Media

Committees in the U.S. House of Representatives approved two anti-LGBTQ+ bills Thursday, leading to condemnation from LGBTQ+ reps and allies in the Congressional Equality Caucus.

The newly released federal spending bill, unveiled on Thursday, contains almost none of the over 40 anti-LGBTQ+ “policy riders” that far-right Republicans wanted, transgender journalist Erin Reed reports. The bill must now pass the House and Senate and be signed into law before 12:01 a.m. Saturday in order to avert a government shutdown.

Democratic U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler and Tina Smith Thursday introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act, which would strengthen mental health and crisis intervention resources for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

The right-wing Fellowship Foundation, a.k.a the Family, has failed to condemn Uganda’s “kill the gays” law — and the Congressional Equality Caucus, which demanded to know the group’s role in the law, is outraged.

“When you’re given the opportunity to publicly oppose a law that permits the government to execute LGBTQI+ people just because of who they are, why wouldn’t you take it?” U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, chair of the Equality Caucus, said in a Friday press release.

Fighting in a mixed martial arts (MMA) match is a lot like fighting to win an election, says Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS).

Following the death of tenth grader Nex Benedict, the US Department of Education said Friday it is opening an investigation into whether an Oklahoma school district “failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment,” according to a letter from the department.