National & World News
King Charles III honors gay Brit soldiers
Until 2000, it was illegal to be Gay in the British military. Service members who were Gay — or even suspected of being so — faced invasive investigations, dismissal, and sometimes imprisonment. Things in Great Britain have changed, and King Charles III has dedicated and unveiled a new national memorial dedicated to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender members of the armed forces. This was his first official engagement in support of the LGBT community. The memorial, titled “An Opened Letter,” honors those who serve today while acknowledging the suffering of those persecuted under the ban. For many veterans, the sculpture represents long-awaited closure — the culmination of decades of campaigning to change the law and push the government towards justice and recognition. The bronze sculpture will stand at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, the UK’s national site of remembrance. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the memorial “stands as a lasting tribute to the bravery and service of these veterans.”
Weiner after Pelosi’s Seat
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco announced her retirement, and one of the California State Legislature’s most prominent gay members, Scott Wiener, has announced for the seat. Both he and Pelosi are Democrats in San Francisco’s heavily Democratic district, where the state’s top-two primary system sends the leading vote-getters to the general election regardless of party. It will not be easy for Weiner to slip into Pelosi’s seat. Other Democrats, seeing an easy win, are exploring the race. Christine Pelosi, her daughter, has been mentioned as a possible successor to her mother, who has been in office since 1987. Weiner has been a prolific California state senator, introducing many major LGBT bills offering privacy protections for transgender and non‑binary adults, requiring foster parents to affirm transitioning youth, improving the collection and reporting of LGBTQ health data, and HIV/AIDS care. A second-generation immigrant, Weiner says, “My family escaped fascism in Europe, I never thought the United States would slip into fascism like we’re seeing today.” Wiener pledged to fight for affordable housing, constitutional protections for LGBTQ+ youth and families, and accountability for insurance companies. Born in New Jersey, Wiener moved to San Francisco in the 1990s after law school, later serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors before his 2016 election to the state Senate. Weiner has been criticized by opponents for appearances in harness and chaps at San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair, and said he would continue living authentically if elected: “I’m going to be me.”
Tig to Hines: “It’s Bobby or Me”
The recent Equality Utah Allies headliner, Tig Notaro, has cohosted a podcast for a few years with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress, Cheryl Hines. The two were once close and co-hosted Tig & Cheryl: True Story, a podcast where they dissected documentaries and interviewed celebrities. The show ended in 2023. Appearing on a podcast, Notaro reflected on when she knew the friendship was over. The turning point came when Hines’ husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced his presidential run in 2024. “My friendship with Cheryl predated her marriage to Bobby,” Notaro explained. “Back then, his beliefs were like a gnat on my arm. But then they grew, and Cheryl wanted me to hear Bobby out. I just didn’t trust it. And then he endorsed the Republican in 2024, and it got hard.” Notaro said she couldn’t reconcile Hines’ willingness to overlook Kennedy’s positions. “You’re okaying a particular ride for this country to go on,” she noted. “Cheryl was one of my favorite friends to be with, but we also took the pressure off by asking things like, ‘Who are you attracted to in this documentary?’” Though she misses their podcast, Notaro emphasized her new priority: “I want to get back to prioritizing people that bring me joy and workloads that bring me joy.” Hines has not commented publicly on Notaro’s snub, but on ”Real Time with Bill Maher,” she indicated that she has found many former Hollywood associations ended when her husband announced his run for president as a Democrat in 2024, and then outright hostility to his endorsement of the 2024 Republican candidate.
