Pride Live, a social advocacy and community engagement organization for the LGBTQ+ community, is presenting its third annual Stonewall Day today, June 26, starting at 12:45 p.m.
The global campaign is designed to elevate awareness and support for the Stonewall legacy and the continuing fight for full LGBTQ+ equality.
In advance of the event, the group released a 50-second clip of President Barack Obama’s message to the LGBTQ community. The full message will run during today’s program. Watch the clip below:
The livestream will feature performances and messages from an impressive lineup of celebrities and activists, including Taylor Swift, Ellen DeGeneres, Cynthia Erivo, Kesha, Hayley Kiyoko, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Christian Siriano, George Takei, Donatella Versace, Lilly Wachowski, Sir Richard Branson, Jonny Beauchamp, Valentina Sampaio, Dustin Lance Black, Blossom C. Brown, Chelsea Clinton, Luke Evans, Valerie Jarrett, Stella Maxwell, Imara Jones, Bethany C. Meyers, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Justin Tranter, Josephine Skriver, Kellen Stancil, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Nico Tortorella, Alok Vaid-Menon, Chely Wright, Conchita WURST, and Stonewall Day National Chair, trans model and advocate Geena Rocero.
“COVID-19, and the recent events that have placed a national and global spotlight on the need for fair and equal treatment for all people, has impacted so many around the world and the LGBTQ+ community has not been immune,” said Pride Live Board President Dr. Yvette C. Burton. “This has resulted in vital and life-saving LGBTQ+ organizations having to severely amend their budgets and programs. Our hopes are Stonewall Day can assist our beneficiaries in continuing their work and service to the community.”
“At WarnerMedia, we believe in the power of telling stories that accurately reflect the world that we live in,” said Dennis Williams, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility at WarnerMedia, the event’s lead presenting partner, along with GLAAD and NASDAQ. “Now, more than ever, we recognize the significance of standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the deep connection between the rebellion that started at Stonewall in 1969 connected to LGBTQ+ justice and police brutality, and the movement we see on the streets today as people demand an end to repeated brutality and systemic oppression.”
Tune into the event today from 12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Logo’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
A popular LGBTQ nightclub in Sacramento, California, is prohibiting patrons who wear MAGA-related attire from entering the establishment.
Badlands, in the city's Lavender Heights district, announced the policy on social media. Management claimed they were motivated to impose the ban after a patron wore a MAGA hat while in the bar, leading some patrons to complain that they were made to feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
"At Badlands Sacramento, we are committed to creating a space where the LGBTQ+ community and our allies feel safe, welcomed, and respected," TJ Bruce, the bar's owner, wrote in a social media post. "Recently, a guest entered the bar wearing MAGA attire, which led to some discomfort among patrons.
Two college students in Indonesia have been sentenced to be publicly caned for engaging in same-sex relations.
The couple, aged 24 and 18, were arrested on November 7, 2024, after neighborhood vigilantes in the city of Banda Aceh, who suspected them of being gay, broke into their rented room to find them naked and hugging each other.
The lead judge, Sakwanah, said that the two students were "legally and convincingly" proven to have had gay sex -- which is forbidden under Sharia law -- and would thus be caned, receiving 85 and 80 lashes, respectively.
"During the trial it was proven that the defendants committed illicit acts, including kissing and having sex," she said. "As Muslims, the defendants should uphold the Sharia law that prevails in Aceh."
Masked attackers in Israel are reportedly using Grindr to lure and entrap members of the LGBTQ community to severely harm them.
According to reports, the assailants are creating fake profiles on the popular dating app and arranging meetings in remote locations in the city of Haifa.
The victims are then ambushed and reportedly stabbed with sharp weapons. A few assailants have attempted to carry out lynchings.
The Aguda, an LGBTQ task force, documented at least ten such incidents in recent months, reports the Jerusalem Post.
But some victims have chosen not to report the attacks, making it more difficult for police to track down and arrest offenders.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!