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Welcome back to the Abstract!This week, its time for a walk in the woods. These particular woods have been dead and buried for centuries, mind you, but they still have a lot to say about the tumultuous events they experienced across thousands of years.Then: exposure to climate change starts in the womb; CYBORG TADPOLES; get swole with this new dinosaur diet; the long march of an ancestral reptile; and, finally, pregaming for science.The saga of the sunken cypressNapora, Katharine et al. Subfossil bald cypress trees suggest localized, enduring effects of major climatic episodes on the Southeast Atlantic Coast of the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.For thousands of years, a forest filled with bald cypress trees thrived in coastal Georgia. But climate shifts caused by volcanic eruptions and a possible comet impact wreaked havoc on this environment, eventually leading to the death of these ancient woods by the year 1600.Now scientists have exhumed dozens of the magnificent trees, which were buried at the mouth of the Altamaha River for centuries. The dead trees are well-preserved as subfossils, meaning they are only partially fossilized, allowing researchers to count tree rings, conduct radiocarbon dating, and reconstruct the epic tale of this long-lived grove.This is the largest intact deposit of subfossil Holocene cypress trees ever analyzed in the literature from the Southeast United Stateswith specimens spanning almost six millennia, said researchers led by Katharine Napora of Florida Atlantic University in their study.In ideal conditions, bald cypress trees can live for millennia; for instance, one tree known as the Senator in Longwood, Florida was about 3,500-years-old when it died in a 2012 fire. But Naporas team found that their subfossil trees experienced a collapse in life expectancy during the Vandal Minimum (VM) environmental downturn, which began around 500 CE. Trees that sprouted after this event only lived about half as long as those born before, typically under 200 years.Study authors Katharine Napora and Craig Jacobs with an ancient cypress tree near the Georgia coast. Image: Florida Atlantic UniversityThe reasons for this downturn are potentially numerous, including volcanic eruptions and a possible comet strike. The researchers say that tree-ring evidence shows a reduction in solar radiation in 536 and 541 to 544 CE, likely the consequence of a volcanic dust veilGreenlandic ice cores also contain particles rich in elements suggesting dust originating from a comet, dating to 533 to 540 CE.The possibility that a comet struck Earth at this time has been debated for decades, but many scientists think that volcanic eruptions can account for the extreme cooling without invoking space rocks. In any case, the world was rocked by a series of unfortunate events that produced a variety of localized impacts.This Georgian tree cemetery presents a new record of those tumultuous times which speaks to the long-term impacts of major climatic episodes in antiquity and underscores the vulnerability of 21st-century coastal ecosystems to the destabilizing effects of large-scale climatic downturns, according to the study.In other newsPSA: climate risks begin before youre bornDeIngeniis, Donato et al. Prenatal exposure to extreme ambient heat may amplify the adverse impact of Superstorm Sandy on basal ganglia volume among school-aged children. PLOS One.In addition to disrupting long-lived trees, climate change poses a threat to peoplestarting in the womb. A new study tracked the brain development of children whose mothers endured Superstorm Sandy while pregnant, revealing that prenatal exposure to extreme weather events affect neural and emotional health.Prenatal exposure to Superstorm Sandy impacted child brain development, said researchers led by Donato DeIngeniis of the City University of New York. The team found that a group of 8-year-old children whose mothers experienced the 2012 disaster while pregnant had noticeable differences in their basal ganglia, a brain region involved in motor skills and emotional regulation.Exposure to both the hurricane and associated extreme heat (defined as temperatures above 95F) was linked to both a larger pallidum and smaller nucleus accumbens, both subregions of the basal ganglia, compared to unexposed peers. The findings hint at a higher risk of emotional and behavioral disruption, or other impairments, as a consequence of exposure in the womb, but the study said more research is necessary to confirm those associations.Extreme weather events and natural disasters are projected to increase in frequency and magnitude. In addition to promoting initiatives to combat climate change, it is imperative to alert pregnant individuals to the ongoing danger of exposure to extreme climate events, the team said.Here come