Ep. 285: UFC Scandal, VA Cuts LGBTQ+ Vets, Niger Criminalizes Being Gay | June 17

Ep. 287: Idaho Bathroom Ban Blocked + Juneteenth Pride + Columbus & SF Open | June 19

Episode Notes: * Juneteenth + Pride: June 19th, 1865 marked the announcement of emancipation in Texas. Capital Pride DC's 2026 Pride week has included a panel on the Black LGBTQ History Preservation Report featuring D.C. Council Member Zachary Parker. The Windy City Times and Washington Informer both published Juneteenth/Pride intersectionality features this week. * Idaho HB 752 blocked: On June 16, 2026, U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford issued a preliminary injunction blocking major portions of Idaho's House Bill 752, a bathroom ban that would have criminalized trans people for using public restrooms aligned with their gender identity. The case was brought by the ACLU, ACLU of Idaho, and Lambda Legal on behalf of six transgender Idaho residents. The law was set to take effect July 1, 2026. * Stonewall Columbus Pride: The festival opens tonight, June 19, from 4–10 p.m. at Goodale Park, Columbus, Ohio. The 2026 theme is "Until We're All Free." Executive Director Densil Porteous and Community Programs Coordinator Jaki Braxton have been leading outreach and programming. LuSter Singleton is the 2026 Patron of Pride. The Pride March takes place Saturday, June 20 at 10:30 a.m. Full details at stonewallcolumbus.org. * Fresh Meat Festival: The 25th Anniversary Fresh Meat Festival of trans and queer performance opens tonight, June 19, at 8 p.m. at Z Space (450 Florida Street, San Francisco). Tickets are on a sliding scale. Runs through June 21. The festival is produced by Fresh Meat Productions, founded and directed by Sean Dorsey. Full lineup and tickets at freshmeatproductions.org. * Capital Pride DC: The 2026 theme is "Exist. Resist. Have the Audacity!" Capital Pride events this week included Silver Pride on June 12 and a Black LGBTQ History Preservation Report panel. The Capital Pride Concert is June 21, free, featuring Maren Morris. Full schedule at capitalpride.org. * WorldPride NYC countdown: The NYC Pride March falls on June 28, 2026 — the 57th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. WorldPride events are centered in New York City this year. 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. 286: MLB Pride Backlash, Ranger Fired Over Trans Flag, Florida Scraps Arch | June 18

* MLB & Pride: The Texas Rangers remain the only one of 30 MLB teams never to hold a Pride Night, hosting Faith and Family Night on June 18 instead. Separately, Giants pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote Genesis 9:12–16 on Pride Night caps; reliever Sam Hentges declined the cap. MLB warned the players of possible future penalties, and Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter to Commissioner Rob Manfred alleging discrimination against Christian players. * Yosemite ranger: Dr. SJ Joslin, the nonbinary ranger behind the 55-foot trans Pride flag hung from El Capitan, had their wrongful-termination lawsuit dismissed but vowed to continue fighting. * Florida Rainbow Arch: A Florida city was forced to scrap a planned Rainbow Arch under Gov. Ron DeSantis's anti-DEI law — the installation had been intended to replace rainbow crosswalks previously removed. * Hate crime: A gay couple in a small town survived a brutal beating; one victim, who identifies as conservative, said he thought he would die. * Wrestling lawsuit: A high school wrestler filed a sexual assault suit after discovering an opponent was transgender; wrestling experts reviewing the footage say it shows no assault. * Good news: The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art presents "Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art" (through Aug. 23), with a free curator-and-artist panel on June 18 from 5–6 p.m. 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. 285: UFC Scandal, VA Cuts LGBTQ+ Vets, Niger Criminalizes Being Gay | June 17

On today's episode: UFC fighter Josh Hokit shocks the nation with a transphobic attack on Michelle Obama during a post-fight interview at the White House — and the administration stays silent. An arrest is made in the murder of Marlow Trottie, a Black trans woman killed in Louisiana during Pride Month. The VA moves to eliminate LGBTQ+-specific health care for veterans. Five men are arrested in Malaysia for using Grindr to rob and assault gay men. England's queer soccer fan group boycotts the 2026 World Cup. Niger criminalizes homosexuality. And the San Francisco LGBTQ+ Film Festival opens today. New episodes every weekday. Subscribe and never miss a story. 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. 284: Nancy Mace Out, Ghana Anti-LGBTQ Bill & Stonewall's Mark Segal | June 16, 2026

