Same-sex weddings pump $5.9 billion into U.S. economy
Over the past decade, wedding ceremonies of same-sex couples have contributed an estimated $5.9 billion to state and local economies, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Of the estimated 823,000 same-sex couples in the U.S., more than 591,000 have married, and about 80 percent of those — roughly 473,000 couples — celebrated with a wedding or related event. With average spending at $8,546 per wedding, celebrations have generated approximately $4.9 billion. An additional $1 billion came from out-of-state guests traveling for the events. Same-sex weddings also produced an estimated $432.2 million in state and local tax revenue and supported around 41,300 jobs for one year. Interestingly, the financial impact wasn’t confined to LGBTQ+ hubs. The South saw the highest spending at $2.3 billion, followed by $1.7 billion in the West, $1 billion in the Midwest, and $900 million in the Northeast — regions not typically considered LGBTQ+ strongholds. Them Southern Belles know how to party.
LGBTQ+ pay gaps persist
In 2024, LGBTQ+ households earned just 85 cents for every dollar made by non-LGBTQI+ households, according to a report from the Center for American Progress. The disparities deepen when broken down by identity. Gay male couples tend to earn the most among LGBTQ+ households, with a median income of $141,900 — higher than both heterosexual couples ($124,900) and lesbian couples ($113,000). But transgender and nonbinary households face the steep wage gaps, earning $24,800 less per year. LGBTQ+ women-headed households average a little over $100,000 per year. Workplace discrimination was reported by 25 percent of LGBTQI+ respondents, compared to 16 percent of non-LGBTQI+ individuals.
She showed them
Transgender swimmer Anne Isabella Coombes, 67, protested Swim England’s revised competition rules by swimming topless in the men’s division at a Masters swim meet. Coombes, who fully transitioned, wore men’s trunks after being barred from competing as female under new regulations aimed at preserving competitive fairness. Coombes had previously competed as a woman and placed second in a 2023 Masters event. Swim England introduced “female” and “open” categories, restricting transgender athletes from the female division unless born biologically female, causing Coombes not to compete for two years. Her 2025 race was a protest against what she described as exclusionary policies, which tend to exclude transgender athletes. Swimming in the women’s category, she would have worn a “female” swim costume. Swim officials ruled that even in the men’s category, she had to wear a “female” costume. Her breasts have enlarged due to transition hormones, and the club thought a 67-year-old woman’s breasts would be salacious. The club relented and told her to wear what she wanted to. She chose a “male” swim costume as a protest and let it all, or at least both, hang out.
Suicide hotline
Since its 2022 rollout, the federally funded 988 Lifeline has offered LGBTQ+ youth specialized support by routing calls through a “Press 3” option to nonprofits like The Trevor Project. This summer, that option will be removed, ending $33 million in federal grants to those organizations. The 988 Lifeline itself will remain fully operational and available to anyone in crisis. The decision prompted intense criticism. Despite the uproar, the change does not eliminate services. The Trevor Project will continue operating its independent LGBTQ+-focused hotline, just not federally funded. The 988 Lifeline will remain open to all callers. While LGBTQ+ advocates worry about loss of tailored outreach, federal officials stress that support remains intact and accessible. The debate highlights ongoing tensions over how best to serve vulnerable populations within the national mental health infrastructure. One critic asked, “Is cruelty the point?” Some wags replied, “With this administration, it’s not the point, but a welcomed side benefit.”
Cops Pride, unrequited
Members of the New York City Police Department’s LGBT organization, GOAL, have again been prohibited from marching in the NYC Pride parade. Originally kicked out of the Parade as a result of the defund police movement in 2021, parade leadership, Heritage Pride, said letting them march in uniform would be in violation of the parade’s no weapons policy. No mention of whether “breasticles” were allowed or not. The NYPD provided traffic and overall security for the late June parade, with most officers in full uniform. There are an estimated 4,000 LGBTQ+ members of the NYPD. Jessica Tisch, NYPD police commissioner, said, “My hope is that they will come to their senses because this March is not about hiding who you are. It’s about being visible. And so many of our GOAL officers are just as proud of being a cop as they are about being LGBTQ+. Those things are never in opposition.” GOAL President Det. Brian Downey echoed that sentiment, saying the policy “does not create safety — it creates friction and fiction.” GOAL members rallied on the parade route on West 20th Street and 5th Avenue, where they later put on GOAL’s Annual Block Party into the evening.
