09/24/24

Happy Tuesday,

📚 It's Banned Books Week. More than 10,000 books were banned from public schools in the 2023-2024 academic year, nearly triple the number from the previous year, according to preliminary findings from PEN America, a group that advocates for freedom of expression. To celebrate books and how important fighting against censorship is, here's a nifty story about community building that LGBTQ+ book clubs can foster. From Virginia to Texas, LGBTQ+ book clubs are growing, allowing queer book lovers to come together, hang out, and explore some new literary worlds.

📣 Sometimes, the far-right is just going to far-right, you know what I mean? A recent report seems to have outed an anti-LGBTQ+ education activist as a former gay adult film actor. Online users were quick to point out the hypocrisy. Another right-winger, Valentina Gomez — who made a name for herself by posting videos on social media using anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and a flamethrower — had her Instagram disabled. It's about time. 🔥

In other news:

• Donald Trump’s latest anti-transgender attack on Kamala Harris ‘reeks of desperation,’ advocates say
• D.C. police consider hate crimes charges for suspect arrested after second vandalism attack on Little Gay Pub
• Second man pleads guilty in death of trans activist Cecilia Gentili
• Project 2025 architect allegedly admitted to killing neighbor’s dog: report

Onward and upward,

Alex Cooper

Right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ education activist exposed as former gay adult film actor: report

Gage Skidmore via flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

Meta disables far-right Republican's Instagram after months of antigay, slur-filled posts

Valentina Gomez via x.com @ValentinaForUSA

D.C. police consider hate crimes charges for suspect arrested after second vandalism attack on Little Gay Pub

Courtesy Dito Sevilla/Little Gay Pub

LGBTQ+ book clubs bring lit-loving queers together

Courtesy Little Gay Book Club

Second man pleads guilty in death of trans activist Cecilia Gentili

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO

Donald Trump’s latest anti-transgender attack on Kamala Harris ‘reeks of desperation,’ advocates say

Prashantrajsingh/Shutterstock; ScottMorris/Shutterstock

Book bans nearly triple in 2023-2024 school year: PEN America report

Shutterstock Creative

New questions raised about Melania Trump's lucrative Log Cabin speech

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes rose in 2023, even while crime decreased overall: FBI report

J Pat Carter/Getty Images

Project 2025 architect allegedly admitted to killing neighbor’s dog: report

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images