This decision coincides with recent polling from the HRC Foundation confirming that a super-majority of Americans favor marriage equality protections

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari in Davis v. Ermold, where former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis hoped the Court would rehear a lower court’s decision awarding damages to a same-sex couple to whom she refused to issue a marriage license, despite a court ordering her to do so, in 2015. As part of her request Davis asked the Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case that affirmed Constitutional marriage protections for same-sex couples. As a result, the lower court ruling stands, leaving Davis liable for refusing to abide by existing law and signaling that the Court is, for now, unwilling to revisit or reverse precedent that establishes marriage equality for the LGBTQ+ community. This ruling also underscores that public officials cannot evade accountability under the law by invoking anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson released the following statement:

“Today, love won again. When public officials take an oath to serve their communities, that promise extends to everyone — including LGBTQ+ people. The Supreme Court made clear today that refusing to respect the constitutional rights of others does not come without consequences.

Thanks to the hard work of HRC and so many, marriage equality remains the law of the land through Obergefell v. Hodges and the Respect for Marriage Act. Even so, we must remain vigilant.

It’s no secret that there are many in power right now working to undermine our freedoms — including marriage equality — and attack the dignity of our community any chance they get. Last week, voters rejected the politics of fear, division, and hate, and chose leaders who believe in fairness, freedom, and the future. In race after race, the American people rejected anti-transgender attacks and made history electing pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot.

And from California to Virginia to New Jersey to New York City, LGBTQ+ voters and Equality Voters made the winning difference. We will never relent and will not stop fighting until all of us are free.”

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 3.6 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.

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As Federal Government and Many States Continue Legislative and Administrative Onslaught Against LGBTQ+ People, Violent Crimes Against Members of Community Remain Elevated

WASHINGTON — The latest annual crime report from the FBI highlights once again that while overall violent crime in the U.S. continues to decline, hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community remain alarmingly high.

In 2024, according to FBI data submitted by local jurisdictions, attacks based on a victim’s sexual orientation made up 17.2% of all hate crimes, and 4 percent were based on gender identity.

“The FBI’s 2024 hate crime data has revealed a national emergency hiding in plain sight. Everyone deserves to be safe in this country and have the chance to thrive. But anti-equality politicians continue to spread lies about LGBTQ+ people, trying to push us out of more and more corners of society,” said Kelley Robinson, Human Rights Campaign President. “Those smears come with a cost. The FBI has exposed a chilling reality: our community remains a target of violence — and that is unacceptable. LGBTQ+ people, just like everyone else, should be free to live our lives, pursue our careers and education, build our homes and pursue our American Dreams, without the threat of violence hanging over our heads. This FBI data is clear: we need more support from our political leaders, not animosity and attacks that seek to demonize us.”

The FBI’s report noted that there were 1,950 recorded incidents relating to an alleged victim’s sexual orientation in 2024 and 463 relating to an alleged victim’s gender identity. Race/ethnicity motivated hate crimes remained the largest category, making up 51.8% of all hate crimes. Hate crimes based on religion were second, just ahead of sexual orientation.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Tickets On Sale Now for the 42nd Annual Long Beach Pride™ Festival, May 17–18, 2025

Long Beach, CA (April 22, 2025) — The countdown is on! Long Beach Pride™ is thrilled to announce that tickets are officially on sale for the 42nd Annual Long Beach Pride™ Festival, set to take place on May 17th and 18th, 2025. As the first major Pride event of the season, the Long Beach Pride™ Festival is ready to kick off a summer of love, unity, and celebration for the LGBTQ+ community.

This year’s theme, “The Power of Community,” reflects the strength, diversity, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ family in Long Beach and beyond. From vibrant live performances to immersive art, cultural showcases, and interactive zones, this year’s festival promises an unforgettable weekend for all.

While the City of Long Beach now leads the planning of the Pride Parade, the Long Beach Pride™ organization remains fully focused on delivering a dynamic and inclusive festival experience at the heart of the city’s celebration.

