Ep. 298: Pride Month Finale: Illinois Trans Laws, Marriage Equality at 11 & Robin Byrd - June 30, 2026

Ep. 298: Pride Month Finale: Illinois Trans Laws, Marriage Equality at 11 & Robin Byrd - June 30, 2026

In this episode: Illinois Governor Signs Three Trans Rights Bills — Then Marches in Pride On June 29th, Governor JB Pritzker signed three pieces of trans rights legislation before joining the Chicago Pride Parade that afternoon. HB 5095 strengthens the process for trans people to update the gender marker on their state IDs to male, female, or X. HB 5492 mandates that insurance companies cover up to a six-month supply of prescribed hormone therapy and necessary self-administration supplies — both laws take effect January 1, 2027. A third bill, HB 4834, updates Illinois' Prescription Monitoring Program to remove testosterone from the monitored list and bar the future addition of estrogen, mifepristone, and misoprostol. Illinois continues to lead on trans rights even as other states move in the opposite direction. Marriage Equality at 11 — And Still Standing The 11th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges just passed on June 26th, and this year it carries extra weight: the Supreme Court was directly asked to overturn Obergefell and declined. The Human Rights Campaign called it a reaffirmation that every family deserves equal protection under law. But a new Gallup poll adds sobering context — national support for same-sex marriage has dropped from 71% to around 65%, with Republican support falling from 55% to 37% in just four years. Support for trans rights among Republicans has dropped from 22% to 5% over five years. Obergefell stands. The fight doesn't stop. Robin Byrd Gets Her Flowers Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story premieres tonight on Prime Video. From 1977 to 1998, bisexual icon Robin Byrd hosted a sex-positive, anything-goes call-in show on New York City public access television — bringing on adult film stars, exotic dancers, and people of all genders and sexualities at a time when queer visibility was radical, especially during the AIDS crisis. The documentary dropping on the last day of Pride Month 2026 is a fitting tribute to a woman who was building queer community on cable access long before anyone called it activism. Thank you for 30 days of Listen Up Girl. Subscribe, rate, review, and share — and follow the show on social media to stay connected all year long. 🏳️‍🌈 Listen Up Girl is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.       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. 297: 529 Anti-LGBTQ Bills, Conversion Therapy Ruling & NYC Pride March Recap | Listen Up Girl June 29

It's the second-to-last episode of our full Pride Month run on Listen Up Girl, and we are going in. On today's show: the NYC Pride March drew over one million people under the theme "For All of Us" with Grand Marshals including Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, and Bowen Yang. Then we break down the sobering reality of 529 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 2026 alone, the Supreme Court's conversion therapy ruling in Chiles v. Salazar that put protections for queer youth at risk in more than 20 states, and the patchwork of wildly unequal state-by-state rights that define what it means to be LGBTQ+ in America right now. We close with a look at where public support stands — and why that fight is far from over. Tomorrow is June 30th — the last day of Pride Month. Subscribe, rate, review, and share! 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. 296: NYC Pride March Stonewall Anniversary & LGBTQ News | Pride Month Day 28

