Ep. 261: Trans Porta-Potty Law, Smith College Probe, GOP Groomer Arrested & Pete Buttigieg Claps Back

Ep. 304: Gay Cruise Banned by 2 Countries + NH Trans Outing Law | LGBTQ News July 10

On today's episode of Listen Up Girl: An Atlantis Events LGBTQ+ cruise carrying nearly 2,000 passengers has been denied entry by both Turkey and Egypt — the CEO calls it "strange and sad." New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signs a law forcing teachers to out transgender students to their parents, reversing a 2024 state Supreme Court ruling. Faculty groups sue Texas Tech University System for banning courses on LGBTQ+ identity and Black history — including blocking Plato and Ta-Nehisi Coates from classrooms. A major new peer-reviewed study finds trans men may miscarry at significantly higher rates than the general population, with researchers issuing an urgent call for more research. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cancels $1.73 billion in Biden-era infrastructure grants, calling them "DEI bike lanes" and mocking predecessor Pete Buttigieg. And a gay man, Jordan Wood, has entered the Maine U.S. Senate race after the Democratic nominee dropped out over a sexual assault allegation. Listen Up Girl is your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast. New episodes every weekday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. 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. 303: NJ Trans Shield Law, EEOC Power Grab & Heartstopper Ends | LGBTQ News July 9

Show Notes: On today's Listen Up Girl, six stories covering the full scope of what our community is navigating right now: New Jersey passes a landmark trans and reproductive healthcare shield law — making it a crime to interfere with patients or providers; the Supreme Court hands the orange convicted felon more control over the EEOC, threatening LGBTQ+ workplace protections; nearly half of Americans who left religion say mistreatment of LGBTQ+ people was a reason why; the Patriot Front targets Pride; and in Canada, Alberta's separatist movement raises serious questions for queer people living there. Plus — Heartstopper wraps its decade-long run with a final volume and a film coming July 17th. Listen Up Girl is your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast. Subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. 🌐 listenupgirl.com 📸 @TheRealZachRE 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. 302: DeSantis "Stop WOKE Act" Struck Down + Lyra McKee Verdict | Listen Up Girl Jul 8

On today's Listen Up Girl (Wednesday, July 8, 2026), Zach breaks down six new stories from across the LGBTQ+ world. A federal appeals court strikes down Ron DeSantis's "Stop WOKE Act," with a Trump-appointed judge calling it "a breathtaking assertion of power." Three men are acquitted in the 2019 killing of openly gay journalist Lyra McKee, and her family says the justice system "completely failed" them. A teacher who allegedly called LGBTQ+ people "mentally ill" faces consequences. The White House closes out Pride Month with an official statement raging against "transgender insanity." A political analyst points to data suggesting "historic" wins for Democrats in November. And in Ukraine, a defiant KyivPride marches on despite war. New episodes every day. Subscribe, rate, review, and share. 🔗 listenupgirl.com Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro 00:45 — DeSantis "Stop WOKE Act" struck down 03:00 — Three men acquitted in Lyra McKee killing 05:30 — Teacher faces consequences for anti-LGBTQ+ comments 07:15 — White House ends Pride Month with anti-trans rant 09:00 — Data points to Democratic wins in November 10:30 — A defiant KyivPride 11:30 — Outro 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. 301: LGBTQ+ News: Trans Athletes, Supreme Court & Budapest Pride | July 3, 2026

Today on Listen Up Girl — your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast — the Supreme Court allows 27 states to keep trans athlete bans in place, a new SCOTUS case threatens healthcare access for runaway trans teens, Russia hands down prison sentences under its LGBTQ+ terrorism designation, Istanbul Pride ends in arrests, Budapest marches in hope, and Republicans come for a trans girl in Irish dance. Plus — I'm taking a few days off for July 4th and will be back on July 8th with fresh news. 🎙️ New episodes every weekday 📍 Find us wherever you listen to podcasts 🌐 https://www.listenupgirl.com [https://www.listenupgirl.com] 📲 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheRealZachRE [https://www.instagram.com/TheRealZachRE] Subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to stay informed. 🏳️‍🌈 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. 300: WPATH Sued, Kansas Revokes Trans IDs & Gay Men Face Deportation to Iran