2025 Festival Highlights Include:

Music & Performance Line-Up

More names to come soon — stay tuned!

• MegaWoof – DJs and GoGo Dancers bringing the heat to Stage 2

• Mamboson – Beloved Latinx band returning for another crowd-rocking performance

• Radio Royalty – 80s/90s live band featured on the Founders Stage

• Secret Service Presents: The Takeover – Latinx/Dance/Hip-Hop extravaganza

• Drag Show Extravaganza – Featuring America’s most dynamic Drag Queens from Jewels Productions

• Ballroom Dance-Off – Vogue the house down with The House of Long Beach

Festival Zones & Experiences

• Founders Stage – Live bands, drag, dance battles, and community energy

• Hip Hop Stage – Featuring the best of local DJ talent

• EDM Tent: The Fairies’ Dance Area – Electronic beats and glowing vibes by The Galactivators

• Queer Country – DJ Rick, The Wranglers dance group and line dancing

• Teen Pride – A safe affirming space for teens 17 and under to celebrate their fabulous self

• TransVisibility  – Highlighting the transgender community through art

• Art & Culture – Immersive installations and cultural showcases

• Food & Drink  – Food trucks, picnic areas, and themed bar spaces presented by Broken Spirits

• Health Hub  – Free testing, wellness info, and community orgs including APAIt, Bienestar, APLA, and the Long Beach Health Department

• Recovery & Support Spaces – On-site NA/AA meetings for guests in recovery

• Craft & Info Booths – Nonprofits, local makers, and LGBTQ+ vendors

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 are proud to return as official media partners for the third year in a row. Audiences can tune in to special live coverage of the parade on NBCLA.com, Telemundo52.com, the NBCLA and Telemundo 52 mobile apps, or via the stations’ 24/7 local news streaming channels: NBC Los Angeles News and Telemundo Noticias California.

More exciting initiatives and performances will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for updates — including the announcement of this year’s headliner — by visiting longbeachpride.com/festival or following Long Beach Pride™ on social media.

Media Inquiries, Press Pass Requests & Interview Opportunities:

Cathy Wesson
Maximus Communications
Cathy@MaximusCommunications.com

Maxime Richard
Maximus Communications
M@MaximusCommunications.com

About Long Beach Pride:
Long Beach Pride™, a 501(c)(3) non-profit and all-volunteer organization, produces the annual three-day Long Beach Pride™ festival, parade, and Teen Pride. As the third largest Pride festival and parade in California, the organization celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with a strong focus on inclusion and works to educate the broader public on the importance of diversity in building a stronger, healthier society. Since its founding in 1984, Long Beach Pride™ has taken pride in its accomplishments and remains committed to teaching future generations that the fight for acceptance continues.

Denver, CO, January, 2025 – Combining laughter and purpose, the nation-wide “Here to Pee” Tour, organized by trans activists and comedians, will kick off in Denver, Colorado. This first of its kind tour will stop in all 50 states highlighting trans performers and local LGBTQ+ organizations doing life saving work in their communities. In different cities across the country each show on the tour will feature and amplify trans voices as performers tackle both the challenges and joys of gender diversity through stand-up comedy that is as insightful as it is hilarious.

“We’re bringing trans visibility to every corner of the country. Although this tour is founded in potty humor, it sheds light on the very real, very menacing issue of barring trans people from accessing public spaces,” said organizer and trans activist Ren Q. Dawe. “but we are going to have the last laugh.”

Ren Q. Dawe, lead organizer of the “Here to Pee” Tour, saw firsthand the need for this groundbreaking tour after visiting 40 cities in 16 states and performing in front of over 10,000 people in 2024. In each city, members of the local trans community shared their own experiences and the ways that the current political climate has impacted their lives.

The increase of organized attacks on LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans people, have left LGBTQ+ community and advocacy groups scrambling for the necessary resources to support and protect their communities.

The organizers and performers on the tour are committed to helping local communities by donating a percentage of ticket proceeds to local nonprofits that serve the LGBTQ+ community and provide direct service to trans individuals.

