May 16 – North Carolina
Sherrell Faulkner, 46, a transgender woman of color died of injuries sustained during an attack in Charlotte. Police are treating the assault as a homicide.
July 12 - National
"Changing Lines" The Rowe Brothers are famous hockey hotshots, but as the youngest of the trio, Tennant has always had to play against his brothers’ reputations. To get out of their shadows, and against their advice, he accepts a trade to the Harrisburg Railers, where he runs into Jared Madsen. Mads is an old family friend and his brother’s one-time teammate. Mads is Tennant’s new coach. And Mads is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on.
Jared Madsen’s hockey career was cut short by a fault in his heart, but coaching keeps him close to the game. When Ten is traded to the team, his carefully organized world is thrown into chaos. Nine years his junior and his best friend’s brother, he knows Ten is strictly off-limits, but as soon as he sees Ten’s moves, on and off the ice, he knows that his heart could get him into trouble again.Can Tennant show Jared that age is just a number, and that love is all that matters?
February 27 – Louisiana
Ciara McElveen, 26, a transgender woman of color, was stabbed to death in New Orleans. McElveen did outreach for the homeless community.
TeeTee Dangerfield
October 17 – Georgia
Candace Towns, 30, a transgender woman who was found shot to death. Town's friend, Malaysa Monroe, remembers Towns’ generosity. “If I needed anything she would give it to me. She would give me the clothes off her back,” Monroe said.
January 1 – National
“U.S. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History for Teachers” Taking into account recent historic changes, this second edition updates the essays on the Supreme Court, same-sex marriage, the Right, and trans history. Authors of several other essays have taken the opportunity to add new material and references where warranted.
Kendra Marie Adams
April 27 – National
"Faces of LGBT" Faces of LGBT was created to showcase members of the community. I wanted to celebrate each individual and make their stories heard. I decided to show a series of portraits alongside each persons story. Each portrait along with the subject's words, tells a personal story, and each story combines to portray a community.
January 1 – National
“Lost and Found” Some statistics say that 40% of all homeless teens are GLBT. They’re on the streets after their families have thrown them away, told them that they don’t matter, that they’re not normal. Well, guess what? Those families are wrong. This collection of stories by ten talented authors spans the spectrum (historical, paranormal, transgender, cutter, gay) to show that – it’s okay, there are people out there that care, and these teens are perfect just the way they are. All royalties from this anthology are being donated to Lost-n-Found Youth in Atlanta, Georgia. A wonderful charity working with these teens, helping them find their new place and get on their feet.
August 22 – National
“Crimson Love: The Crimson Redemption”. Book 13 of 13. Steph Nightwind has taken an oath to serve the Crimson Coven. After his Seelie Court found their long lost Prince and bonded with the Savage Mountain Dragon Circle, Steph the Court Warrior found himself redundant. He felt like he no longer had a purpose. The Crimson War brought him honor and a place in the Crimson Coven as a soldier and an equal. What Steph doesn’t expect to find is his forever mate, and he certainly doesn’t expect to be rejected. As the drama unfolds and Steph finds himself torn between the love of his new home and the pain at his mate’s rejection, he has to wonder if he can remain at Crimson or if he must strike out again alone. Will he let his pride keep him from hearing his mate out and fixing all that has been broken?
June 22 – National
"Trap Door: Trans Cultural Productions and the Politics of Visibility" The essays, conversations, and dossiers gathered here delve into themes as wide-ranging yet interconnected as beauty, performativity, activism, and police brutality. Collectively, they attest to how trans people are frequently offered “doors” entrances to visibility and recognition―that are actually “traps,” accommodating trans bodies and communities only insofar as they cooperate with dominant norms. The volume speculates about a third term, perhaps uniquely suited for our time: the trapdoor, neither entrance nor exit, but a secret passageway leading elsewhere. Trap Door begins a conversation that extends through and beyond trans culture, showing how these issues have relevance for anyone invested in the ethics of visual culture.
September 9 – California
Anthony “Bubbles” Torres was dressed in feminine attire at the time of his murder.
January 1 – National
“Live Through This” This powerful book couldn’t come at a more timely juncture. With our deep misunderstanding of racial identity, the murder of transgender women increasing at an alarming rate, and the battle of faith and sexual orientation at churches across the country, we are in a cultural war of ideologies. Overwhelming prejudices have constricted our basic capacity for compassion and understanding.Live Through This is a collection of intimate essays about one man’s journey to self- acceptance when his faith, sexuality, and race battled with societal norms. These insightful writings will plant seeds of consideration and inspire readers to stretch beyond stereotypes. By reading stories about the demographics that live on the fringe of traditions, we gain a deeper awareness of our cultural climate and how we can improve it, starting with ourselves.
February 20 – National
“Crimson Love: The Crimson Beta”. Book 9 of 13. Death has taught Jai Livingstone to never take anything in life for granted. Saved from the clutches of death at the hands of a caster by the Sorcerer Lucian, Jai is now a highly regarded Crimson Guard. He is determined to distinguish himself and never again let his soft heart be his undoing. After coming back from the other side, Jai now possesses enhanced abilities that allow him to see the evil intent within people’s hearts. These powers make him a critical asset to the security of the Crimson Coven as Master Stone’s chosen Quinn’s pregnancy comes to term. This birth has inflamed the paranormal world, and there are dark forces at work willing to do everything they can to bring down the Crimson Coven. As allies are now under threat from the Coven’s enemies, it will be all up to Jai to level the playing field and give Crimson a fighting chance at survival. When he meets his chosen, the strong-willed first Beta of the Savage Mountain Wolves, his strength will be tested. Can he hold on to his life and his love, or will he have to lay it all on the line for the Crimson Coven?
September 26 – National
"When We Rise" When We Rise is not only the story of a hero to the LQBTQ community, but the vibrantly voice memoir of a full and transformative American life. Born in 1954, Cleve Jones was among the last generation of gay Americans who grew up wondering if there were others out there like himself. There were. Like thousands of other young people, Jones, nearly penniless, was drawn in the early 1970s to San Francisco, a city electrified by progressive politics and sexual freedom.
Imer Alvarado
February 25 – Louisiana
Chyna Gibson, 31, a Black transgender woman, was shot and killed in New Orleans. Chyna was a much-loved performer in the ballroom community who was visiting friends and family in New Orleans at the time of her death.
