Ep. 286: MLB Pride Backlash, Ranger Fired Over Trans Flag, Florida Scraps Arch | June 18

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.

Ep. 282: Day 14 of Pride: LA Pride Parade, David Archuleta & 796 Anti-Trans Bills - June 14, 2026

Segment 1 — LA Pride Parade 2026 The 56th Annual LA Pride Parade takes place today, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Hollywood, organized by Christopher Street West Association — the same nonprofit behind the world's first permitted LGBTQ+ parade in 1970. This year's theme is "Rise with Pride." Celebrity Grand Marshal Jeff Hiller won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for Somebody Somewhere (HBO). Community Grand Marshal Mia Yamamoto is a transgender civil rights attorney born in a Japanese-American internment camp and a Vietnam veteran who spent decades in public defense law and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Legacy Grand Marshal Shirley "Ms. Shirley" Raines (1967–2026) was the founder of Beauty 2 the Streetz, a 2021 CNN Hero of the Year, and beloved figure in LA's Skid Row community. Pride Village runs along Hollywood Blvd. from Vine to Gower, free, 12:30–8:30 p.m. Sources: ABC7 Los Angeles, LA Pride, Variety, Rafu Shimpo Segment 2 — Albany Capital Pride The 2026 Capital PRIDE Parade and Festival takes place today, June 14, at Washington Park in Albany, NY. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. on State Street, moving to Lark Street and Madison Avenue. The festival features headliner David Archuleta, the 2024 GLAAD Media Award winner for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. Capital Pride benefits the Pride Center of the Capital Region. Sources: CBS6 Albany, Pride Center of the Capital Region, NY State Dept. of Health Segment 3 — Birmingham PrideFest / Central Alabama Pride Central Alabama Pride's 48th annual PrideFest wraps up today, Sunday, June 14, at Linn Park in downtown Birmingham, AL. The free, family-friendly festival runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is headlined by Asher HaVon, winner of NBC's The Voice, with a lineup of RuPaul's Drag Race stars including India Ferrah, The Widow Von'Du, and Morphine Love Dion. Central Alabama Pride draws over 40,000 attendees annually. The organization traces its roots to 1979 and supports HIV/AIDS service organizations year-round. Sources: Alabama Reporter, ABC 33/40, Bham Now, Central Alabama Pride Segment 4 — Queer Streaming June 2026 Autostraddle's June 2026 streaming guide notes a strong month for gay male content — including two Thai BL series on Netflix, the Polish drama Proud on HBO Max, and Interview with the Vampire Season 3 on AMC+. However, the guide identifies this as "the worst Pride Month yet" for lesbian, bisexual, queer women, and trans characters, with no new scripted programming centered on those identities. Source: Autostraddle Segment 5 — 796 Anti-Trans Bills According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, 796 bills currently under consideration in the U.S. would negatively impact trans and gender non-conforming people. That number is expected to grow. 2025 was the sixth consecutive record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation. For real-time tracking, visit translegislation.com. Source: Trans Legislation Tracker (translegislation.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.