JD Mazuera Arias: a story of community
Four months into his first term on Charlotte City Council, JD Mazuera Arias is still adjusting to the role and the expectations that come with it. The work moves quickly, the volume of information is constant and the stakes are often immediate. “It’s like drinking from a fire hose,” he said, describing the early months…
Reaction from faith leaders to Supreme Court decision on conversion therapy ban
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, April 1, that Colorado cannot enforce a law restricting how licensed therapists discuss sexual orientation and gender identity with clients, finding the state’s conversion therapy ban violates free speech protections. The decision is expected to prompt legal challenges to similar laws in more than 20 states. The case was…
Proposed 2027 federal budget targets LGBTQ+ health and housing programs
The Trump administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget would reduce or eliminate key programs that support the LGBTQ+ community, with impacts across health care, housing, and civil rights. The proposal includes nearly $2 billion in cuts to HIV-related services and calls for eliminating the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, which provides housing…
The creeping acceptance of conversion therapy
The American Civil Liberties Union has tracked more than 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills nationwide since 2026. Many anti-transgender bills and LGBTQ+ book bans have been accepted at the state and federal levels. As the Trump administration pushes for conservatism, the Supreme Court has reviewed cases that challenge state bans on conversion therapy. On March 25, 2025,…
Trump takes a greater aim at trans youth and voter eligibility
Trump complimented his peers and guests at the State of the Union Address February 24, among them Sage Blair. He called for both Blair and her grandmother to stand for applause, and stated that “Sage was thrown into an all-boys state home, and suffered terribly for a long time.” Trump continued, “But today, Sage is…
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A look back at friends and family lost over the past 12 months
Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) recently released their “Remembering Our Dead” list for the period of Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025. Since 1998, TDoR has tracked incidents of trans and gender-expanded deaths in remembrance of their lives and contributions. This list is a combination of material from TDOR, HRC and other resources throughout…
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Letter to the editor
To whom it may concern, I am writing this letter with a heavy heart and real concern regarding the termination of Mr. Lorenzo Tucker, a respected community advocate and a member of the Charlotte Black Gay Pride community. I want to be clear about the timeline. Mr. Tucker was terminated from his position at C.W.…
COMMUNITY
Finding pieces of the puzzle
Do you feel like you don’t know enough about LGBTQ history? If so, you are not alone. Access to the rich and complex history of the lives of LGBTQ people is mostly absent from our shared history in the United States, and it remains missing from our textbooks and archives. If you are asking yourself,…