Ep. 292: LGBTQ+ Americans Fleeing the US, GWAR vs Secret Service | June 24, 2026

Ep. 292: LGBTQ+ Americans Fleeing the US, GWAR vs Secret Service | June 24, 2026

📋 SHOW NOTES Segment 1 — LGBTQ+ Americans Fleeing the U.S. Rainbow Railroad's annual report, Understanding the State of Global LGBTQI+ Persecution, released on World Refugee Day (June 20, 2026), documents 20,215 relocation requests from queer and trans people in 2025 — a 51% increase from 2024 and the highest total since the organization's founding in 2006. Simultaneously, U.S. refugee resettlement has dropped sharply, with over 99% of the 6,668 refugees accepted between October 2025 and May 2026 being white South Africans. Transgender woman Terry-Kay Walker from Jamaica was approved for U.S. resettlement before the administration's executive order left her stranded in Colombia; Rainbow Railroad ultimately helped her relocate to Canada.   Segment 2 — GWAR Investigated by Secret Service GWAR performed a mock execution of the current U.S. president at the Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C. in June 2026. Video went viral in conservative circles. In an interview with Rocking With Jam Man, vocalist Mike "Blöthar the Berserker" Bishop confirmed: "Let's just say that GWAR is on some lists." The band has performed similar theatrical executions of Obama, Biden, Hillary Clinton, Queen Elizabeth, and Elon Musk with no government response. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has stated the performance is clearly First Amendment-protected speech. Bishop also noted that Live Nation has been "susceptible to pressure from the government" in the wake of the investigation.   Segment 3 — Morgan Armstrong $10K Settlement Morgan Armstrong, a senior at Tennessee Christian Preparatory School in Cleveland, Tennessee, was banned from graduation and threatened with diploma withholding after coming out as gay on social media in 2025. She filed suit with Nashville civil rights attorney Daniel Horwitz, who noted she had never posted anything about the school. On June 22, 2026, a court approved a settlement: the school pays Armstrong $10,000, her suspension is officially rescinded, she retains her diploma, and the school is barred from making disparaging remarks about her to any college or university.   Segment 4 — Delaware Parentage Bill SB 250 Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed SB 250 into law, updating the state's Uniform Parentage Act to close legal gaps for children born through IVF, surrogacy, and donor conception — paths to parenthood commonly used by LGBTQ+ families. Prior to the law, some children had no clear legal path to a recognized parental relationship, creating complications around custody, health insurance, inheritance, and medical decision-making. The law allows intended parents to establish parentage through voluntary acknowledgments and updates surrogacy agreement requirements. Jordan Wilson, executive director of COLAGE, said: "Delaware has set an example for states across the country."   Segment 5 — Nancy Mace's TRANS MICE Act Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) posted on X on June 18, 2026, claiming taxpayers were funding experiments to make mice transgender, and announced her TRANS MICE Act to prohibit federal funds from supporting research "aimed at altering an animal's biological sex." X's community notes immediately debunked the claim, clarifying the research in question involves transgenic mice used to study the effects of sex hormones on disease — standard biomedical science. Mace doubled down. The original "transgender mice" claim traces to the current president's March 2025 congressional address.   Segment 6 — Mary Trump Mary Trump, the current president's openly gay niece and frequent critic, publicly mocked him this week over his claim that vandals were responsible for problems with the National Mall Reflecting Pool renovation. Her one-word response: "Pathetic." She added: "How anybody can say this with a straight face is beyond my comprehension." Segment 7 — NYC Pride Week / T Lounge WABC-TV aired its annual Pride special, Pride 2026: For All of Us, on June 22, 2026, hosted by Sam Champion, Lauren Glassberg, and Kemberly Richardson. The special included a profile on T Lounge — the only bar in New York City owned and operated by trans women — described as "particularly relevant considering today's political climate and growing anti-trans rights movement." The NYC Pride March takes place June 28, 2026, with grand marshals Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, Bowen Yang, Gays Against Guns, and Bernie Wagenblast. Theme: "For All of Us."     Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 291: Alan Turing Day, Japan's LGBTQ+ Education Win & Florida Fights Back | Pride Day 23