the cyborg tadpolesSheng, Hao, Liu, Ren, Li, Qiang et al. Brain implantation of soft bioelectronics via embryonic development. Nature.Scientists have a long tradition of slapping sensors onto brains to monitor whatever the heck is going on in there. The latest edition: Cyborg tadpoles.By implanting a microelectrode array into embryonic frogs and axolotls, a team of researchers was able to track neural development and record brain activity with no detectable adverse effects on the tadpoles.The cyborg tadpoles in question. Image: Liu Lab / Harvard SEASCyborg tadpoles showed normal development through later stages, showing comparable morphology, survival rates and developmental timing to control tadpoles, said researchers co-led by Hao Sheng, Ren Liu, and Qiang Li of Harvard University. Future combination of this system with virtual-reality platforms could provide a powerful tool for investigating behaviour- and sensory-specific brain activity during development.The future didnt deliver personal jetpacks, but we may get virtual-reality tours of amphibian cyborg brains, so theres that.We finally know for certain what sauropods atePoropat, Stephen F. et al. Fossilized gut contents elucidate the feeding habits of sauropod dinosaurs. Current Biology.Once upon a time, a long-necked sauropod dinosaur from the Diamantinasaurus family was chowing down on a variety of plants. Shortly afterward, it died (RIP). 100 million years later, this leafy last meal has now provided the first direct evidence that sauropodsthe largest animals ever to walk on landwere herbivores.Fossilized ferns, conifers, and other plants were found in the Australian Diamantinasaurus cololite. Image: Stephen PoropatGut contents for sauropod dinosaursperhaps the most ecologically impactful terrestrial herbivores worldwide throughout much of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, given their gigantic sizeshave remained elusive, said researchers led by Stephen Poropat of Curtin University. The Diamantinasaurus cololite (fossilized gut contents) described herein provides the first direct, empirical support for the long-standing hypothesis of sauropod herbivory.Scientists have long assumed that sauropods were veggie-saurs based on their anatomy, but its cool to finally have confirmation by looking in the belly of this beast.Life finds a way through the dead zoneFlannery-Sutherland, Joseph et al. Landscape-explicit phylogeography illuminates the ecographic radiation of early archosauromorph reptiles. Nature Ecology & Evolution.Birds, crocodiles, and dinosaurs are all descended from an ancestral lineage of reptiles called archosauromorphs. These troopers managed to survive Earths most devastating extinction event, called the end-Permian or Great Dying, a global warming catastrophe that wiped out more than half of all land animals and 81 percent of marine life some 250 million years ago.Children of the archosaurs, chillin. Image: Timothy A. GonsalvesNow, paleontologists have found clues indicating how they succeeded by reconstructing archosauromorph dispersal patterns with models of ancient landscapes and evolutionary trees. The results suggest that these animals endured 10,000-mile marches through tropical dead zones.These archosauromorph dispersals through the Pangaean tropical dead zonecontradict its perception as a hard barrier to vertebrate movement, said researchers led by Joseph Flannery-Sutherland of the University of Birmingham. This remarkable tolerance of climatic adversity was probably integral to their later evolutionary success.The science of spectator sportsXygalatas, Dimitris et al Route of fire: Pregame rituals and emotional synchrony among Brazilian football fans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.In Brazil, football fans participate in a pregame ritual known as the Rua de Fogo, or Street of Fire. As buses carrying teams arrive at the stadium, fans greet the players with flares, smoke bombs, fireworks, flags, cheers, and chants.Now, scientists have offered a glimpse into the ecstatic emotions of these crowds by enlisting 17 fans, including a team bus driver, to wear heart rate monitors in advance of a state championship final between local teams. The results showed that fans heart rates synced up during periods of emotional synchrony.We found that the Rua de Fogo ritual preceding the football match exhibited particularly high levels of emotional synchronysurpassing even those observed during the game itself, which was among the seasons most important, said researchers led by Dimitris Xygalatas of the University of Connecticut. These findings suggest that fan rituals play important roles in fostering shared emotional experiences, reinforcing the broader appeal of sports as a site of social connection and identity formation.Wishing everyone an emotionally synchronous weekend! Thanks for reading and see you next week.