January 1 – National
“Lovers Like Us” Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene lives by his actions, and his actions say he's the best at whatever he does. As a 24/7 bodyguard and the new boyfriend to Maximoff Hale, protecting the headstrong, alpha billionaire has never been more complicated. And one rule can't be bent:
Keep your relationship secret from the public. Farrow is confident he's the best man for the job. But a twist in Maximoff's fast-paced life sticks them with the rest of Security Force Omega and their clients. On the road. In a sleeper tour bus. For four rocky months. Sexual frustrations, check. Road trip drama, check. Awkward bonding, check. But Farrow couldn't have accounted for a high-risk threat (identity: unknown) that targets Maximoff before the ignition even turns. And it hits Farrow -- someone has it out for the guy he loves. Every day, Maximoff & Farrow's feelings grow stronger, and together, they'll either sink or swim.
June 6 – National
Frank M. Robinson releases his memoir “Not So Good a Gay Man: A Memoir”. A journalist and writer best known for his techno-thrillers and his work as a speech writer for Harvey Milk. He was the author of The Power and Waiting, as well as The Glass Inferno, the basis for the film The Towering Inferno. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
February 25 – Washington D.C.
Maulik Pancholy and nine other members of President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders resigned from their positions, citing administrative actions by President Donald Trump that they claimed went "against the commission's principles"
November 8 – National
Colton Haynes best known for his role on MTV Teen Wolf is listed as Out Magazines Top 100 in recognition of his coming out, his "self-actualization" and his work.
July 27 – Washington D.C.
Justice Department declares federal civil rights protections don’t apply to sexual orientation. The DOJ filed court papers arguing that a major federal civil rights law does not protect employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
December 5 – National
“Black on Both Sides” The story of Christine Jorgensen, America’s first prominent transsexual, famously narrated trans embodiment in the postwar era. Her celebrity, however, has obscured other mid-century trans narratives—ones lived by African Americans such as Lucy Hicks Anderson and James McHarris. Their erasure from trans history masks the profound ways race has figured prominently in the construction and representation of transgender subjects. In Black on Both Sides, C. Riley Snorton identifies multiple intersections between blackness and transness from the mid- nineteenth century to present-day anti-black and anti-trans legislation and violence.
Drawing on a deep and varied archive of materials—early sexological texts, fugitive slave narratives, Afro-modernist literature, sensationalist journalism, Hollywood films—Snorton attends to how slavery and the production of racialized gender provided the foundations for an understanding of gender as mutable. In tracing the twinned genealogies of blackness and transness, Snorton follows multiple trajectories, from the medical experiments conducted on enslaved black women by J. Marion Sims, the “father of American gynecology,” to the negation of blackness that makes transnormativity possible. Revealing instances of personal sovereignty among blacks living in the antebellum North that were mapped in terms of “cross dressing” and canonical black literary works that express black men’s access to the “female within,” Black on Both Sides concludes with a reading of the fate of Phillip DeVine, who was murdered alongside Brandon Teena in 1993, a fact omitted from the film Boys Don’t Cry out of narrative convenience. Reconstructing these theoretical and historical trajectories furthers our imaginative capacities to conceive more livable black and trans worlds.
January 1 – South Dakota
“TransAction South Dakota” TransAction South Dakota works in coalition to advocate, support, educate, and raise awareness of trans and gender diverse people living in South Dakota. We strive to empower trans people to share their stories and take action to promote equality, justice, and liberation of all trans and gender diverse people.
September 29 – National
“Battle of The Sexes” The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.
May 4 – Washington D.C.
Trump signs executive order on ‘religious liberty’. Conservative critics said the order didn’t go far enough, while LGBT advocates worried that it could be used to allow discrimination.
Brandi Seals
June 21 – Rhode Island
The teacher of the year uses a Trump photo op to make pro-LGBT statement. The teacher wanted to show his students they should be comfortable with who they are, even if they are meeting a US president who has rolled back protections for transgender students. Nikos Giannopoulos posed with President Trump and Melania Trump in the Oval Office.
September 1 – National
"Wet" Clothing is not an option, and bare-naked skin rules the day! Whether they are in the shower, in the pool or in the sea – Dylan Rosser’s men have two things in common: They are always as sexy as can be – and they are always wet. Hence the title of his newest photobook: “Wet”
The photographer has been shooting the male nude for almost two decades and has worked with beautiful men from all around the globe. Based mainly in Ibiza (Balearic Islands), he often works in other locations like NYC, Paris, Los Angeles, Cape Town, Bali, Sydney.This photo book includes several never-before-seen images taken in the Mediterranean Sea, pools in Palm Springs and Los Angeles, showers all over the world, as well as some studio work. Since Dylan never works with clothing, here instead he uses water, almost like a fabric, washing over the body. “Wet” is a careful selection of tantalizing images showing a mix of full frontal nudes (flaccid and erect), striking portraits, and a close-up focus on skin, water and texture.
October 9 – National
"Out" "I guess I always figured coming out was something you did for friends and family, and maybe it is, but it's personal too, you know? The person I was last night is new. I wanna get to know him." I had two things on my list when I arrived in Los Angeles. One, track down Henry Bennington, the uncle and guardian of my little brother's best friend, and tell him to get his ass back to Washington. He needed to do something about his nephew, who was turning into a douchebag. And two, figure out just how non-straight I was. For the past two years, I'd had all these fantasies, and now was the time to explore them, far away from my sleepy little town. Nowhere on this list did it say, "Get Ty's uncle into bed and fall for him." I wasn't supposed to fall in love with another city either. But between brunch, making new friends, and discovering the man I was meant to be, I lost sight of the future that had once seemed pretty damn vivid. How the hell was I supposed to merge my old life and who I used to be with the new dreams Los Angeles and Henry had awakened in me?
May 23 – National
Max Emerson, a YouTube celebrity was the focus of a Catfishing expedition. French comic TV presenter Cyril Hanouna used one of Emerson's torso pictures to set up a catfishing profile on a gay dating site and tricked the men who responded to the profile into revealing sexual fantasies to him while he was live on his show. The segment triggered nearly 20,000 complaints to regulators and condemnation from LGBT groups.
April 9 – Texas
Kenne McFadden, 27, was found in the San Antonio River. Police believe she was pushed into the river, which runs through downtown San Antonio. A high-school friend of McFadden described her to local media as assertive, charismatic and lovable.
Westpoint
Colton Haynes
LGBTQ Political Action, Events, and News for 2017
Candace Towns
Ebony Morgan
Derricka Banner
June 27 – Washington D.C.
District of Columbia residents can now choose a gender-neutral option of their driver’s license. DC residents become the first people in the United States to be able to choose X as their gender marker
instead of male or female on driver’s licenses and identification cards.
November 17 – National
The movie “A fantastic woman” is released.
January 1 – National
Chick-fil-A publishes a warning to franchise holders that they are not to involve themselves in any activity or organization that will harm the reputation of the parent company.
College universities continue to block Chick-fil-A from opening sites near their campuses as students continue to protest spending and grants through the Chick-fil-A nonprofit arm of the company and their anti-lgbt stance.
April 21 – Florida
Chay Reed, 28, a transgender woman of color, was shot and killed in Miami. Reed’s longtime friend told Mic about their longtime friendship describing her as someone who was full of life and beloved by many.
January 1 – New York
“Albany Gay Men’s Chorus” The Albany Gay Men’s Chorus seeks to entertain and enlighten by creating high quality vocal music in the rich and time-honored tradition of male choral singing. The Chorus strives to promote pride in and acceptance of the gay community, and endeavors to build bridges by making positive contributions to the greater Capital region.
July 15 - National
"Lepore" Spend an evening getting intimate with Amanda Lepore, the internationally renowned walking work of art and New York City’s reigning queen of nightlife for three decades. Paving the way for today’s “trans revolution,” Amanda is one of the world’s most famous transsexuals. In this poignant and revealing memoir, Amanda takes off the makeup, peels back the silicone, and reveals to the world the woman she truly is, all with a sense of divine certainty, humor, and charm.
September 26 – National
“You and Your Gender Identity” Are you wrestling with questions surrounding your gender that just don’t seem to go away? Do you want answers to questions about your gender identity, but aren’t sure how to get started?In this groundbreaking guide, Dara Hoffman-Fox, LPC―accomplished gender therapist and thought leader whose articles, blogs, and videos have empowered thousands worldwide―helps you navigate your journey of self-discovery in three approachable stages: preparation, reflection, and exploration.
Chay Reed
October 12 – National
Writer David Dalton publishes “Why straight guys love their gay guys” to evaluate how the gay community has changed since marriage has been legalized.
February 16 – National
“BCC A Lesbian Romance” Morgan hates her job. She didn’t bust her hump to get a IT certification, so she could spend her days reading employee emails. Unfortunately, what the boss says, goes, and he has her on email detail until they find out who's been embezzling. About the only redeeming feature of working for this company is getting to steal glances at the head of engineering and tech support, Courtney James. What Morgan wouldn’t do for the confidence just to strike up a conversation. Asking Courtney out? Not a chance. When an email tips her off that the crush is mutual, though, Morgan's torn between making a move and pretending she never saw the message. Her heart and body say to go for it. Her conscience says to leave well enough alone. The one thing she can’t do, however, is forget about it…
September 18 – National
"Something Like Hail" When life closes each door, and the world has taken away every opportunity, sometimes it’s up to us to make our own luck—and to give ourselves a second chance. Noah Westwood is tired of life on the streets, so he turns to Marcello Maltese, a man who owns a small media empire… and a few covert businesses, such as an escort service. Noah volunteers for this, but he’s playing a dangerous game. A secret from his past could turn his new friends into enemies, and he isn’t sure if he can perform the duties he signed up for, especially when he’s more interested in falling in love than hopping into the beds of his clients. This is complicated further when his hunky co-worker, Harold Franklin, seems to be interested. Or is he? Noah is off the streets, but he’ll have to travel down many roads on his quest to find his happily-ever-after. Something Like Hail introduces a new character to the “Something Like”… series, one whose life is intertwined with previous books in unexpected ways.
July 10 - National
Nearly two-thirds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people say they feel less safe since President Trump took office.
June 9 – North Carolina
Charlotte Pride in North Carolina rejected a pro-Trump float from a group of gay Trump supporters called Deplorable Pride. ‘It’s discrimination’: Gay Trump supporter says his vote got him barred from Pride parade
Anthony Bubbles Torres
October 21 – Texas
Stephanie Montez, 47, was brutally murdered near Robstown. Montez’s longtime friend, Brittany Ramirez, described her as “one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet."
January 1 – Colorado
“Northern Colorado Equality” Northern Colorado Equality seeks to empower the LGBT+ community and allies through activities, programs, services and education. Honoring, promoting and celebrating our community’s diversity is our central organizing principle.
April 18 – National
"Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child" Unconditional provides parents of a LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning) child with a framework for helping their LGBTQ child navigate through a world that isn’t always welcoming. Author Telaina Eriksen, a professor at Michigan State University and the mother of a gay daughter, explains what she and her husband have learned through experience. Gender and sexuality: Eriksen also covers the science on gender and sexuality and how to help a transgender child through the various stages of development. Throughout the book parents and kids who have been there, share their stories. She also directs gay family parents to various resources online to help them.
October 5 – Washington D.C.
Jeff Sessions reversed a Justice Department policy which clarified that transgender workers are protected from discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
February 19 – Louisiana
Jaquarrius Holland, 18, was shot to death in Monroe.
Gwynevere River Song
June 6 – Washington D.C.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testified before a Senate appropriations subcommittee and made unclear statements about whether she would allow federal funds to go to schools that discriminate against LGBTQ students. She made similarly troubling statements when testifying before a House committee in late March.
Jaylow McGlory
December 13 - Texas
Brandi Seals, 26, a Black transgender woman who was found shot to death in Houston. Her family described her as a “loving person” and a “beautiful person.”
Javier Munoz
Kiwi Herring
JoJo Striker
September 5 – New York
Kashmire Nazier Redd, 28, was fatally stabbed by his partner. A friend wrote on Facebook “[Kashmire] loved hard and just wanted to be loved and [accepted].”
January 6 – Pennsylvania
Sean Hake, 23, a transgender man in Sharon, died after he was shot by police responding to a 911 call from his mother.
June 3 – National
"Hashtag Queer" Hashtag Queer is a collection of short work in all literary genres (fiction, non- fiction, poetry, scripts) written by and/or about LGBTQ+ people and lives. It includes short stories, flash fiction, poems, essays, memoirs, plays, screenplays, and monologues by writers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, non- binary, and straight. Many of the pieces are about different aspects of queerness and being queer, while others are about other aspects of life experienced through a queer lens.
March 10 – National
“A Very Sordid Wedding” Tired of the religious zealotry and anti-gay bigotry in their Texas town, sisters Latrell, LaVonda, and Aunt Sissy decide to protest an "Anti-Equality Rally" which aims to forbid any same sex weddings in their county. The colorful characters from the previous "Sordid Lives" decide a wedding is exactly what this small-minded town needs.
December 16 - Florida
Rhiannon Layendecker, 51, was shot and killed by her wife, Jessica Winkler, after a domestic dispute in their home in Englewood. Both women are transgender. According to neighbors, Layendecker was “fun,” “loving,” and someone who “would do anything for you.”
January 1 – West Virginia
“WV Transgender Resources” West Virginia has the highest number of transgender teens per capita with limited or hard to find resources. WV Transgender Resources was created in order to provide WV transgender youth and families with easily accessible resources. Our mission is to educate and inform West Virginians on transgender specific topics while creating a safe and open atmosphere at home, school, and work.
Patrick Sullivan, PhD DVM
HIV testing programs
January 1 – Nevada
“ClexaCon Film Festival”. As the first and largest multi-fandom event for LGBTQ women and allies, ClexaCon brings together thousands of diverse LGBTQ fans and content creators from around the world to celebrate positive representation for LGBTQ women in the media.
May 17 – California
Imer Alvarado was shot to death in Fresno.
September 5 – National
"Before I Had the Words" At the beginning of his physical transition from female to male, then- seventeen-year-old Skylar Kergil posted his first video on YouTube. In the months and years that followed, he recorded weekly update videos about the physical and emotional changes he experienced. Skylar's openness and positivity attracted thousands of viewers, who followed along as his voice deepened and his body changed shape. Through surgeries and recovery, highs and lows, from high school to college to the real world, Skylar welcomed others on his journey.Before I Had the Words is the story of what came before the videos and what happened behind the scenes. From early childhood memories to the changes and confusion brought by adolescence, Skylar reflects on coming of age while struggling to understand his gender. As humorous as it is heartbreaking and as informative as it is entertaining, this memoir provides an intimate look at the experience of transitioning from one gender to another. Skylar opens up about the long path to gaining his family's acceptance and to accepting himself, sharing stories along the way about smaller challenges like choosing a new name and learning to shave without eyebrow mishaps.
Danica Roem
February 22 – Washington D.C.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights jointly rescinded Title IX guidance clarifying protections under the law for transgender students.
President Trump rescinded protections for transgender students that had allowed them to use bathrooms matching their gender identity, overruling his own education secretary.
June 23 – Texas
Finn, 12, died by suicide after lawmakers passed a bathroom bill.
December 8 – California
23-year-old August Ames was found dead after receiving backlash from the LGBT community for perceived “homophobic” tweets. Proudly taking credit for causing her suicide and the backlash is homosexual porn star Bruce Beckham.
October 25 – National
"The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads" Are you ready to have kids? More and more gay men are turning to adoption and surrogacy to start their own families. An estimated two million American LBGTQ people would like to adopt and an estimated 65,000 adopted children are living with a gay parent. In 2016, The Chicago Tribune reported that 10 to 20 percent of donor eggs went to gay men expanding their families via surrogacy, and in many places the numbers were up 50 percent from the previous five years.Gay parenting: Having a kid is like coming out all over again, on a daily basis, especially if you have an infant. Was coming out stressful for you? It’s about to get more intense and you will have a child watching your every move and listening to your every word. If you stutter or pause, they may pick up on your discomfort and could start to feel like something is wrong about their family unit. The Ultimate Guide For Gay Dads is jam packed with parenting tips and advice to help you build confidence and become the awesome gay dad you were meant to be!
June 25 – Georgia
Ava Le'Ray Barrin, 17, was shot and killed in Athens during an altercation in an apartment parking lot. In an online obituary, friends remembered Barrin as a "social butterfly" and an "amazing girl" who "loved to make people laugh."
July 2 – Virginia
Ebony Morgan, 28, was shot multiple times in Lynchburg. Morgan was transferred to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Authorities have named Kenneth Allen Kelly Jr. as a person of interest in the case.
October 25 – National
“Break Away” Student journalist Lane Matthews knows that all too well, which is why he’s dreading his latest assignment: to write an intimate exposé of the most popular athlete on campus, River Brame.
But River isn’t your typical goal-scoring stud with a stupidly good body — and Lane soon learns that the North Dakota captain is hiding a softer, sweeter side under that hard body. Lane has to stay professional and remind himself that River is straight, and not looking to score with a gay sex columnist. Even if he could swear that River is flirting with him ...
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
River’s dazzling skills and jaw-dropping physique have him destined to be a star in the NHL — but the cut-throat media is desperate to smear his name. Lane’s feature story will help River set the record straight and dispel the damaging rumors. Can Lane help River extinguish the embers of controversy ... or will they ignite an even hotter one?As the two men grow closer, suspicions about their friendship start to spread. Can River manage fame and a secret life? Is Lane chasing more heart-break and humiliation? And will their secret passion drive them apart ... or can Lane and River break away and find their path together?
August 4 - Louisiana
Jaylow McGlory, 29, a Black transgender woman, was shot and killed in Alexandria. According to media reports, a 20-year-old man was later charged with her murder.
October 4 – Washington D.C.
The Department of Justice filed a brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia asking
the court to dismiss a lawsuit against the president’s transgender military ban.
In a memo to all federal prosecutors, Attorney General Jeff Sessions says that a 1964 federal civil rights law does not protect transgender workers from employment discrimination and the department will take this new position in all “pending and future matters.”
June 27 – National
"Taming the Beast" Cole was a shy young guy. Brash was a muscular, rude and arrogant beast. They never thought their lives would crash into one another. Recently divorced, angry at the world, Brash lived alone and didn’t need any friends. He was tough. He was muscular. He was cocky and arrogant and could take down anything in his way. A bounty hunter, Brash never lost his target. Brash was as straight as they come, and women loved him. He knew he’d be a bachelor for the rest of his life, a lone wolf, maybe jumping from one woman to the next... but everything changed when he locked eyes with the hot young blonde at the gym. He just never thought the hot young blonde would be another man. Cole was just out of college and on his own. Reeling from the end of his last relationship, he desperately needed a change. He spent too many hours in a cubicle at work when he longed to be a designer. He spent too many hours alone when he craved another lover to have some fun with. But, he was too afraid to chase his dreams, until he locked eyes with the handsome, intimidating stud at the gym. He just never thought he’d fall for a straight man. Brash and Cole couldn’t stop their desires, and when they started hooking up... there was no stopping them from wrecking one another. Could they survive their own burning affair, or would their feelings for each other destroy them?
July 3 – Washington D.C.
Gays for Trump organizes a free speech rally that attracts 18 people for a Make America Great Again on the National Mall that was organized by Peter Boykin.
June 13 – New York
Kendra Marie Adams, 28, was found in a building that was under construction and had burns on her body.
October 24 – Washington D.C.
The Department of Defense releases its report to Congress.
State equality and discrimination bills
November 8 – Michigan
A 17-year-old gay teenager was attacked by 18-year-old Trevon Godbolt. Godbolt reportedly made the victim strip off his clothes and possessions, then beat him and took his clothes. Another man and two women were involved, one of whom recorded the attack on a cell phone. The video was later posted on Facebook.
June 23 – National
“Alaska Is A Drag” Tough, but diva fabulous, Leo, an aspiring drag superstar, is stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska. He and his twin sister are trapped in the monotony of fist fights and fish guts. Out of necessity, Leo learned to fight back, which catches the attention of the local boxing coach. When a new boy moves to town and wants to be his sparring partner, Leo has to face the real reason he's stuck in Alaska.
March 22 – Maryland
Alphonza Watson, 38, was shot and killed in Baltimore. Watson’s mother said her daughter was “the sunshine of our family,” a “caring, passionate” person who loved cooking and gardening.
February 8 – Ohio
JoJo Striker, 23, a transgender woman, was found killed in Toledo. Striker’s mother, Shanda Striker, described her as “funny and entertaining” and said her family loved her deeply.
June 11 – National
Nathan Lee Graham won the Jose Esteban Munoz Award from CLAGS: the Center for LGBTQ Studies at The Graduate Center, CUNY. The award is given to an LGBTQ Activist who promotes Queer Studies outside of academia.
June 28 – National
Buddy Handleson came out as gay through a caption on an Instagram photo depicting him in front of a pride flag. He wrote, "Over the past couple of years I've become more and more comfortable with my sexuality and I think I'm ready to share it with the world. I'm finally at a place in life where I can say 'I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud to be gay." Buddy is best known for his work as an actor for the Disney Channel.
July 22 - National
"He/She/They/Us" Gender in America has become the hot button issue for some politicians but for many, it is just an attempt to live their lives. Transgender and gender diverse people and their families, friends, work associates and others just want to find themselves and live in peace. This book is glue to hold people together through the process of self exploration. It covers basic vocabulary, concepts, challenges and some ways to be a supportive ally. It was written for the layperson not well versed in the terms and language of gender and transition. It attempts to begin to provide some answers for the questions everyone has.
June 22 – National
"Pride & Joy" LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroestells the stories of queer citizens of the world living OUT and proud happy, fulfilling, successful lives. Diverse and global. Famous and unsung. There is a story here for everyone in the LGBT community who has ever questioned their sexual orientation or gender identity or discovered it.
August 25 – Washington D.C.
Trump ordered the US military to reject openly transgender people as new recruits but authorized Defense Secretary Mattis to decide how to handle transgender personnel already serving.
Jaquarrius Holland
February 20 – National
“Something Like Summer” Something Like Summer traces the tumultuous relationship of Ben and Tim, secret high school sweethearts who grow over the years into both adulthood enemies and complicated friends.
February 11 – Delaware
A Delaware-born transgender persons may now receive a new birth certificate with an updated gender marker without a court order or proof of surgery. Thirteen other states plus D.C. have similar
laws. An affidavit is required from a medical or mental health professional stating that the person has had surgical, hormonal, psychological or other gender transition treatment, or that the person is intersex. With that affidavit alone, the registrar will issue a new birth certificate with the proper gender marker, and an updated name if applicable.
September 28 – National
“Queercore a Punk-U-Mentary” A documentary on Queercore, the cultural and social movement that began as an offshoot of punk and was distinguished by its discontent with society's disapproval of the gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender communities.
October 30 – Washington D.C.
Federal judges said Trump could not ban transgender Americans from serving, with the first judge writing that the policy did not appear to be based on facts, but on “a desire to express disapproval of transgender people generally.”
Tiara Richmond
March 30 – North Carolina
“After Louie” Sam is a New York artist and former AIDS activist who is disillusioned with the world around him. While dredging up buried memories and resentments to make a film about a friend he lost to AIDS, Sam gets caught up in a relationship with Braeden. At first critical of the young man for his generation's failure to appreciate how easy they have it, Sam slowly realizes that he has much to learn about what gay life is like today.
December 29 – Washington D.C.
Trump administration officials are forbidding officials at the nation’s top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases in any official documents being prepared for next year’s budget. CDC gets list of forbidden words: "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based."
Finn
January 7 – North Dakota
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, 28, an American Indian woman who identified as transgender and two- spirit, was found dead in her apartment in Sioux Falls.
Ally Lee Steinfeld
September 19 – National
“True Sex” In True Sex, Emily Skidmore uncovers the stories of eighteen trans men who lived in the United States between 1876 and 1936. Despite their “unexceptional” quality, their lives are surprising and moving, challenging much of what we think we know about queer history. By tracing the narratives surrounding the moments of “discovery” in these communities – from reports in local newspapers to medical journals and beyond – this book challenges the assumption that the full story of modern American sexuality is told by cosmopolitan radicals. Rather, True Sex reveals complex narratives concerning rural geography and community, persecution and tolerance, and how these factors intersect with the history of race, identity and sexuality in America.
October 6 – Washington D.C.
The Department of Justice issued sweeping religious liberty guidance to federal agencies, which will create a license to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals and others.
November 27 - Oklahoma
Brooklyn BreYanna Stevenson, 31, a Black transgender woman who was found murdered in a motel room. Family describe Stevenson as "an amazing daughter, sister and friend with a giving and loving heart."