A film crew led by award-winning documentarian Jeff Stonic will follow the tour, capturing not only the on-stage performances but also the heart of the project—each city’s unique activism efforts, the lives of those impacted by anti-trans legislation, and the communities rallying behind them. The film aims to shine a national spotlight on the importance of grassroots LGBTQ+ organizations, sharing their stories with audiences everywhere.

Tour Details and Communications
For tickets and more information on tour dates, cities, featured comedians and community partner organizations, follow @RenQComedy and @HereToPee on social media or visit www.heretopee.com.

Background Information

• Info

• “Here to Pee” Tour Website 
• “Here to Pee” Quotes from Associated Partners
• Graphics for West Coast Leg of the Tour
• Headshots and Bios for of Performers
• Documentarian: jeff stonic shot it 

• Press on the Here to Pee Tour

• Trans comedians have advice for Dave Chappelle | Out Magazine 
• Dear trans youth: messages from icons to trans youth | Out Magazine
• Trans Comedians Embark on 50-State Protest Tour | NYCTastemakers
• The Here to Pee Tour Champions Trans Visibility | Artist Weekly

Trans Bathrooms / Trans Rights Resources

• Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures | ACLU
• Bans on Transgender People Using Public Bathrooms and Facilities | MAP
• Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures | ACLU
• Bans on Transgender People Using Public Bathrooms and Facilities | MAP
• 4 Big Problems With Anti-Trans Bathroom Bills – and How You Can Help | GLSEN
• Transgender bathroom bills are back | NPR 

Tour Information

WEST COAST

• Saturday, March 1, 2025 | Boulder, CO @ Junkyard Social Club
• Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | Casper, WY @ Racca’s
• Wednesday, March 5, 2025 | Missoula, MT @ Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center
• Thursday, March 6, 2025 | Boise, ID @ The Lounge
• Friday, March 7, 2025 | Seattle, WA @ The Rendezvous (Jewelbox Theatre)
• Monday, March 10, 2025 | Portland, OR @ The Siren Theatre
• Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | Los Angeles, CA @ The Print Shop LA
• Saturday, March 15, 2025 | Reno, NV @ Carl’s Saloon
• Sunday, March 16, 2025 | Phoenix, AZ @ Boycott Bar
• Thursday, March 20, 2025 | Albuquerque, NM @ Sidewinders​

WASHINGTON— The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) and Lambda Legal today filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Trump administration’s ban on military service by transgender individuals. The lawsuit, brought in response to the administration’s executive order, was filed on behalf of seven actively serving transgender service members, a transgender person seeking to enlist in the military, and Gender Justice League, a civil and human rights organization headquartered in Seattle.

“This discriminatory ban is a threat to our national security, wastes years of training and financial investments, and is unconstitutional,” said Sarah Warbelow, Vice President of Legal, Human Rights Campaign Foundation. “Thousands of transgender servicemembers have already met the military’s rigorous standards and more than proven themselves. Our military must be able to recruit the best candidates, retain the highly-trained servicemembers, and every qualified patriot should be able to serve free of discrimination. Thank you to the courageous plaintiffs who have already sacrificed so much for this country, and now are fighting to continue their service in the face of a cruel and dangerous ban.”

“This ban not only wrongfully prevents patriotic, talented Americans from serving, it also compromises the safety and security of our country,” said Sasha Buchert, Counsel and Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project Director, Lambda Legal. “Thousands of current service members are transgender, and many have been serving courageously and successfully in the U.S. military. Once again attacking a vulnerable population based on bias, political opportunism and demonstrably untrue ‘alternative facts,’ President Trump is seeking to deny courageous transgender people the opportunity to serve our country. He’s got to get through us first.”