Portrait of Kelvin. Illustration by Zoe Gaupp.Subscribe nowOver the past week, the Trump administration has deployed thousands of troops, including the National Guard and the Marines, to crack down on protests in Los Angeles against ICE raids in the latest act of their ongoing legal and military attacks on undocumented immigrants.Kelvin, a gay man from Harare, Zimbabwe, is one of over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.many of whom are afraid of being deported. Hes also one of the 100,000 people in the 2024 fiscal year who sought asylum in the U.S. because of their LGBTQ identity and one of the 1 million asylum cases pending determination.As an LGBTQ member, as an immigrant and as a black person its like a gang team against me. So I can say terrified is the only word I can use, but it is what it is at the end of the day, he says, referring to the prospect of being sent back to Zimbabwe.Kelvin, who has been living in New York City and asked to use his first name only for fear of being caught by ICE, grew up in the Pentecostal Church in Zimbabwe. Through his childhood, his family instilled in him the idea that being gay was an abomination and a sin, which forced him to hide his sexual orientation until he mustered up the courage to come out to his mom at 19 years old.She was cooking [when I told her], he says.He remembers his mother looking him in his eyes and responding in Shonaa Bantu language primarily spoken in central and southern African countriesMwari havazvifarire uye iwe unofanirwa kutendeuka, or, in English, God doesnt like that and you need to repent.Portraits of Kelvin's parents. Illustration by Zoe Gaupp.Later, Kelvin told his dad while they were watching TV in the living room after dinner.Daddy ndiri ngochani, or Daddy Im gay.Kelvin didnt get the response he was looking for. Youre not my kid and to me youre dead and I dont wanna see you again in my life and I want to have nothing to do with you, Kelvin remembers his father yelling, telling him goodbye and to leave immediately.Crying and confused, Kelvinwho had no idea that that would be the last time hed ever see his father before he passed away in 2023left his childhood home. He stayed with his cousin who protected him as locals came looking to stone hima common practice in his village to show people they were unwanted.Kelvins experience is not unusual for LGBTQ people in this part of the world. Zimbabwe is one of at least 67 countries that have national laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults, where the maximum sentence is a year in prison and a fine. The Zimbabwean Constitution offers no legal protections for LGBTQ individuals against discrimination, violence or harassment. As a result, LGBTQ Zimbabweans live in danger, both legally and socially.In January 2024, four months after arriving in New York City, Kelvin sought asylum in the U.S. out of fear hed be abused, imprisoned or killed because of his sexual orientation if he returned to his village.During his time in the U.S., Kelvin met Kate Barnhartthe executive director of New Alternatives, an LGBTQ homeless youth resource center in New York Citywho helped him find refuge at a shelter in Manhattan and is helping him secure asylum status.The city is closing the migrant shelters, and it's really not entirely clear whether migrants are supposed to fold into the general homeless system or how any of that's going to work, Barnhart told Uncloseted Media.Since President Trumps return to office, many organizationsincluding Barnhartsare worried about federal funding and employee cuts, which have caused many groups that help asylum seekers to lose funding, cut programs and lay off employees.Within the first 100 days of Trump's second term, his administration has deported 139,000 people. These deportations include multiple LGBTQ asylum seekersincluding Andry Hernndez Romero, a 31-year-old gay makeup artist with no criminal record who fled Venezuela a year ago after he says he was targeted for his sexual orientation and his political viewsand a gay man who fled Guatemala after receiving death threats over his sexual orientation. A federal judge recently ruled that the latter individual was wrongfully deported.Subscribe for LGBTQ-focused, accountability journalism. In addition, Mayor Eric Adams has been cracking down on immigration in New York City, having ordered the closure of 52 migrant shelters in the past year. Hes also been aligning with the Trump administration on immigration policy, telling CBS News that he is looking at ways that [he] can use [his] executive power to go after those dangerous, violent people.Barnhart says that all of this, coupled with the Trump administrations military attacks on civilian demonstrators in Los Angeles, has created concern and fear for many LGBTQ asylum seekers, causing some of them to go underground to protect themselves.The mayor [being] basically beholden to Trump is really problematic from the point of view of those of us who would like to see New York City really take a strong stance as a sanctuary city, she says.For Kelvin, the city and the Trump administrations hard stance on immigration is nerve-wrecking.Theres nothing I can really do to change it or control it so thats why I refuse to really think about it, Kelvin, 26, told Uncloseted Media about the latest escalation in immigration raids.Thinking about it that much aint gonna change nothing, he says. [It] destroy[s] your inner peace.He says the pain of feeling misunderstood back home was so intense that he wanted to end [his] life and at