Episode 300 of Listen Up Girl — your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast. Tonight: LGBTQ+ legal advocates are openly questioning the strategy of bringing trans rights cases to the Supreme Court following Tuesday's ruling upholding state bans on transgender athletes. Kansas has invalidated the driver's licenses of 1,700 transgender residents under SB 244 — and one trans woman was nearly jailed over it before charges were dropped. The FTC and four Republican state attorneys general have sued WPATH, the world's leading transgender health organization, in what advocates are calling an assault on the entire medical infrastructure around gender-affirming care. Two gay Iranian men face deportation to a country where homosexuality is punishable by death. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries shows up at the Equality PAC National Pride Gala and makes a public commitment to stand with the community. And Keke Palmer comes out. Three hundred episodes in. We are not going anywhere. New episodes every day. Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman. Follow: @TheRealZachRE 🎙️ Subscribe | ⭐ Leave a Review | 📲 Share This Episode Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro / Episode 300 1:00 — SCOTUS Fallout: Is the Litigation Strategy Working? 3:10 — Kansas Revokes 1,700 Trans Driver's Licenses 5:20 — FTC Sues WPATH 7:30 — Two Gay Iranian Men Face Deportation to Iran 9:40 — Hakeem Jeffries at Equality PAC Pride Gala 11:10 — Keke Palmer Comes Out 12:00 — Outro   SHOW NOTES SEGMENT 1: After the Ruling — LGBTQ Advocates Are Asking Hard Questions Following the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling upholding state bans on transgender athletes in women's sports, a debate has broken out within the LGBTQ+ legal community about whether bringing certain cases before this Court was a strategic mistake. A Washington Post analysis published July 1, 2026 examines how a series of trans rights cases — on youth healthcare, parental notification, and now athletes — have produced sweeping precedents that advocates worry could constrain the movement for years. The ruling, authored by the conservative majority, found that state bans do not violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause. Justice Sotomayor dissented, writing that categorical bans that exclude every transgender girl regardless of individual circumstances are about exclusion, not fairness. GLAD Law, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU have all emphasized that the ruling does not require states to ban trans athletes — and that inclusive state-level policies remain legal. Source: Washington Post, July 1, 2026; GLAD Law statement on West Virginia v. BPJ; Common Dreams, July 1, 2026 SEGMENT 2: Kansas Is Revoking Trans People's Driver's Licenses Kansas Senate Bill 244, enacted in early 2026 over Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's veto, immediately invalidated the driver's licenses of approximately 1,700 transgender Kansans who had previously updated their gender markers. The law also bans transgender people from using bathrooms in government buildings that align with their gender identity and creates a private right of action allowing any person to sue a trans individual they suspect of violating the bathroom provision for $1,000 in damages. Trans Kansans received letters with no grace period stating their licenses were invalid immediately. Kris Ripper, a trans woman, was pulled over by police in May and threatened with criminal charges related to her license status — charges that were dropped this week. The ACLU, the ACLU of Kansas, and Ballard Spahr LLP have filed suit challenging SB 244 in Douglas County District Court, arguing it violates the Kansas Constitution's guarantees of personal autonomy, privacy, equality under the law, due process, and freedom of expression. Source: ACLU press release, February 27, 2026; LGBTQ Nation, June 2026; NPR/KCUR, February 28, 2026; NBC News, March 4, 2026 SEGMENT 3: The FTC and State AGs Are Suing WPATH The Federal Trade Commission, joined by the attorneys general of Texas, Alaska, Iowa, and Nebraska, has filed a lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). The suit alleges that WPATH violated the FTC Act through deceptive practices — specifically, that it misrepresented evidence supporting gender-affirming care for minors, including by overstating its role in reducing suicide risk and understating long-term medical side effects. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. both issued statements applauding the suit. Legal observers and healthcare advocates have noted that WPATH is a nonprofit medical advocacy organization, not a commercial seller, and that its standards of care are supported by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and every other major medical association in the United States. Critics have also flagged that the suit was filed in the Northern District of Texas — where the DOJ has centralized much of its legal campaign against gender-affirming care — despite WPATH operating out of Illinois. Source: FTC complaint; Fierce Healthcare, June 2026; Erin in the Morning analysis, June 2026; Texas AG press release SEGMENT 4: Two Gay Iranian Men Could Be Sent to Their Deaths Two gay Iranian men — romantic partners in their late thirties and early forties — fled Iran after being arrested by the country's morality police for alleged "homosexual conduct," a charge punishable under Iranian law by imprisonment, torture, or death. They sought asylum in the United States but were detained at the Fort Bliss detention center in El Paso without legal representation, and their claims were denied. The Trump administration subsequently moved to deport them as part of a planned flight from southern Arizona. One man received a last-minute stay of removal from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; his partner does not yet have similar protection. Their attorney, Bekah Wolf of the American Immigration Council, has stated these cases reflect a broader systemic pattern in which the administration uses bilateral transfer agreements to route LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to third countries — including Uganda and Iran — to bypass U.S. asylum protections. Wolf has stated: "These are not isolated cases." Source: The Advocate, March 28, 2026; American Immigration Council blog, February 4, 2026; The Advocate, January 29, 2026 SEGMENT 5: Hakeem Jeffries at the Equality PAC Pride Gala House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared in person at the Equality PAC National Pride Gala in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday evening — the same night the Supreme Court handed down its trans athlete ruling — and publicly pledged that Democrats would stand with trans and queer people. The event brought together prominent LGBTQ+ leaders, advocates, and allies. Jeffries's appearance was notable for its timing and directness, coming at a moment when LGBTQ+ advocates are processing both legal setbacks and political signals about where Democratic leadership stands. Source: The Advocate, July 2026 SEGMENT 6: Keke Palmer Comes Out Actress, singer, and television host Keke Palmer posted to Instagram in February 2026 in a way that was widely received by the asexual community as a coming-out moment. Palmer described herself in terms that connect with sexual fluidity and asexuality, prompting significant engagement from A-spec communities who noted the rarity of that kind of visibility from a mainstream entertainer of Palmer's profile. While Palmer did not use a formal label, her post was celebrated as a meaningful public acknowledgment. Coverage of the moment has continued circulating in LGBTQ+ media through the summer. Source: Them / Yahoo Entertainment, April 2026; Gay Times, 2026 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.