |
It's been a decade since the Supreme Court opened the door of marriage to gay and lesbian couples, but Jim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the historic case, worries the decision could be reversed. Here's some of what he said. |
| • | "What I wasn't expecting to feel was this realization that for the first time in my life as an out gay man, I felt like an equal American." | | • | "I have not been subjected to outright hate in public but I'm worried that may change." | | • | "Ten years after the decision, I never thought I would be worried about marriage equality continuing as a right in our nation." | |
The 58-year-old Ohioan, whose husband John Arthur died in 2013, has reason to be worried. Conservative-leaning justices have said previously the high court should "reconsider" the landmark case, and while polling shows a solid 68% of Americans support it there is a record party divide, according to a Gallup survey released in May. |
Democrats' support has climbed to 88% but Republicans have dipped back down to 41% after peaking at 55% a few years ago. |
Stories of Pride 2025 we're reading right now | People wave transgender pride flags during a Hononegah School Board meeting on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Hononegah High School in Rockton. Kara Hawley/Rockford Register Star, Kara Hawley/Rockford Register Star / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images |
Transgender Americans have target on their backs |
Savannah here, and, like Phillip mentioned, there's a shadow over this year's celebrations. One could say it's presidential sized. |
And that's particularly true for transgender folks, who already tend to face higher rates of discrimination, violence and poverty. Now, the second Trump administration wants to ban them from everything including: |
As one Stonewall vet − told him: "We had to fight back (at Stonewall), and we will continue to fight back now against this administration." |
Thanks for reading with us! We'll be back next week with more stories of belonging and diversity from across the country. In the meantime, find us on social @ SavannahKuchar and @phillipmbailey. |
Have thoughts on this newsletter? We'd love to hear from you. Email SKuchar@usatoday.com and PBailey@usatoday.com with ideas and comments. | | The global Pride celebration in the nation's capital is taking place at a critical moment when LGBTQ freedoms are increasingly being threatened. | | Matt Tolbert and Joshua Gonzales embarked on a journey to expand their family. They quickly learned the medical system wasn't built for them. | | | | The Supreme Court has sided with a worker who faced a so-called reverse discrimination lawsuit due to her being a straight woman. Here's what to know. | | | | A new report claims a coordinated campaign of fake X accounts stoked tensions over Target's DEI rollback and manufactured online outrage. | | | | Gracie McGraw, daughter of country icons Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, came out as queer in a recent social media post celebrating Pride Month. | | | | | Sign up for the news you want | Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don't miss out! We're always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment