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Michael Lavers

Michael K. Lavers is the international news editor of the Washington Blade.

Monica Roberts, Trailblazing Black Transgender Activist, Dies at 58

Monica Roberts, a trailblazing Black transgender activist and journalist, died this week at the age of 58. Roberts' friend, Dee Dee Waters, in a video she posted to her Facebook page on Thursday confirmed Roberts passed away on Monday. A [...]

Rea Carey to Step Down as National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director

The National LGBTQ Task Force on Wednesday announced long-time executive director Rea Carey will step down in early 2021. A press release notes the Task Force's board of directors has unanimously chosen Deputy Executive Director Kierra Johnson to [...]

Fauci: Politicization of COVID-19 Pandemic is 'Really Unfortunate'

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday described the politicization of the coronavirus pandemic as "really unfortunate." "The politicization, the hostility, back and forth is something — I've been through multiple outbreaks over the last 35, 40 years as you [...]

Philippines President Pardons US Marine Convicted of Killing Transgender Woman

The president of the Philippines on Monday pardoned a U.S. Marine who was convicted of killing a transgender woman. The Philippine Star newspaper reported prosecutors' attempts to block Lance Cpl. Joseph Pemberton's early release from [...]

Federal Appeals Court Again Rules in Favor of Gavin Grimm

A federal appeals court on Wednesday once again ruled in favor of a transgender man who challenged his Virginia school district's bathroom policy. The American Civil Liberties Union in a press release notes the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of [...]

Chechnya President, Family Banned from Traveling to US

The State Department on Monday announced the president of Chechnya can no longer travel to the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement noted the State Department is "publicly designating" Ramzan Kadyrov under Section 7031(c) of the FY [...]

The State Department's Controversial Human Rights Advisory Commission Releases Draft of Long-Anticipated Report that Largely Omits LGBTQ Issues

  The Commission on Unalienable Rights' 60-page report contains numerous references to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and religious freedom. The report refers to marriage rights for same-sex couples, affirmative action and abortion [...]

Sudan Repeals Death Penalty for Homosexuality

Sudan has repealed a provision of its Penal Code that imposed the death penalty upon anyone found guilty of engaging in consensual same-sex sexual relations. Article 148 of the Sudanese Penal Code from 1991 said anyone who is convicted of [...]

Activists Hold First-Ever Global Black Pride Event

Actor Billy Porter is among those who participated in the first-ever global Black Pride event that took place on July 10. Global Black Gay Men Connect organized the 12-hour virtual event — the First Global Black Gay Pride is a Riot — with the [...]

Poland's Anti-LGBTQ President Reelected

The anti-LGBTQ president of Poland won reelection on Sunday. The Associated Press reported Andrzej Duda defeated Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski by a 51.2-48.8 percent margin. The two men ran against each other in a runoff because they [...]

Trump Administration Sued Again Over Rescission of Trans Health Care Protections

Several advocacy groups on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to remove transgender protections from the Affordable Care Act. Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth; [...]

Fauci: No Clear Evidence HIV Heightens Coronavirus Risk

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Friday said it remains unclear whether people with HIV are more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. "The story is not yet completely out in individuals with HIV," he said during a panel that took place on the final day of the [...]