one point tried to jump off a bridge in Harare, the nations capital. The only reason he survived was because a man came up to him and said that his life was worth living.Myeshia Price, the former director of research at The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ advocacy organization that focuses on suicide prevention efforts, says that more than 1 in 3 asylum seekers and refugees experience depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder and that up to 15% of refugees have attempted suicide.In addition, the Trump administrations 2026 Skinny Budget proposal aims to increase the Department of Homeland Securitys budget by almost 65%, which would help fund the 20,000 new officer hires the president recently ordered from the department, to stop what Trump has described as an invasion at the U.S. border.At this critical moment, we need a historic Budgetone that ends the funding of our decline, puts Americans first, and delivers unprecedented support to our military and homeland security. The Presidents Budget does all of that, said Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget and co-author of Project 2025.Kelvin, who previously lived in a shelter in the Bronx and is now working as a waiter and living in a studio apartment, has waited over a year for an interview with an officer who will decide if he should be granted asylum status. If he is denied, he will have the option to appeal to an immigration judge. According to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, only 14.4% of asylum cases filed in court were granted in 2023.Subscribe nowAnd the current political climate will likely make it significantly harder for Kelvin to be granted asylum. The Syracuse TRAC Immigration Database found that asylum approval rates in the U.S. dropped by a third in October in the lead-up to Donald Trump's second term. The Trump campaign has threatened to increase detention of asylum seekers, introduce an application fee for asylum and end parole programs at the border. Additionally, one of the administration's earliest actions in January was to suspend asylum entirely at the southern border.As Kelvin grows roots in New York City, he hopes to get a degree in social work and fashion design. He finds the city offers greater freedom to connect with the gay community and to express his sexuality openly.But with his status in limbo, he worries that if hes sent back to Zimbabwe, he could be locked up or killed.That's reality. So I just got to live with it. So, yeah. I'm okay. I'm good. I can see I'm excited because I'm safe. I'm good. So, yeah. Looking toward the future.If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Pride Month is into its second week, and were happily flying our rainbow colors with you and our queer family! This weeks roundup has a bit of family too, along with some important political victories, and whats this? a possible cure for HIV?!?? Yes, maam!And heres some other good news from this week: Did you hear that Oregon just passed a law stopping schools from banning books just because LGBTQ+ people wrote them? One of our readers shared how she felt deflated when the presidents second term started, until she started organizing. And you should check out this iconic photo that a photographer grabbed when the historic Obergefell decision was handed down 10 years ago. How to make this seasons hottest Pride accessory! Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by JESSICA.INDUSTRIES #404 (@jessica.industries) Child of Eddie Murphy & Spice Girl Mel B comes out as a trans manSources say his famous parents fully support him.Chasten Buttigieg never thought hed be a dad. Now his hit childrens book stars his own family.The sweet story is spreading joy across America and so is its author. The Oregon GOP tried to force an anti-trans sports ban. It immediately backfiredThey invited transphobic female athletes to speak, then the real action began Ever wondered how Rosie ODonnells beef with the president started? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Zeffir (@jasonzeffir)This writer began working a gay newspaper, and it changed his life & community foreverWe had the sense and the camaraderie that we were working on the cutting edge of a new social movement. Airline honors Pride Month with all LGBTQ+ flight crew: Its somewhat of a thrillThe passengers erupted in cheers as the captain welcomed them aboard. Jak Malones Tony acceptance speech was a call for trans acceptanceMalone urged theater goers who embraced his character to bid farewellto that rotten old gender binary.Barbie has had it! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julia from Toronto (@plasticplot) Researchers overwhelmed by potential HIV cure using tech developed to fight COVID-19We have never seen anything close to as good as what we are seeing. This queer family shows how easy it can be to accept a loved one for exactly who they areThey will always be the same, and theyll still love you and all that, and I think that you still should love them, said the 10-year-old kid.Out veteran Gina Ortiz Jones elected mayor of San Antonio after campaigning on kindness & compassionShe also celebrated trans troops at her victory rally. And for now, we conclude with dance music, and a closing thought View this post on Instagram A post shared by Robert Gant (@robertgant) From our sibling sites:QUEERTY: That time RuPaul interviewed his dad on his old VH1 showINTO: This iconic band helped a father whose child came out as transOUTSPORTS: Minnesota Twins player seems to wear eye black in Trans Pride flag colors for a gameGAYCITIES: How the graves of a legendary Australian outlaw and his hot soulmate became a heritage site