Listen Up Girl — Day 16 of Pride Month | June 16, 2026 Story 1: Nancy Mace Primary Loss Nancy Mace finished fifth in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary with approximately 12.1% of the vote. Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff. Trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride, speaking at the Equality PAC National Pride Gala as results came in, told the crowd "Happy Pride, Nancy." Mace will hold no elected office come January 2027. Story 2: Ghana Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Ghana's parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which proposes up to 3 years in prison for identifying as LGBTQ+, up to 5 years for "promoting" LGBTQ+ activities, and a duty-to-report clause. President Mahama has signaled he will sign it. The bill was advanced in part through a U.S. Christian nationalist-funded conference series — the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty — held in Accra with delegates from more than 20 African countries. Story 3: Mark Segal Stonewall Interview LGBTQ Nation published a major interview with Mark Segal, who was 18 years old and present at the Stonewall Inn on the night of June 28, 1969. Segal is the founder of the Philadelphia Gay News and a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front. He recently opened the Philly Pride Visitor Center in Philadelphia. Story 4: Las Culturistas Culture Awards The 5th Annual Las Culturistas Culture Awards air Wednesday, June 17, 9–11 PM ET/PT, simulcast on Bravo and Peacock. Hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. Produced by Lionsgate Alternative Television. Story 5: NYC Pride March — June 28 The 57th annual NYC Pride March steps off June 28, 2026 at noon from 26th Street and Fifth Avenue, ending at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. The date falls on the exact 57th anniversary of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Theme: "For All of Us." Broadcast live on WABC-7 and streamed globally. Free and open to the public. 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. 283: First Trans Tony Winner, Madonna's World Cup Show + Cubs Pride Night | LGBTQ News - June 15, 2026

Listen Up Girl — Day 15 of Pride Month | June 15, 2026 Story 1: Chicago Cubs Pride Night The Chicago Cubs host their annual Pride Celebration tonight at Wrigley Field during an evening game against the Colorado Rockies. The event features local LGBTQ+-owned businesses, live entertainment, and community engagement programming. More at choosechicago.com and pridechicago.org. Story 2: Tony Awards — Qween Jean & Queer Highlights The 79th Annual Tony Awards aired June 8, hosted by Pink at Radio City Music Hall. Cats: The Jellicle Ball costume designer Qween Jean became the first openly transgender person to win a Tony Award. Directors Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch also won for the production. Ali Louis Bourzgui won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The Lost Boys and delivered a speech supporting the queer and trans communities, immigrants, and Arab artists. Schmigadoon! won Best Musical; Death of a Salesman led all productions with six awards. Coverage via Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Playbill. Story 3: Madonna at the FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show FIFA and Global Citizen announced that Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will co-headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife). The show is curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. Madonna's new album Confessions II — the follow-up to her 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor — drops July 3. More at globalcitizen.org and fifa.com. Story 4: La Cage aux Folles at NYC City Center The Encores! production of La Cage aux Folles opens June 17 and runs through June 28 at New York City Center. Billy Porter stars as Albin and Wayne Brady as Georges in the first-ever all-Black staging of the Harvey Fierstein/Jerry Herman musical, directed by Robert O'Hara. Tickets and information at nycitycenter.org. Story 5: LA Pride Youth Roundtable Today, June 15, Christopher Street West closes out the extended LA Pride celebration with a youth-focused roundtable featuring LGBTQ+ leaders, advocates, and creators. The 56th Annual LA Pride Parade took place yesterday, June 14, in Hollywood. More at lapride.org. Story 6: The Vampire Lestat The Vampire Lestat premiered June 7 with new episodes dropping weekly through late July. The show has received strong critical reviews and significant LGBTQ+ audience enthusiasm. Check local streaming listings for availability. 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.