🌈 Queerly Notable: A Deep Dive into This Week’s LGBTQ+ Headlines
February 20 – 26, 2025
Hey, fam. This week has been a wild ride, and unfortunately, a lot of it isn’t good news. From Republican-led efforts to undo marriage equality (yes, again), to trans athletes being targeted at the border, to a concerning new Homeland Security pick, the attacks on our community are relentless. But as always, we’re also witnessing resistance, resilience, and accountability—from a governor standing up to Trump’s anti-trans agenda to ongoing conversations about misconduct in queer spaces.
Let’s break it all down and make sense of the madness.
💍 Marriage Equality Under Attack in 9 States—Is Obergefell in Danger?
Marriage equality has been the law of the land since 2015. But with the far-right emboldened by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, a growing number of Republican-led states are making moves to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
At least nine states—including Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—have either introduced or passed non-binding resolutions urging SCOTUS to reconsider Obergefell.
How are they trying to do it?
- Some states have passed resolutions claiming that same-sex marriage was never a constitutional right and should be returned to state control.
- A powerful right-wing group, MassResistance, has been lobbying legislators to push for an end to marriage equality at the state level.
- Legal experts warn that this could gain traction if conservatives push the Supreme Court to review Obergefell under a similar argument that overturned Roe.
Could this actually happen?
Short answer: Yes, it’s possible. While these resolutions don’t have legal weight yet, they reflect a dangerous shift in Republican strategy—one that directly targets our hard-fought rights. If the Supreme Court were to take up a case challenging Obergefell, there’s a real chance that marriage equality could become a state-by-state issue again, just like abortion rights.
💡 Why This Matters: Marriage equality is about far more than just weddings. It’s about legal protections, from inheritance rights to hospital visitation to parental custody of children. The fight is not over.
📖 Read more: LGBTQ Nation
🏅 Marco Rubio’s Plan to Ban Trans Athletes from Entering the U.S.
In yet another aggressive move against trans rights, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered U.S. consulates to deny visas to transgender athletes traveling for sports competitions.
What exactly is happening?
- This policy is an extension of Trump’s executive order banning trans women from competing in women’s sports.
- U.S. border officials now have the authority to detain and question anyone suspected of being transgender.
- Any foreign athlete who does not match the gender listed on their passport can automatically be denied entry.
What does this mean?
- International sporting events in the U.S. are now at risk. With trans athletes barred, some organizations may pull out of competitions rather than comply with the policy.
- Human rights advocates warn that this move is a slippery slope toward even harsher immigration restrictions on transgender people.
- Border officials now have even more power to harass and discriminate against trans travelers, even those just visiting the U.S. for tourism or work.
💡 Why This Matters: This isn’t just about sports—it’s about using immigration laws to police gender identity. This is a new kind of attack, and it could easily expand to other areas, including barring trans asylum seekers and refugees from entering the U.S.
📖 Read more: LGBTQ Nation
🏛️ Trump Appoints Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary
President Trump has officially appointed South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as the new Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS)—a move that has activists deeply concerned.
Why is this a big deal?
- Noem has a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ policies, including signing one of the first trans athlete bans in the country.
- She has repeatedly spoken out against federal protections for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.
- Noem built her career on harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric, while simultaneously relying on migrant labor to keep South Dakota’s economy afloat.
What happens next?
As DHS Secretary, Noem will be in charge of immigration and border policies, which means we could see:
- Stronger restrictions on LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.
- Increased enforcement of Trump’s new immigration bans.
- More aggressive targeting of trans immigrants under “gender fraud” investigations.
💡 Why This Matters: Immigration is an LGBTQ+ issue. Many LGBTQ+ asylum seekers flee persecution in their home countries, only to face even harsher policies when trying to enter the U.S.
📖 Read more: PinkNews
💥 Maine Governor Resists Trump’s Anti-Trans School Ban
In a rare act of defiance, Maine Governor Janet Mills has flat-out rejected Trump’s order to ban transgender girls from school sports.
- Trump’s executive order, “Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports”, would strip federal funding from states that allow trans athletes to compete.
- Governor Mills refused to comply and responded with a lawsuit against the federal government.
- As a result, the Department of Education is now investigating Maine, trying to pressure the state into submission.
💡 Why This Matters: This is a major showdown between state and federal powers. If Mills wins in court, it could set a precedent for other states to ignore Trump’s anti-trans policies.
📖 Read more: Them
🎭 Shangela Faces Another Sexual Assault Allegation
RuPaul’s Drag Race icon Shangela (DJ Pierce) is facing another sexual assault lawsuit, bringing the total allegations against them to seven.
💡 Why This Matters: The case has reignited conversations about accountability in LGBTQ+ spaces. While some fans stand by Shangela, others argue that patterns of allegations should not be ignored.
📖 Read more: Them
💔 Michelle Trachtenberg Passes Away at 39
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, has passed away at 39. She was reportedly found in her New York apartment, with complications from a recent liver transplant suspected as a cause.
💡 Why This Matters: Her roles in Buffy and Gossip Girl were deeply cherished by queer fans, and she was part of some of the most iconic TV moments of the 2000s.
📖 Read more: PinkNews
🔥 That’s a Wrap—Stay Queer, Stay Informed, Stay Fighting
For more queer news, activism, and culture, head to Playalarga.
XOXO, Sal 💋
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