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This week, Sabrina Carpenter unexpectedly announced the follow-up to 2024's Short n' Sweet album, leading to a new wave of all-too-familiar puritanical pearl clutching."My new album, 'Man's Best Friend' is out on August 29, 2025," she wrote alongside the album art a picture of her on her knees in front of a faceless, suited figure holding her hair and another close-up image of a dog wearing a collar with a tag reflecting the album title. (@) The first picture is certainly evocative, and it took no time whatsoever for it to spark up the usual discourse surrounding the "Espresso" singer. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Ever since Carpenter's star power exploded during her Short n' Sweet era, people have had extremely loud opinions about her sexual expression. That in and of itself isn't a new idea women have always been simultaneously criticized for being too scandalously sexual or not being sexually appealing enough. But what's particularly obnoxious about the modern discourse surrounding this topic, and exemplified by the conversations surrounding Carpenter, is that it's somehow done under the guise of feminism. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) There are people of all ages lobbing criticisms at Carpenter, but there's the impression that a lot of it is coming from Gen Z. It's hard to say whether this is accurate or not, but it wouldn't come as a surprise that the generation pushing for less sex in movies and TV (in an era that's already regressing on that front), obsessed with age gap discourse, and against kink at Pride would struggle with Carpenter's whole schtick. (@) (@) (@) Last year, "Im 17 and AFRAID of Sabrina Carpenter" became a whole meme after someone someone complained about Carpenter being too sexy during her concerts. Things like this only seem to reinforce the claim that Gen Z liberals have gone full "horseshoe theory" and ended up with politics that appear similar to rightwing extremists. In this case, that means embracing the belief that if something offends them, personally, rather than simply sit out and acknowledge that they aren't the target audience, they believe it simply shouldn't exist at all. (@) (@) Adding another dimension to the seemingly endless discourse is the question of intent. Many of Carpenters fans have repeatedly pointed out that there's a level of satire to just about everything she does. Her songs are frequently somewhat dismissive of men, her expressions of sexuality seem to be done for her own enjoyment, and so it would stand to reason that an album titled Man's Best Friend featuring album art of her being treated like a dog is more commentary on how men treat women than anything else. (@) (@) But media literacy amongst the generation that fast forwards through the "boring" parts of movies and TV and then insists they made no sense isn't doing so hot. Combine that with social media's ability to platform knee jerk reactions and controversy gaining clout and it's no wonder folks are failing to give Carpenter the benefit of the doubt. (@) (@) (@) (@) And even some folks who might get it seem to think it doesn't matter. In their world, there's no time to sit with art or the discomfort it might create. All that matters is what's on the surface. If it gives the appearance of misogyny, then it is misogyny, and it should be squashed. There's no room for nuance here. (@) Perhaps the most egregious part of any of this is that none of it feels worthy of discourse. Carpenter is an extremely talented artist and she's clearly having a fun time putting her music out into the world, but her aesthetic and imagery isn't revolutionary. It isn't or at least shouldn't be pushing boundaries, regardless of whether you view it as satire or scandal. (@) (@) (@) Make no mistake: that's not a criticism. Not everything has to inspire think pieces or revolutionize music. There should always be room for art that is fun and clever and that means something to individuals without changing entire landscapes. If anything, the fact that Carpenter's insistence on being exactly who she wants to be in this moment is causing such a stir is a depressing indicator that society is regressing from all the progress made by previous generations of artists who fought for exactly that. (@) "I dont want to be pessimistic, but I truly feel like Ive never lived in a time where women have been picked apart more, and scrutinized in every capacity," Carpenter recently told Rolling Stone. "Im not just talking about me. Im talking about every female artist that is making art right now." (@) It ultimately doesn't really matter whether Carpenter is sexualizing herself as satirical commentary on societal norms, or if she's playing into the male gaze, or if she's doing something else entirely let alone whether she succeeded at any of these things or not. At least, it shouldn't matter through the lens of feminism, which is where so much of the criticism originates. All that matters is that she's doing what she wants to do. She isn't insisting her way of expressing femininity and sexuality is the only way or the "right" way and she isn't hurting anybody in the process, no matter how much some folks would like to proclaim otherwise. (@) (@) (@) So let's all just sit back and enjoy the music or don't. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't exist.