SHOW NOTES Listen Up Girl | Day 28 of Pride Month Sunday, June 28, 2026 Episode Summary It's the last day of Pride Month — and the biggest one. On Day 28, we cover the 57th NYC Pride March stepping off today on the exact anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, Hayley Kiyoko's bold Pride Month declaration, Florida cities creatively defying Ron DeSantis' rainbow crosswalk ban, a new photo exhibit honoring queer veterans, the premiere of Adventure Time: Side Quests on Hulu, and sobering new Gallup data showing LGBTQ support sliding among Republicans — and why that makes today's march more important than ever. Episode Notes SEGMENT 1: The 57th NYC Pride March The NYC Pride March steps off today at noon from 26th Street and Fifth Avenue, passing through Greenwich Village and ending near the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street — the site of the 1969 uprising that launched the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. This year's theme is "For All of Us," drawn from a quote by Stonewall veteran and activist Marsha P. Johnson. Grand Marshals include Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, Bernie Wagenblast, Bowen Yang, and Gays Against Guns. The march is free and open to the public. WABC-7 broadcasts live starting at noon. More at nycpride.org. SEGMENT 2: Hayley Kiyoko Singer and LGBTQ+ icon Hayley Kiyoko gave a Pride Month interview this weekend celebrating her identity and her fanbase. She described her community as a space of "hopeful queer sapphic love" and said she is proud to be a lesbian "openly, boldly, and unapologetically." More at LGBTQ Nation. SEGMENT 3: Florida Cities Defy DeSantis After Governor Ron DeSantis moved to eliminate rainbow crosswalks and Pride-themed street art across Florida, cities pushed back creatively. St. Petersburg painted its City Hall steps as a giant Progress Pride flag and projected a 60-mile rainbow laser across the night sky. Fort Lauderdale installed a "Circle of Love" rainbow display near the beach at Sebastian Street Plaza. Miami Beach also joined the resistance. Source: Instinct Magazine / LGBTQ Nation. SEGMENT 4: Queer Veterans Photo Exhibit A new photo exhibit celebrating the lives and service of LGBTQ+ veterans opened this week, with subjects describing the experience as healing and validating. One veteran said it was the first time he had spoken publicly about both his military service and his identity as a gay man. More at LGBTQ Nation. SEGMENT 5: Adventure Time: Side Quests Adventure Time: Side Quests premieres today on Hulu. The series expands the world of the beloved animated franchise, which has long been celebrated for its queer representation, including the canon relationship between Marceline the Vampire Queen and Princess Bubblegum. Premieres June 28, 2026. Available on Hulu. SEGMENT 6: Gallup LGBTQ Support Data A Gallup survey conducted May 1–17, 2026 finds that 65% of U.S. adults support legal same-sex marriage, down from a peak of 71% in 2022–2023. Support among Republicans has dropped from 55% to 37% in four years. Moral acceptance of transgender identity among Republicans has fallen from 22% to 5% over five years. Full data available at news.gallup.com. Connect & Subscribe 🎙️ Listen Up Girl | listenupgirl.com Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio Listen Up Girl is a daily LGBTQ+ news podcast hosted by Zach. New episodes drop every day throughout Pride Month and beyond. 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. 295: Judge BLOCKS DOJ From Seizing Trans Kids' Medical Records | Pride Saturday 2026 | Listen Up Girl

LGBTQ news June 27 2026, trans kids medical records DOJ blocked, Judge Failla NYU Langone trans records, federal judge trans youth privacy, Paris Pride 2026 canceled heatwave, San Francisco Pride 2026, SF Pride resistance in action, NYC Dyke March 2026, NYC Pride March preview, Twin Cities Pride Minneapolis 2026, Graham Platner Senate trans kids, Front Runners NYC Pride Run, Pride Saturday 2026, Listen Up Girl podcast, LGBTQ news podcast Pride Month, trans rights news this week, Pride Month Day 27 Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: Day 27 of Pride Month 1:15 – Federal Judge Blocks DOJ From Trans Kids' Medical Records 4:00 – Paris Pride Canceled Due to Heatwave 5:30 – San Francisco Pride Kicks Off – "Resistance in Action" 7:00 – NYC Dyke March Tonight + Pride Run in Central Park 8:30 – Senate Candidate Graham Platner Pledges to Protect Trans Kids 9:45 – Twin Cities Pride Opens in Minneapolis 10:45 – Quick Headlines + Outro   Episode: Day 27 of Pride Month | Saturday, June 27, 2026 Stories Covered: 1. Federal Judge Blocks DOJ From Seizing Trans Youth Medical Records — U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla (Southern District of New York) issued a temporary restraining order on June 24 blocking the DOJ from subpoenaing medical records of transgender minors from NYU Langone and Mount Sinai. The administration had used a grand jury subpoena from Fort Worth, Texas to try to obtain records of all patients treated for gender dysphoria under age 18 going back to January 2020. Failla called the action "the most egregious official conduct" and found it likely violated Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. Case brought by ACLU, NYCLU, and Lambda Legal. Sources: CNN, The Hill, Lambda Legal, ACLU 2. Paris Pride 2026 Canceled Due to Heatwave — The annual Paris Pride March, organized by Inter-LGBT and scheduled for June 27, has been canceled due to an extreme heatwave. A September 2026 rescheduling is being considered. Party and community events in the city continue. Source: Paris Je T'aime / Inter-LGBT 3. San Francisco Pride Day One: "Resistance in Action" — The 56th Annual SF Pride Celebration opened Saturday at Civic Center, with a free two-day festival running through Sunday. A Trans Ally Rally marched from Embarcadero Plaza to Civic Center. The SF Dyke March steps off tonight from Dolores Park. Source: KQED, SF Pride 4. NYC Dyke March Tonight + Front Runners Pride Run — The 45th annual Front Runners NYC LGBTQ+ Pride Run drew 8,000+ participants in Central Park Saturday morning, benefiting Lambda Legal. The NYC Dyke March kicks off at Bryant Park at 5 PM. Tomorrow: NYC Pride March, noon on June 28, broadcast on WABC. Sources: ABC7 NY, NBC New York, NYRR 5. Graham Platner Pledges to Protect Trans Kids at Pride — Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner appeared at a Pride event on June 25, directly pledging to protect trans kids and calling politicians who won't "cowards" and "bigots." Source: LGBTQ Nation 6. Twin Cities Pride Opens in Minneapolis — The free Twin Cities Pride festival opens today and runs through Sunday at Loring Park in Minneapolis, one of the largest Midwest LGBTQ+ celebrations. Source: AARP, Pride Belongs 7. Quick Headlines — ICE budget tripled via Trump's budget package; WorldPride Amsterdam August 1–9, Canal Parade August 1. Sources: Bay Area Reporter, Pride Belongs 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. 294: Pride March Showdown: Hospitals vs. Grand Marshals | LGBTQ+ News June 26