Gayborhood living getting expensive
Way back in Gay and Lesbian history, the 1980s and 1990s, many mid‑size and larger U.S. cities had neighborhoods where gay and lesbian communities clustered. Think San Francisco’s Castro or New York’s Chelsea. These areas were often “down at heel,” but became vibrant cultural hubs once “faggotized,” as activists of the era rebuilt and redecorated. Affordable rents and low purchase prices were part of the draw. Once labeled “gay ghettos,” they are now marketed as “gayborhoods.” By late 2025, many of these districts will have become highly desirable — and expensive. West Hollywood homes average $1.02 to $1.33 million. The Castro ranges from $1.42 to $1.5 million, while Chelsea commands $1.58 million to $1.93 million. Even Salt Lake City’s enclaves have surged: Marmalade and 9th & 9th average $561,000 to $615,000; the Lower Avenues reach $750,000; Westshire in West Valley City runs $452,000 to $463,000; and Daybreak in South Jordan averages $587,000. Yet affordability remains in select gayborhoods. According to The Advocate, the ten least expensive include Ferndale in Detroit ($287,000), The Grove in St. Louis ($266,000), Uptown and Loring Park in Minneapolis ($225,000), Midtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ($179,000), Atlantic City, New Jersey ($220,000), Old Chinatown in Portland ($200,000), Highland Square in Akron, Ohio ($183,000), Ybor City in Tampa ($170,000), and Hawley‑Green in Syracuse, New York — the most affordable at $145,000.
FBI sued over Progressive Pride Flag purge
A former FBI intelligence specialist is suing FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, and the Department of Justice, alleging he was unlawfully fired for displaying a Progress Pride flag. The 18‑page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, warns of a broader “gay purge” within federal law enforcement. David M. Maltinsky, who served more than 16 years at the bureau, was dismissed on October 1, 2025, just three weeks before graduating from the FBI Academy as a special agent. He had completed 16 of the 19‑week basic field training course and passed all major benchmarks. That evening, he was escorted out and handed a letter signed by Patel citing “inappropriate display of political signage.” His attorneys argue that the only signage was the Progress Pride flag, previously approved by leadership. “This case is about whether the government can punish Americans simply for saying who they are,” said Maltinsky’s attorney, Christopher M. Mattei, framing the dismissal as part of a campaign against LGBTQ+ employees.
Susan Powter proclaims, “I’m a huge Lesbian”
Susan Powter, the 1990s fitness personality best known for her “Stop the Insanity!” weight loss infomercials, is back in the spotlight with a new documentary, “Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter.” Now 67, she told Entertainment Weekly that her last serious relationship was “years ago,” and she’s instead focused on enjoying life. In what can only be considered a career enhancer for her, she declared, “Now I’m a huge lesbian.” “Total lesbian, great love affairs, many girlfriends, big fun. Best fun ever!” As Shakespeare has written in “Hamlet”, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Powter married her first husband in 1982 and had two sons in 1983 and 1984. They divorced in 1988, and she married again in 1989. That marriage ended in 1995, after which she adopted a third son, born in 1998. To no one’s surprise, she came out as a lesbian around the turn of the century, later noting she never tried to hide her orientation. Contradicting herself, she said today she has no interest in ever getting married again or living with anyone. “I’m a very isolated person. I’m a hermit,” she explained. “I don’t date anymore, because that’s annoying as crap. I don’t socialize with anyone. I see my children once in a while. They’re adult men.” So, is she a huge Lesbian party girl or a hermit Lesbian? She needs to get her marketing talking points straight, so to speak.
Bishops ban gender therapy
U.S. Catholic bishops voted to ban gender‑affirming care for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals, finalizing a yearslong debate over medical ethics. Meeting in Baltimore, the bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to directives guiding thousands of Catholic health institutions nationwide. Catholic hospitals treat more than one in seven patients in the U.S., and in some communities, they are the only available providers. While major medical groups endorse gender‑affirming care, most Catholic facilities have already declined to offer it; the new rules now mandate that stance, though bishops retain local discretion. Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota said the church must make “a strong statement” on gender ideology. The guidelines draw on recent Vatican documents and a 2023 bishops’ note rejecting interventions to alter sexual characteristics. Responses remain divided: some parishes welcome trans Catholics, while others resist. Progressive denominations countered, affirming transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people as “created in the image of God.”