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WASHINGTONGrowing increasingly concerned as she peered around at the marching troops, towed artillery, and self-propelled howitzers, local D.C. doggy daycare owner Frieda Shaw told reporters Saturday that she worried her sponsored parade float was sticking out at President Donald Trumps military parade. At first, I was really excited to spread the word about Doggy GetawayI even stayed up all night assembling this giant puppy headbut I keep getting the sense these soldiers dont really want me here, said the 53-year-old business owner, who reportedly removed her dog ears headband and attempted to rub away her painted-on whiskers as she looked at the endless rows of Abrams M1 battle tanks stretching down the streets of the nations capital. Nobody else is throwing Pup-Peroni off their float. And those service members just seemed confused when I tried to hand them a discount coupon for one free doggy scrubdown. Huh. Looks like theyre also doing some kind of flyover. Guess its as good a time as any to blast Who Let The Dogs Out? and see if I can get anyone dancing along with me. Shaw added that she could try drawing some Hellfire missiles on the side of her float in an attempt to fit in, but it would go against everything her doggy daycare stood for.The post Owner Of D.C. Doggy Daycare Worried Her Military Parade Float Sticking Out appeared first on The Onion.

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I didnt realize how deeply I would be affected until I walked into my front yard and noticed that the LGBTQ+ inclusive Pride flag I had hung on my garage was missing. I looked across my street to see that my neighbors Pride flag was also no longer visible.Someone had apparently stolen our flags during the first week of June, which our community declared many decades ago as our national Pride Month. Related Dont feel like celebrating Pride with Trump in office? Thats exactly why we have to this year. Theyre fighting a war against identities that will exist until the day that the human race fades from this universe. I felt a sinking feeling deep in my stomach, like I had been punched. I crossed the street to ask my neighbor if she was aware of her missing flag, but since no one seemed to be home, I crossed back slowly to my house, eyes lowered, holding back tears. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Yes, Pride flags are only symbols, but what do they symbolize? Only our identities, our histories, our stories, our very lives.I live in an economically modest, mostly working-class family neighborhood in a rural area of western Massachusetts. People of all ages, from very young to elderly, walk on the sidewalks, some using canes, some pushing baby strollers or walking hand-in-hand with young children, many walking dogs of all breeds. A man who rescued a baby squirrel often takes his pet out for a stroll on a leash and allows local children to feed it small nuts.Our places of residence express many aspects of who we are: our taste in architecture and design, our financial level, and even our religious backgrounds and political affiliations. Many of my neighbors exhibit statues of various sizes depicting the Virgin Mary on a blue half shell, and residents of one house fly a flag in their front yard that shows Mary holding the baby Jesus.My neighbors next door placed a reclining garden gnome on a tree stump beside her Virgin Mary statue, while others hang tinkling wind chimes or small windmills that turn gently on breezy days.Old Glory stands proudly on poles or porches on holidays throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. In addition to my Pride Flag, I have also displayed a Black Lives Matter banner. After Russia stormed Ukraine, I made a yard sign on which I painted the Ukrainian flag in blue and yellow, representing the sky above and fields of grain below. Recently, I purchased gold sequin letters and attached Hands Off and No Kings to the sign in protest of the Trump administrations actions leading to authoritarian rule.For the most part, I havent received much backlash from my neighbors or from people passing by in their cars or on the sidewalk. Occasionally, someone will honk their horn in solidarity, or Ill hear an occasional shout of you f***ot or wheres your American flag from a speeding automobile.The most consistent and harshest resistance I have received, though, was targeted at my handmade Harris and Walz yard sign that I crafted with a razor knife from glistening glitter paper and on which I placed small sparkling lights to illuminate it after dark. Since I dont live in one of the seven toss-up states, I found it difficult to order a political yard sign other than for candidates in local elections. On several occasions, I found my sign in a horizontal position, level with the lawn and with telltale small tire tracks on one side. My neighbor across the street informed me that she had seen two boys, which she estimated to be middle school age, ramming into the sign with their bicycles.Three days before the election, as I was looking out my front window, I watched a young man of approximately 17 or 18 years old wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt lift his foot to bend and twist the metal stand of the yard sign to a horizontal position. He then walked quite fast down the sidewalk as I called out, I saw you! I saw you!Maybe my memory is failing, but I dont remember such vilification and scorn toward those from whom we differ on political and personal issues. Yes, people have probably always destroyed or stolen other peoples yard signs and Pride flags. People have long vandalized residences with spray paint or toilet paper to oppose others beliefs or simply