Lambda Legal and HRCF filed the lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The plaintiffs include:

1. Commander Emily “Hawking” Shilling, United States Navy, with 19 years of service.
2. Commander Blake Dremann, United States Navy, with 19 years of service.
3. Lieutenant Commander Geirid Morgan, United States Navy, with 14 years of service.
4. Sergeant First Class Cathrine “Katie” Schmid, United States Army, with 20 years of service.
5. Sergeant First Class Jane Doe, United States Army, with 17 years of service.
6. Staff Sergeant Videl Leins, United States Air Force, with 16 years of service.
7. Mr. Matthew Medina, a transgender person seeking to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
8. Gender Justice League, a civil and human rights organization.

“The assertion that transgender service members like myself are inherently untrustworthy or lack honor is an insult to all who have dedicated their lives to defending this country,” said Commander Emily Shilling, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “My nearly two decades of service as a naval aviator and test pilot, routinely selected for the most challenging leadership roles, with 60 combat missions and over 1,700 flight hours in high-performance jets, speaks for itself. I have been selected for promotion and ranked number one in my community for merit. Not because of my identity, our boards are deliberately blind to such things, but because my performance and leadership set me apart. What greater proof of merit is required? This ban is not about readiness or cohesion, and it is certainly not about merit. It is about exclusion and betrayal, purposely targeting those of us who volunteered to serve, simply for having the courage and integrity to live our truth.”

“I am one of thousands of transgender service members currently serving honorably on active duty in the US military,” said Geirid Morgan, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “Transgender Americans who volunteer to serve in the Armed Forces meet the same standards and requirements to serve as any other warfighter and we have earned our place in the military. Our Nation has invested billions of dollars into our military training and experience, and we have invested years of our lives and countless hours of hard work in service to this Nation. I am truly hopeful that our case filing will ensure that those investments don’t go to waste. Our dedication and our sacrifice, as well as that of our families, is not worth any less to the military or the American people.”

“This Executive Order is nothing more than just a discriminatory attack against transgender individuals like myself and many others to paint us as the problem in today’s world and keep everyone else distracted from the actual problems at hand like mental health, veteran benefits and many more,” said Matthew Medina, speaking in his personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “I cannot stand for this blatant exploitation of human rights to go on any further and I will not be shamed for my identity. I am human first like everyone else and should only be seen for my humanity.”

“I’ve served my country for 20 years. I’ve deployed across half the world, led Soldiers in all kinds of weather and fought in every domain,” said Cathrine Schmid, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “The Army invested in my skills, awarded my performance, and entrusted me to uphold the values of our noble profession. I ask nothing more than to continue that mission. Let the DoD prove its dedication to merit and performance over arbitrary measures like the fact that I’m trans and let me serve.”

“Gender Justice League is honored to stand with the thousands of brave trans service members in fighting for a US Military that bases employment on merit, qualifications, and that does not discriminate simply on the basis of who people are,” said Danni Askini, Executive Director, Gender Justice League. “For the last 10 years, tens of thousands of transgender people have served our country honorably in all branches in nearly all fields. This executive order harms our military’s retention, recruitment, and deprives us of highly trained service members when we need them most.”

In 2017, then President Trump announced via tweet his intention to ban transgender Americans from serving openly in the U.S. Armed Services. The Human Rights Campaign, represented by Lambda Legal and the Modern Military Association of America sued to block this policy, one of several such lawsuits filed by sister organizations across the country. Courts unanimously blocked the policy before the Supreme Court allowed it to take effect during the pendency of the cases. The Biden administration later rescinded the policy upon taking office in 2021.

Read about the first lawsuit, Karnoski v. Trump,here.

The government-commissioned RAND study released in May 2016 determined that the cost of providing transition-related care is exceedingly small relative to U.S. Armed Forces overall health care expenditures, that there are no readiness implications that prevent transgender members from serving openly, and that numerous foreign militaries have successfully permitted open service without a negative effect on effectiveness, readiness or unit cohesion.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation attorneys working on the case are: Sarah Warbelow, Cynthia Weaver, and Ami Patel. They are joined by co-counsel Sasha Buchert, Jenny Pizer, Camilla Taylor, Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Kenneth Upton, and Kell Olson of Lambda Legal.