SHOW NOTES Episode: Listen Up Girl — Day 23 of Pride | Tuesday, June 23, 2026 Segment 1 — Alan Turing Day Alan Turing (June 23, 1912 – June 7, 1954) was a British mathematician, computer scientist, and codebreaker whose work breaking the Nazi Enigma code at Bletchley Park is credited with significantly shortening World War II. Despite his contributions, he was prosecuted in 1952 under British laws criminalizing homosexuality and subjected to chemical castration. He died in 1954, likely by suicide. He received a posthumous royal pardon from Queen Elizabeth II in 2013. "Turing's Law," passed in 2016, extended posthumous pardons to thousands of other gay and bisexual men convicted under the same abolished laws. His image now appears on the UK's £50 banknote. June 23rd is observed informally as Alan Turing Day.   Segment 2 — Japan's First Nationwide LGBTQ+ Education Program Japan's cabinet formally adopted the country's first-ever nationwide LGBTQ+ awareness and education plan in mid-June 2026, following a 2023 law — the Act on the Promotion of Public Understanding of the Diversity of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity — that required the government to produce a basic plan. The program took three years to finalize due to disagreements between supporters and opponents. Under the plan, schools will receive guidance and resources to better support LGBTQ+ students, with expanded access to counselors and social workers. Universities training future teachers and healthcare workers will update their curricula to include sexual orientation and gender identity content. The government will also produce educational videos, leaflets, and academic research, and will conduct regular surveys to measure the program's impact. Japan remains the only G7 nation without legal same-sex marriage.   Segment 3 — B-Bob's Bar Closes Mid-Pride in Mobile, Alabama B-Bob's Bar, a beloved three-story gay bar in downtown Mobile, Alabama, abruptly closed during Pride Month after questions arose about its liquor license following a January 2026 ownership transfer. Long-time owner Jerry Ehlen had retired, selling the bar to interior designer and influencer Matthew Bees. Under Alabama law, liquor licenses are issued to specific individuals or business entities and do not automatically transfer with a property sale. Bees voluntarily suspended operations after the issue was identified in consultation with the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. Planned Pride events — including a drag show expected to draw hundreds as part of Mobile's Pride art walk, and a voter registration block party — were all canceled. Bees has vowed to preserve the bar and reopen as quickly as possible.   Segment 4 — Fort Lauderdale & St. Pete Defy DeSantis' Anti-Rainbow Law Following Gov. Ron DeSantis signing Florida's sweeping anti-DEI law (SB 1134) in April 2026 — which bans local governments from sponsoring or promoting Pride events and allows residents to sue elected officials for violations — two Florida cities found creative legal workarounds to maintain LGBTQ+ visibility. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis unveiled a rainbow "Circle of Love" display near Sebastian Street Beach. Because the display is installed on private business property rather than city land, current state law cannot force its removal. St. Petersburg had previously installed rainbow-colored bike racks after being forced to remove its rainbow crosswalks, with Mayor Ken Welch calling them "a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed." Both cities had their original rainbow crosswalks and murals removed under earlier DeSantis directives.   Segment 5 — NYC Youth Pride NYC Pride's annual Youth Pride event took place June 23, 2026, under the theme "For All of Us" — a reference to a quote widely attributed to Stonewall veteran and trans activist Marsha P. Johnson: "There is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us." The free, all-ages event featured trans and queer youth advocacy resources, a rally demanding enhanced funding and protections for LGBTQ+ youth, beauty and self-care programming, and closed with "Dance on the Pier" soundtracked by DJ Nikki Jax. NYC Pride has publicly reported a $500,000 budget shortfall this year following the loss of several major corporate sponsors.   Segment 6 — Hayden Panettiere Comes Out Actress Hayden Panettiere — known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville — came out as LGBTQ+ in 2026, joining a growing list of public figures who have shared their identities this year. Panettiere has been open in recent years about personal challenges including postpartum depression and addiction recovery. Her coming out was reported across LGBTQ+ entertainment media in June 2026.   Segment 7 — Jennifer Jenkins Responds to GOP Trans Attack Florida school board member Jennifer Jenkins of Brevard County publicly called out a GOP group backing Florida state senator Mike Haridopolos after they used trans references as a political attack against a Democratic opponent — referring to the opponent as "Dylan Mulvaney." Jenkins responded on social media: the attack contained no policy substance on housing, insurance, or healthcare — just, as she put it, the GOP's "tired obsession with transgender people." Jenkins first gained national attention in 2020 when she defeated Bridget Ziegler, co-founder of anti-LGBTQ+ group Moms for Liberty, for a seat on the Brevard County School Board. She is also the founder of Educated We Stand, focused on countering far-right school board takeovers. Haridopolos was endorsed by the former president and has been described as an "America First Patriot" by his supporters.   Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 290: Intersex Teacher Fired, HUD Guts Housing Rights, GLAAD AI Report | June 22