to be cruel. But when we attempt to silence other peoples political expression, we are denying them their First Amendment right to freedom of speech, just as the destruction of a religious symbol denies someone their First Amendment right to freedom of religion.If I find the person or persons who stole my Pride flag, I will tell them that I am always open to discussing my political and personal beliefs, my Jewish religion, my sexual and gender identity, or anything else they wish to examine.When taken in context, though, the theft of our Pride flags appears to be the outcome of an administration that is attempting to erase progress. In its consistent and inexorable march to erase all traces of history and practice that do not accord with its image of the United States as the patriarchal heteronationalist Christian white supremacist nation they purport it to be, Donald Trump and his administration have banned books and other curricular materials, and they have encouraged the states to follow suit. They have also ordered the end of all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.Trumps lackey at the helm at the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, issued a memo in which he proposed to scrub several Navy ships of the names that honor civil rights leaders, including Harvey Milk, Thurgood Marshall, Lucy Stone, Harriet Tubman, Medgar Evers, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and others.This action falls within the context of his larger plan to remove all references to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the military. Hegseth stated that his goal is to re-establish the warrior culture at the Pentagon. In their attempts to purge mention of these civil rights leaders from the military, Hegseth and the Trump administration have banned 400 books from the Naval Academy library on race relations, gender, and sexuality. The administration also eliminated affinity groups (such as West Points Black Society for Engineers and Native American Heritage Forum) at military academies.Is it any wonder, then, that their actions lead people to do damage in our communities? Trump and his sycophants give permission to people to follow their distorted and dangerous examples.Rather than Hegseths goal to reestablish the warrior culture, he and Trump have ignited the bullying culture. Public school teachers are talking about what has come to be known as the Trump effect since the 2016 presidential election. According to aSouthern Poverty Law Centerreport, Its producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom. Many students worry about being deported. Other students have been emboldened by the divisive, often juvenile rhetoric in the [Trump] campaign. Teachers have noted an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail.The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Civility Index measures the level of civility in the workplace based on a survey of U.S. workers experiences. The latestSHRM Civility Indexscore of 45.6 indicates that incivility continues to be prevalent in the daily lives of U.S. workers. I know the same is true on the individual interpersonal level outside of the workplace.So now I will purchase another Pride flag and hang it proudly. Yes, someone might steal it again, but then perhaps they need it more than I do.I am certain, though, that no one will ever rob me of my pride of self and the power of my community. We have come far, and we are not going back.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Converse has long been known for its fantastic Pride collections. The iconic shoe brand has celebrated Pride Month with rainbow footwear every year since 2015.This year, the company is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of showing its Pride. Converse has always stood with the bold, the daring, and the unapologetic, the website says. For our 2025 Proud to Be celebration, were not looking back, were lighting the way forward towards a future of love and joy for everyone. Related Levis releases Pride Collection designed by LGBTQ+ people Theres something about being in your body that makes you want to just like be proud and take up that space. The brand also invited members of past Pride campaigns to write love letters to their future selves. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today 2025 Converse Pride CollectionI know that you are somewhere creating the life youve always dreamed of, writes Xavier. I hope to look back and see a world where I no longer need to justify my existence, says Alli. Ayo writes, I hope that you never forget the magic of black queer and trans existence.The letters are also highlighted in a powerful ad. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Converse (@converse) The 2025 Converse Pride shop includes two t-shirts and 15 unique sneaker designs including rainbow flames, zebra stripes, and rainbow soles. There is also an option to create your own custom pride shoes, with gradients available depicting colors of the trans, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and nonbinary flags. 2025 Converse Pride CollectionThe company also puts its money where its mouth is, partnering with organizations like It Gets Better, the Ali Forney Center, and the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth to provide annual grants. Since 2015, the website says, Converse has pledged and donated almost $3.4 million to LGBTQ+ organizations around the world. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve acknowledged it would be difficult to play Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Sparks after two Minnesota lawmakers were shot and one was killed in what Gov. Tim Walz described as "targeted political violence."