Marriage 10 years later
Opponents to marriage equality predicted the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision for marriage equality would lead to a “parade of horribles” like legalized incest, polygamy, or bestiality, pastors jailed for refusing to officiate same-sex weddings, and heterosexual marriages falling apart. In the 10 years since Obergefell legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, many of these predictions have proven unfounded. But some anxieties persist, and in some cases, they’ve been codified. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, decided in June 2025, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that parents may opt their children out of reading books featuring LGBTQ+ characters. Justice Alito wrote that these books “unmistakably convey a particular viewpoint,” asserting that exposure to such themes could conflict with parents’ religious teachings. Justice Sotomayor, in dissent, warned that the ruling invented “a constitutional right to avoid exposure to ‘subtle’ themes” that contradict a family’s beliefs. In those 10 years, LGBTQ+ visibility remains legally optional in public education, but marriage equality hasn’t led to societal collapse any more than society was already collapsing.
UN LGBTQ+ expert reupped
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted to renew the mandate of its Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity for another three years. The current expert, South African scholar Graeme Reid, investigates global violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, advises governments on human rights protections, promotes legal reforms, and condemns harmful practices. The United States has had a fluctuating relationship with the UNHRC, first withdrawing in 2018, rejoining in 2021, and withdrawing again in early 2025 following renewed criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The current administration has not issued a statement on the SOGI mandate renewal. However, it continues to support the global decriminalization of homosexuality, opposes forced conversion therapy, and promotes free speech on LGBTQ+ issues, even as it rolls back federal protections for transgender individuals.
Disney de-gays cartoon
Disney’s once-sharp instinct for audience trends seems to be faltering. Recent Marvel films and live-action remakes like Snow White have received lukewarm responses. Pixar’s Elio, released in 2025 after delays and reworking, also underperformed at the box office. Originally directed by Adrian Molina, Elio was intended to include a “coming out” subplot. Molina reportedly left the project after the storyline was revised to tone down LGBTQ+ themes. The final version removed hints of the protagonist’s queerness, including a male crush, and recharacterized Elio to appear more traditionally masculine. The film cost $150 million to produce, but its opening weekend ticket sales fell far short of projections.
Iran-Israeli war deadly for transgender prisoners
Iran is paradoxically one of the most prolific providers of gender-affirming surgery, because it criminalizes homosexual relations and often coerces individuals into transitioning as a form of state-sanctioned “correction.” Transgender Iranians, especially those who defy gender norms, can still be imprisoned under laws banning public cross-dressing and “indecency.” Evin Prison in Tehran, notorious for housing political dissidents and LGBTQ+ detainees, held the country’s largest population of transgender inmates. During the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June, Israeli missiles struck the facility. Israel’s Defense Minister described the attack as an effort to “cripple Iran’s tools of repression.” Iranian officials reported at least 79 deaths, and human rights advocates say the prison’s transgender ward was “flattened.” About 100 transgender inmates are missing and presumed dead.
Baylor returns a check
Baylor University, a Baptist institution in Waco, Texas, announced it will return a $643,000 grant awarded to study the inclusion of women and LGBTQ individuals in the Baptist church. Baylor explained that the research itself was not the issue, but the required advocacy in the grant conflicted with Baylor’s Statement on Human Sexuality, which affirms the Baptist belief that heterosexuality is the prescribed biblical norm and homosexual behavior is deviant. The granting philanthropy is the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, known for supporting progressive faith-based initiatives. The foundation expressed disappointment, saying Baylor’s decision, “Is a missed opportunity for research and institutional courage,” urging other faith-based institutions to pursue the work Baylor abandoned. Heads up, BYU. The decision comes on the heels of the Southern Baptist Convention’s reaffirmation of the narrow biblical view that, even though He invented it, homosexuality is not one of God’s authorized practices in Baptist circles.