Seven stories for Day 22 of Pride Month. An intersex teacher in Florida was fired by his school district and the ACLU is fighting back. HUD is moving to strip LGBTQ+ housing protections from nearly 50 federal programs — and the public comment window closes June 29. GLAAD releases its first-ever AI safety report documenting real and growing harms to queer users. Michael Feinstein and Liza Minnelli drop a Pride anthem. Wendy Makkena comes out. Sarah McBride's landmark documentary is in theaters nationwide. And a second reminder to act before the HUD deadline closes. Story 1 — Intersex Teacher Fired in Florida / ACLU EEOC Filing Shepard Scalf is an intersex man with XY chromosomes who was hired to teach Language Arts to 6th and 7th graders at Patriot Oaks Academy in St. Johns County, Florida for the 2025–26 school year. After disclosing during hiring that he was assigned female at birth, the district fired him. The ACLU and ACLU of Florida filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on his behalf, charging the district with sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as interpreted in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020). Source: ACLU.org Story 2 — HUD Proposes to Gut LGBTQ+ Equal Access Housing Protections On April 28, 2026, the Department of Housing and Urban Development published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled "Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Revisions" (Docket No. FR-6518-P-01). The proposed rule would remove sexual orientation and gender identity protections from nearly 50 HUD regulations, require shelters to house people based on sex assigned at birth, allow providers to demand anatomical documentation, and preempt conflicting state and local anti-discrimination laws. The public comment period closes June 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Submit comments at regulations.gov or via action tools at GLAAD.org and transequality.org. Sources: Federal Register, GLAAD, NLIHC, National Center for Transgender Equality, HousingWire Story 3 — GLAAD Releases Inaugural AI Safety Report: Build for Everyone GLAAD released Build for Everyone: A Framework for LGBTQ Representation and Safety in AI on June 17, 2026 — the organization's first comprehensive report examining how AI systems impact LGBTQ people across the full AI lifecycle, including foundation model training, content moderation, data privacy, product deployment, and agentic AI. Key findings include GLAAD research showing Meta's Llama 4 model recommended conversion "therapy" in response to queries about same-sex attraction, widespread suppression of legitimate LGBTQ content by automated moderation systems, and major AI platforms storing intimate user data indefinitely by default. The report calls on developers to fix biased training data, protect user privacy, maintain human oversight, and engage LGBTQ communities earlier in product development. Full report available at GLAAD.org. Sources: GLAAD, Axios, Decrypt, Gayety Story 4 — Michael Feinstein & Liza Minnelli Release Pride Anthem "Gaymen" Gaymen was released June 5, 2026, on all major streaming platforms through FeinDaye, the new independent music and entertainment company founded by Grammy-nominated entertainer Michael Feinstein and Broadway performer Bobby Daye (whose credits include Moulin Rouge! The Musical). The song features lead vocals by the duo motherfather and a special appearance by Liza Minnelli, a lifelong icon of LGBTQ+ community support. Sources: PR Newswire, GLAAD Story 5 — Wendy Makkena Comes Out A resurfaced interview clip of actress Wendy Makkena (66), best known as Sister Mary Robert in the Sister Act franchise, began circulating widely in mid-June 2026. In the clip, Makkena reflects on her attraction to women. Source: LGBTQ Nation, June 19, 2026 Story 6 — Sarah McBride Documentary State of Firsts Now in Theaters State of Firsts, directed by Chase Joynt, follows Rep. Sarah McBride's (D-DE) campaign to become the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, through election night and her arrival in Washington amid immediate Republican efforts to bar her from Capitol restrooms. The film opened theatrically June 12, 2026 in Wilmington, Delaware, and has expanded to New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Dallas, San Francisco, and additional cities, with community screenings rolling out nationwide. McBride has stated she hopes the film demonstrates that "representation and effectiveness can go hand in hand." Find screenings at stateoffirstsfilm.com. Sources: 19th News, The Advocate, Deadline, Wikipedia Story 7 — HUD Comment Deadline Reminder (June 29) See Story 2 above. The public comment period on the proposed Equal Access Rule rollback closes June 29, 2026. Submit at regulations.gov (Docket No. FR-6518-P-01) or use action templates at GLAAD.org and transequality.org.     Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 289: House of Dragon Premieres, Castro Surveillance & Capital Pride Concert | June 21 2026