As WorldPride kicked into high gear last week, a gay couple in the Northwest area of Washington DC joined the celebration by decorating the building they share with two other tenants. The couple decorated the building with Pride flags and banners.Jay Richards said he was looking forward to the weekend with friends from out of town and good energy in a time that feels like a lot of people, including myself, are under attack. But the couples landlord had other ideas. Related The GOP is hopping mad after a city outsmarted its Pride flag ban PLUS: Pedro Pascal prances to Todrick Halls gayest song ever. Richards and the other tenants, who all approved of the couples Pride display, rent their units from Walker Memorial Baptist Church next door. But according to the church and the rental agency that manages the building, Richards decorations violated his lease. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Just hours after they went up, Richards received a message from the rental agency asking to take them down because the decorations were not in line with property guidelines.Richards pushed back and reached a compromise, moving the deadline to remove the decorations until after DC Pride had ended.We are willing to take them down right after Pride, Richards said. I wanted to leave them up all month.In a statement to DC News Now, the rental agency emphasized theyre a longtime supporter of Pride.EJF Real Estate Services is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community. Weve been an official sponsor of the DC Pride Parade for many years and will be out there again this Saturday with our staff and company van, standing for inclusion, respect, and community, the agency said in a statement.Richards said he was hopeful the matter had been resolved, but watched with disappointment as a custodian from the church removed the decorations ahead of the deadline he had agreed to with the management company.Richards took video as it happened.Weve been really friendly with the custodian himself. And I just feel awful, Richards said. I feel awful for him. I mean, I guess he had to do his job, but that was it was just awful to see.The management company told us that they wouldnt tear it down. But I guess the church decided they had to tear it down, and they tore it down, Richards said. Two American flags were the only decorations left standing in the garden, Richards said.Later that night, the buildings tenants received a message from the Baptist church, which has a primarily Black congregation and displays a large Black Lives Matter sign outside its building. Richards is also Black.Good evening Tenants of 2014 13th Street, NW, Walker Baptist said in the email. We write to notify you that the decorations placed outside of the property are in the process of being and will be removed. Decorations on the outside of the property or common areas regardless of the event, holiday, season, occasion, or reason violate the lease terms. This is not about subject matter, the church wrote. The mission of the Walker Memorial Baptist Church is a prayerful congregation, walking in the spirit, bringing souls to Christ. That is our focus. We seek unity, not division. The Pride decorations necessarily distract from our mission, tenants peace (including future tenants) at the property, neighbors, and our work and presence in the community, the email added. Going forward, we kindly request that you abide by the lease terms.Local LGBTQ rights attorney Mindy Daniels said the church was likely within its legal rights not to allow the decorations, but told The Washington Blade it could be in violation of the D.C. Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories. If it were to make an exception and not enforce its ban for other types of decorations, that could be discrimination. The email they sent me said we cant put decorations up for any holidays, Richards told the Blade. But I do feel like if I had put something up for the holidays for Christmas, that they wouldnt have taken it down. But now theyre saying that no decorations can be put up.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Follow along with the top moments from the 2025 U.S. Open's third round.

Rockets center Steven Adams has agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension to stay with the franchise, sources told ESPN.