November 7 – National
“Transgender History” Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events. Chapters cover the transsexual and transvestite communities in the years following World War II; trans radicalism and social change, which spanned from 1966 with the publication of The Transsexual Phenomenon and lasted through the early 1970s; the mid-'70s to 1990-the era of identity politics and the changes witnessed in trans circles through these years; and the gender issues witnessed through the '90s and '00s.
July 31 – Georgia
TeeTee Dangerfield, 32, a Black transgender woman, was shot and killed in Atlanta. According to the Georgia Voice, Dangerfield “was found with multiple gunshot wounds outside of her vehicle at the South Hampton Estates apartment complex."
December 11 – Washington D.C.
A second federal judge rules against Trump’s prohibition on transgender individuals serving in the military. The Pentagon announces it will begin processing transgender applicants to the military on January first, while the Department of Justice continues to appeal the ruling.
August 12 - Texas
Gwynevere River Song, 26, was shot and killed in Waxahachie. According to their Facebook profile, they identified as “femandrogyne” and a member of the bisexual community.
August 22 – Missouri
Kiwi Herring was killed by the St. Louis Police Department, while brandishing a knife at officers, there were circumstances surrounding this death that were anti-transgender in nature, including threats and actions from a neighbor that led to the confrontation that led to Herring’s death.
September 22 – Washington D.C.
DeVos announced that the Department of Education was rescinding guidance related to Title IX and schools’ obligations regarding sexual violence and educational opportunity.
October 3 – National
"Logical Family A Memoir" Born in the mid-twentieth century and raised in the heart of conservative North Carolina, Armistead Maupin lost his virginity to another man "on the very spot where the first shots of the Civil War were fired." Realizing that the South was too small for him, this son of a traditional lawyer packed his earthly belongings into his Opel GT (including a beloved portrait of a Confederate ancestor), and took to the road in search of adventure. It was a journey that would lead him from a homoerotic Navy initiation ceremony in the jungles of Vietnam to that strangest of strange lands: San Francisco in the early 1970s.Reflecting on the profound impact those closest to him have had on his life, Maupin shares his candid search for his "logical family," the people he could call his own. "Sooner or later, we have to venture beyond our biological family to find our logical one, the one that actually makes sense for us," he writes. "We have to, if we are to live without squandering our lives." From his loving relationship with his palm-reading Grannie who insisted Maupin was the reincarnation of her artistic bachelor cousin, Curtis, to an awkward conversation about girls with President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, Maupin tells of the extraordinary individuals and situations that shaped him into one of the most influential writers of the last century.
June 1 – Alabama
Jay Griffin,13, a transgender boy died by suicide.
Rhiannon Layendecker
January 1 – National
"Exhibition" Ten Avenues Press announces Kevin McDermott's new photography book, EXHIBITION. The 160-page hardcover is a collection of nudes and portraits of more than 50 different men photographed over the past ten years. From the rooftops of NYC to the beaches of Miami and Malibu, on the moors of Provincetown or in the woods of Upstate NY, or even inside the intimacy of Kevin's studio in the city, this exquisite coffee-table book includes many of the most beautiful images taken by McDermott.
May 2 – National
“Transgender Children and Youth” Elijah C. Nealy, a therapist and former deputy executive director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center, and himself a trans man, has written the first- ever comprehensive guide to understanding, supporting, and welcoming trans kids. Covering everything from family life to school and mental health issues, as well as the physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition, this book is full of best practices to support trans kids.
December 1 – National
“Lady Bird” In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.
Caroline Talev, MPA
Public Health Analyst
Chyna Gibson
Buddy Handleson
January 19 – National
The movie “Call me by your name” is released
May 29 – National
“Crimson Love: The Dragon Knight”. Book 12 of 13. Elan Ravenscroft is a Dragon Knight and his father’s heir apparent. He is a battle-tested warrior and ready to defend his family and the Crimson Coven in his father’s name. He expected battle and danger when he accepted his father’s assignment to the Crimson Coven, but he did not expect to find himself face to face with his fated mate in the midst of war. He doesn’t know if he can handle both. He doesn’t know if their bond can survive an all-out paranormal war, but if he doesn’t want to lose the love of his life he has to learn to trust fate’s timing and accept the things that he cannot change.
Chyna Gibson
April 25 – New York
Kenneth Bostick, 59, was found with severe injuries on a Manhattan sidewalk, he later died of his injuries.
January 20 – Washington D.C.
Pages on LGBT rights are taken down from White House website. As Trump was sworn in, people noticed information disappearing from the White House website, including pages about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. President Trump waved to supporters as he walked the inaugural parade route past the main reviewing stand in front of the White House.
September 16 - Georgia
Scout Schultz, 21, was shot and killed by Georgia Tech campus police. The GT Progressive Student Alliance, a progressive student advocacy group on campus, called Schultz an “incredible, inspirational member of our community and a constant fighter for human rights.”
October 7 – National
“Bromosexual”. With his backwards cap, lopsided grin, and ripped bod gifted from the gods, he struts around town like he owns it. But I won’t let him own me, no matter how hot he's gotten over the past eight years since he went off to become a pro baseball player in the major leagues - and since we had our brutal falling out and everything fell apart. When a hard night lands him at my front doorstep - desperately in need of a place to stay - I get one look into those fierce blue eyes of his ... and realize our story is far from over. My former "bro" and I are about to define a whole new term for the steamy, beautiful mess that's destined to happen between the two of us.
December 7 – Washington D.C.
The Department of Justice filed a brief with the Supreme Court in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission arguing that businesses have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ customers.
April 4 – Washington D.C.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace discrimination against LGBT employees, after Kimberly Hively sues Ivy Tech Community College for violating Title VII of the act by denying her employment.
December 1 – National
"Deep Edge" Trent Hanson is a figure skating phenom adored by millions around the world. His whole life has been dedicated to the sport he loves even when the sport - and his own family - have turned against him. From the playground to the Olympics to his parent’s living room, Trent has fought against bullies and homophobes to be the out and proud gay man he is. But the constant fighting has left Trent tired, lonely, and skittish. All those fears will have to be shelved though when he’s hired to spend the summer working with the Harrisburg Railers ice hockey team. Who would have guessed that the man fate has decided to pair him off with is Dieter Lehmann, all-around sex god and a man who seems to have everything to prove and doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants.Dieter has spent too many years languishing in the minors, and a secret addiction to prescription painkillers means his career is in a downward spiral. His ex is blackmailing him, and he’s close to walking away from it all. But when he’s called up in the run for the Stanley Cup to cover injuries he has a taste of what it’s like playing in the NHL, and he realizes that a place on the Railers’ roster is what he wants more than anything. More than listening to his heart, and even more than caring for the infuriating figure skater who gets under his skin. When he crosses the line to get what he wants, he knows he has lost his way. He has to change, but is it too late for both his career and any chance he might have at love?