SHOW NOTES Story 1 — Capital Pride Concert The 2026 Capital Pride Concert takes place today, Sunday June 21, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., noon to 10 p.m. Free admission with ticketed pit and VIP upgrades. Headliner Maren Morris (bisexual, Grammy-winning) joined by Leikeli47, Lisa Lisa, DJ Harrison, and Drag Race Season 18 winner Myki Meeks. Source: Capital Pride Alliance / Metro Weekly / Washington Blade. Story 2 — Chicago Pride Fest The 25th annual Chicago Pride Fest ran June 20–21 in Northalsted along Halsted Street. Headliners included Durand Bernarr and G Flip. The Chicago Pride Parade follows June 28 with the theme "Free to Be Proud," led by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Source: PRIDEChicago / Choose Chicago. Story 3 — House of the Dragon Season 3 House of the Dragon Season 3 premieres tonight, Sunday June 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Max. Nonbinary British actor Emma D'Arcy returns as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. D'Arcy spoke ahead of the premiere about the importance of nonbinary visibility and their commitment to speaking up for the trans community. The season runs 8 episodes through August 9. Red carpet world premiere was held in London on June 8, 2026. Sources: Jefferson City News-Tribune (June 18, 2026) / Autostraddle / Fandom. Story 4 — Castro Facial Recognition At least three bars in San Francisco's Castro district installed Patronscan Guard+ devices (Servall Data Systems, Alberta, Canada), which collect names, addresses, gender, and biometric data. Privacy advocates and LGBTQ Nation reported on the story June 19, 2026. Digital rights concerns focus on data retention, sharing, and risks to LGBTQ+ individuals. Sources: SFist / LGBTQ Nation / PinkNews / The Advocate. Story 5 — Ontario Pride Flag Burning York Regional Police identified Sepehr Abadar and Mahan Mohammad Radmard, both 18, as suspects in the June 8 theft and burning of a Pride flag at a secondary school in Markham, Ontario. Both charged with mischief in connection with a hate crime investigation. Source: LGBTQ Nation (June 19, 2026). Story 6 — Trans Healthcare in Federal Prisons On June 18, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit briefly issued an order allowing the Trump administration to implement its policy stripping gender-affirming care from transgender people in federal prisons. The same day, the U.S. District Court for D.C. issued a new preliminary injunction blocking the policy. Source: National LGBTQ+ Bar Association Trump EO Tracker / KFF.   Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro 0:45 — Capital Pride Concert: Maren Morris, Myki Meeks & more in D.C. 2:30 — Chicago Pride Fest Day 2: 25th Anniversary in Northalsted 4:00 — House of the Dragon Season 3: Emma D'Arcy Leads Tonight 5:45 — Castro Gay Bars Install Facial Recognition — Queer Privacy Under Fire 7:30 — Canadian Teens Charged in Pride Flag Hate Crime 8:45 — Trans Healthcare in Federal Prisons: Court Whiplash 10:00 — Outro + Headlines Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 288: FTC Sues WPATH + Trans Pride LA, Bronx Pride & NYC Grand Marshals | Pride Day 20

Story 1 — FTC Sues WPATH The Federal Trade Commission, along with Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas, filed a federal lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health on June 17, 2026. LGBTQ Nation and The Advocate both covered the story, including community response from Lambda Legal and The Trevor Project. Filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Story 2 — Trans Pride LA Trans Pride LA 2026 takes place Saturday, June 20, at the Anita May Rosenstein Campus and The Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Hollywood. Organized by the LA LGBT Center's Trans* Lounge. Hosted by Lo Colby. Free, all-ages event. Source: The Fight Magazine, LA LGBT Center. Story 3 — Da Bronx Pride Festival Da Bronx Pride Festival runs June 20, noon to 6 PM, on Westchester Avenue between Brook and Bergen Avenues in the South Bronx. Organized by Destination Tomorrow. Source: NYCHA Journal, Bronx Times, ClickBid event listing. Story 4 — NYC Pride Grand Marshals Bowen Yang and Bernie Wagenblast announced as 2026 NYC Pride March grand marshals. March steps off June 28, noon, from 26th St and Fifth Ave. Source: Gothamist, NYC Pride official. Story 5 — Stonewall Columbus Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival runs June 19–20 in Columbus, Ohio, expecting 700,000+ attendees. Source: AARP Pride Events guide, NYCHA Journal. Story 6 — Broadway Bares Broadway Bares returns Sunday, June 21, at the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center. Over 200 Broadway dancers, Tony-winning creator Jerry Mitchell. All proceeds support HIV/AIDS services. Source: NYC Tourism Pride Guide. Story 7 — WABC Pride Special "Pride 2026: For All of Us" airs Saturday, June 20 at 7 PM on WABC-TV Channel 7 and the ABC7 app. Features T Lounge, NY Ramblers, Lesbian Herstory Archives, LGBTQ West Village walking tour. Source: ABC7 New York. Story 8 — NYC Pride Drag Brunch "It's Giving Brunch" NYC Pride drag brunch fundraiser, Saturday June 20, 11 AM and 2 PM sessions, Stella 34 Trattoria, 6th floor Macy's Herald Square, NYC. Source: NYC Pride Events Calendar. Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.