Listen Up Girl — Day 26 of Pride Month | Friday, June 26, 2026 Your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast SEGMENT 1: NYC Pride Grand Marshals Demand Hospitals Be Banned from the March The Gender Liberation Movement sent an open letter to Heritage of Pride — the organization behind the NYC Pride March — calling on them to prohibit NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, and New York-Presbyterian from participating in Sunday's march. Both NYU Langone and Mount Sinai ended gender-affirming care programs for trans minors earlier this year under pressure from the orange convicted felon's administration, and NYU Langone became the first hospital system subpoenaed for the private medical records of trans youth patients. The letter was signed by more than 20 current and former Pride grand marshals — including Bowen Yang, Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, TS Madison, Michelle Visage, Jazz Jennings, and Raquel Willis — along with over a dozen LGBTQ+ nonprofits and dozens of parents of trans children. Mount Sinai confirmed it still plans to march. Heritage of Pride had not publicly responded as of airtime. Sources: LGBTQ Nation, Gothamist, The Advocate, Gender Liberation Movement SEGMENT 2: California 9th Circuit Blocks the SAFETY Act The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on June 23, 2026 that California cannot enforce Assembly Bill 1955 — the SAFETY Act — while legal challenges continue. The law prohibited school districts from requiring staff to disclose a student's gender identity or sexual orientation to parents without the student's consent. The court's ruling mirrors earlier Supreme Court language framing parental "constitutional rights" to information about their children's gender expression at school. LGBTQ+ advocates warn the ruling puts queer and trans youth at risk of being outed before they are ready, with documented links to elevated rates of depression, family rejection, and suicidal ideation. The legal fight continues. Sources: LGBTQ Nation, LA Times SEGMENT 3: Lil Nas X Opens Up About Bipolar Disorder Out rapper Lil Nas X (born Montero Lamar Hill) posted a video to Instagram on June 17, 2026, disclosing his diagnosis with bipolar disorder and providing an update on his mental health following a public episode in August 2025 that led to his arrest and hospitalization. In April 2026, a judge placed him in a two-year mental health diversion program. He has since completed a rehab program, is working with a therapist and psychiatrist, and says he is focused on new music. He described living with bipolar disorder as being on "extreme hard mode." His father also spoke publicly about the pressures his son has faced at age 26. Sources: LGBTQ Nation, Variety, Deadline, Ebony SEGMENT 4: Queens of the Dead Drops on Hulu Queens of the Dead, a new queer horror film starring Dominique Jackson (Pose, 2026 NYC Pride Grand Marshal), began streaming on Hulu today, June 26, 2026. The film has been anticipated by queer entertainment audiences as part of Hulu's Pride Month content rollout. Source: TV Insider / Hulu SEGMENT 5: Aesop Queer Library Returns to NYC Now in its sixth consecutive year, the Aesop Queer Library is taking place at Aesop's Nolita location from June 26–28, 2026. The free activation offers complimentary books by LGBTQ+ authors and transforms the store into a community library space. This year's edition focuses on writing that centers the queer body. The event is free and open to all. Source: NYC for Free SEGMENT 6: Two Days to the NYC Pride March The 2026 NYC Pride March takes place Sunday, June 28, stepping off at noon from 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and dispersing near the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. The theme is For All of Us, inspired by Marsha P. Johnson. Grand Marshals are Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, Bowen Yang, Bernie Wagenblast, and Gays Against Guns. The march will be broadcast live on ABC 7 New York starting at noon. Additional Pride weekend highlights include the Mets Pride Night at Citi Field tonight (June 26) and Harlem Pride on Saturday, June 27 — now in its 17th year. Sources: NYC Pride, ABC 7 New York, NYC Tourism + Conventions 🎙️ Listen Up Girl is your daily LGBTQ+ news podcast. Follow, subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Find us at listenupgirl.com 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.