November 20 – National
“Welcome to Fairyland” Drawing from a multilingual archive, Capo unearths the forgotten history of "fairyland," a marketing term crafted by boosters that held multiple meanings for different groups of people. In viewing Miami as a contested colonial space, he turns our attention to migrants and immigrants, tourism, and trade to and from the Caribbean--particularly the Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti--to expand the geographic and methodological parameters of urban and queer history. Recovering the world of Miami's old saloons, brothels, immigration checkpoints, borders, nightclubs, bars, and cruising sites, Capo makes clear how critical gender and sexual transgression is to understand the city and the broader region in all its fullness.
Scout Schultz
April 27 – National
“Disobedience” A woman returns to her Orthodox Jewish community that shunned her for her attraction to a female childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.
Kenne McFadden
September 17 – Missouri
Ally Lee Steinfeld was stabbed, and her body was burned in an attempt to conceal evidence of the crime, and some of Ally’s bones were put into a garbage bag placed in a chicken coop near the residence.
November 21 – National
“The Essential Fan Guide to RuPaul’s Drag Race” Bursting onto the scene over two decades ago (with smash hit 'Supermodel of the World') RuPaul has been confounding critics to clear her own path over the many years since. Most recently, RuPaul has again become an unlikely pop-cultural icon by producing and starring in RuPaul's Drag Race - a reality television series that judges the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of the competing drag queens. Over nine seasons and numerous spin-off series (including All Stars and RuPaul's Drag U), RuPaul's Drag Race has become a cult global hit - fans know the catchphrases, the personalities, the cat fights.The Essential Fan Guide to RuPaul's Drag Race celebrates all the queens (all 100+) that have graced the stage, as well as memorable Drag terms, inspiring quotes from RuPaul and so many facts and figures that even a hardcore RuPaul fan will learn a thing or two. This is one for the true fans.
April 9 – National
“The Something Like…” series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush. Ben and Tim return in Something Like Memories as they debate when exactly they should celebrate their anniversary, and Jason finally makes an important decision about his future with William in Something Like Sun. Joyful reunions and tearful goodbyes await you, as do many affirmations of love, in this second volume of short stories.
October 8 – National
Adam Lambert performed for Point Foundation Honors Gala in in recognition of those who had made a significant impact on the LGBTQ community. Point Foundation is the largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit in the country.
February 21 – Illinois
Tiara Richmond, also known as Keke Collier, 24, was fatally shot in Chicago.
October 20 – National
The movie “BPM Beats Per Minute” is released. Members of the advocacy group ACT UP Paris demand action by the government and pharmaceutical companies to combat the AIDS epidemic in the early 1990s.
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow
Ava Le'Ray Barrin
July 26 – Washington D.C.
President Donald Trump announces via Twitter that “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender
individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military…”
Rainbow flags moved past the White House during June’s Equality March for Unity and Peace. Protesters gathered at the White House to oppose President Trump’s order on transgender people in the military.
June 27 – National
"LGBT San Francisco" Glittering drag queens, gay politics and alternative theater: Nicoletta was at the heart of the gay mecca that was 1970s San Francisco.
B. Kaye Hayes, MPA
Executive Director
September 8 – National
"The Forgotten Legacy of Stella Walsh" In the Forgotten Legacy of Stella Walsh: The Greatest Female Athlete of Her Time, Sheldon Anderson tells the story of her remarkable life. A pioneer in women’s sports, Walsh was one of the first globetrotting athletes, running in meets all over North America, Europe, and Asia. While her accomplishments are undeniable, Walsh’s legacy was called into question after her murder in 1980. Walsh’s autopsy revealed she had ambiguous genitalia, which prompted many to demand that her awards be rescinded.
June 1 – National
Jon Macy a cartoonist publishes “Butch Lesbians of the 20s 30s and 40s Coloring Book”
Sherrell Faulkner
June 22 – National
"Queer Families" Every family has a rainbow sheep! This is some of their stories. The premiere publication in Qommunicate Media's LGBTQ+ True Stories Anthology Series features stories and poems by children of gay dads and lesbian moms, transgender fathers and children, queer aunts and uncles, and more about life in their families -- all "straight" from the rainbow sheep’s' mouths.
November 20 – National
“A Very Marian Christmas”. 12 Marian Men-A-Mating... I mean, A-Meeting. 11 Blind Dates-A- Blinding. 10 Lords-A-Leaping (to conclusions). 9 Ladies Dancing (okay, maybe that's Griff). 8 Kids-A- Complaining. 7 Changes-A-Clothing. 6 Love Junk Gadgets. 5 **DRA-AAG QUEENS**. 4 Calling Neighbors. 3 Nosy Grannies .2 Men Falling In Love. And a partridge in a pear tree.
January 4 – Mississippi
Mesha Caldwell, 41, a black transgender woman from Canton, was found shot to death. The murder is still under investigation and no suspects have been arrested.
September 12 – National
Michael Ausiello writes “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies” about his relationship with Kit Cowan.
October 13 – National
“Signature Move” Zaynab, a thirty-something Pakistani, Muslim, lesbian in Chicago takes care of her sweet and TV-obsessed mother. As Zaynab falls for Alma, a bold and very bright Mexican woman, she searches for her identity in life, love and wrestling.
January 25 – National
The movie “Beach Rats” is released. A Brooklyn teenager spends his days experimenting with drugs and looking online for older men to meet with.
Nikos Giannopoulos
Jay Griffin
October 15 – National
Javier Muñoz became part of the #MeToo movement by posting on Twitter in response to Alyssa Milano's call for all who had been sexually harassed or assaulted to join together and speak up to bring publicity to the problem.
Mesha Caldwell
President Donald Trump
Brooklyn BreYanna
April 6 – National
"Fragile & Deathless" A big collection of male photo images, portraits and nudes. Physical perfection, the essence of masculinity itself, fantastically built bodies, handsome faces, invincible power and indomitable spirit. Overwhelming frankness of nudity. Delightful harmony of colors and shapes. Hottest muscle guys share their most secret thoughts and wishes. The most welcome addition to the library of anyone who truly admires and appreciates the male form and sexuality.
March 30 – North Carolina
Under pressure from the NCAA, which has threatened to withhold championship events from the state through 2022, the N.C. House and Senate vote to repeal HB2 and replace it with House Bill 142, which Cooper signs into law in the afternoon. The new law establishes the legislature as the sole authority to regulate access to bathrooms, showers, and changing facilities; and institutes a moratorium on any new local ordinances on regulating public accommodations or private employment practices until December 1, 2020.
Max Emerson
November 3 – National
The movie “Princess CYD” is released.
November 7 – Virginia
Voters elect the state’s first openly transgender candidate to the Virginia House of Delegates. Danica Roem unseats incumbent delegate Bob Marshall, who had been elected thirteen times over 26 years. Roem becomes the first openly transgender candidate elected to a state legislature in American history.
February 24 – National
“Tom of Finland” Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski brings to screen the life and work of artist Touko Valio Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland), one of the most influential and celebrated figures of twentieth century gay culture.
September 5 – National
"Manhood" 100 men bare all in a collection of photographs and interviews about manhood and ‘manhood’. These days we are all less bound by gender and traditional roles, but is there more confusion about what being a man means? From veteran to vicar, from porn addict to prostate cancer survivor, men from all walks of life share honest reflections about their bodies, sexuality, relationships, fatherhood, work and health in this pioneering and unique book.
Kashmire Nazier Redd
December 16 – Washington D.C.
Trump terminated all members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS without explanation.
August 11 – National
“Queer Clout” In postwar America, the path to political power for gays and lesbians led through city hall. By the late 1980s, politicians and elected officials, who had originally sought political advantage from raiding gay bars and carting their patrons off to jail, were pursuing gays and lesbians aggressively as a voting bloc—not least by campaigning in those same bars. Gays had acquired power and influence. They had clout.
July 8 - National
“The Revival” A secret love affair between a southern Baptist preacher and a young drifter challenges the equilibrium of a growing church.
July 21 - National
“Counseling Transgender and Nonbinary Youth” There are growing numbers of youth who identify as transgender, and as a result, clinicians and counselors are in need of an informed resource that covers the basics of gender identity and expression. This book responds to that need by setting out clear advice and support on working with transgender and non-binary youth with regard to their identity, mental health, personal and family life and their medical and social transition as well as offering additional resources and reading lists.
Alphonza Watson
January 31 – Washington D.C.
The Trump administration said it would continue to enforce regulations protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees in federal agencies.
April 24 – National
“Crimson Love: The Demon Lord”. Book 11 of 13. Lord Nael DuFour, the Demon Lord, has been sealed in the Demon Sphere for a Millennia. The Dragon Stone has set him free. Little did Jai and his chosen Levi realize what they were unleashing when they made their deal with the Demon Lord to help save the Crimson Coven. Nael is just looking for a little fun when he drops in on the Crimson Plantation. A millennium away has made for a very bored Demon Lord. He worms his way into an invitation to stay at Crimson, much to the chagrin of Cullen Volakis, and is ready to lend some assistance in the Crimson Feud with Fane Minea and the Vampire Council. What Lord Nael is not expecting is the moment he catches the scent of his soulmate on the air. He has been trapped for so long he almost didn’t know what the scent and the feeling meant, until he laid eyes on the most beautiful creature in all the realms. Peter Deschamps, his soulmate. The patience and self-sacrifice of courtships do not come easily to a man like Lord Nael. He must learn to put his own desires second if he has any chance of winning his lover’s heart.
Ally Steinfeld
Catalogued archive material by subject:
September 12 – North Carolina
Derricka Banner, 26, was found shot to death in Charlotte. Friends describe Banner as a "playful spirit" and "go-getter" who enjoyed life.
December 5 – National
"Something Like Summer" Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change.
The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before he met Tim Wyman, the man he would one day marry. Now, twenty years later, everything is perfect. Isn't it? As Ben struggles with guiding his adopted son toward happiness, he begins to question his own path in life. Tim is little help, pulled away by artistic success and faced with temptation, but true love should be able to overcome such obstacles... if only their struggles ended there. Something Like Forever is a love story spanning a lifetime and beyond as two men discover what it means to be friends, lovers, and so much more.
Kenneth Bostick
January 1 – National
Victory Fund is working to build LGBTQ political power at all levels of government, but with a particular focus on state and local LGBTQ candidates who can fight anti-LGBTQ legislation and mitigate the effects of anti-equality efforts at the federal level.
June 30 - Washington D.C.
The US Department of Defense announces a six-month delay in allowing transgendered individuals
to enlist in the United States military. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis writes that they “will use this
additional time to evaluate more carefully the impact of such accessions on readiness and lethality.”
Pride celebrations across the country reflect frustrations with Trump, who doesn’t acknowledge Pride Month. Last year, June was National Pride Month. This year, it isn’t. Trump White House declines to recognize LGBT Pride month and didn't mention Pride even once throughout all of June.
May 26 - Washington D.C.
The New York Times reports on two transgender students at West Point and another at the Air Force Academy that are denied commissions due to a DOD policy loophole. The report says that the policy that went into effect in Oct 2016 only applies to active duty military and not cadets or new recruits.
March 26 – National
“Crimson Love: The Dragon King”. Book 10 of 13. Harkin Ravenscroft, The Dragon King, never thought he would find his true mate. Harkin figured he had already lived that part of his life. Not wanting to wait, he took a squire dragon as his mate and they had five sons before Roland died at the hands of a hunter. Now his sons are grown and his son Quinn has already started a family of his own. Harkin is content taking care of his family and leading his people, even if he does think longingly of the power of the true mate bond. While staying at the Crimson Plantation and nurturing the dragon nature of his new grandson he finds himself, shockingly, drawn to a human in the cells beneath the Crimson Mansion and driven to protect him with everything he has. Harkin never thought he would find his true mate, but Fate is a strange lady. Now with danger threatening the lives of his people and mystery surrounding his young mate, Harkin will have to balance the fate of his dragons and the fate of his love otherwise he might just lose it all.
August 15 – National
Joe Kort publishes “Understanding the Sexual Betrayal of Boys and Men: The Trauma of Sexual Abuse”
Sean Hake
Copyright © Proud Scholars 2023.