The rights of trans youth could be a factor Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial election and legislative control in Richmond. Republican Winsome Earle-Sears opposes the rights of trans kids at school. Democrat Abigail Spanberger has largely avoided the subject. Each candidate is trying to cast the other as the extremist on the issue. LGBTQ+ Virginians have been grappling with what it means to be queer and trans in a moment where their identities are thrust into statewide and national politics. Other Virginians, meanwhile, worry about its impact on their children.

The Justice Department is drawing swift condemnation from gun rights groups and LGBTQ advocates alike after floating that it was considering restricting transgender people from owning guns — a move that would all but certainly face immediate constitutional challenges if ever implemented.

Same-sex marriage could soon be back in front of the Supreme Court and that possibility is raising concern for some here in Roanoke.

A key support line for LGBTQ+ individuals in crisis is shutting down, and local mental health advocates say it could lead to serious consequences.

The Supreme Court has sided with religious parents who want to pull their children out of the classroom when a public school lesson uses LGBTQ storybooks.

A lawyer says the Supreme Court's ruling that Maryland parents who have religious objections can pull their children from public school lessons using LGBTQ storybooks is a historic victory for parental rights.

Mental health care is critical for the LGBTQ+ community, especially during Pride Month, when attention is focused on both progress and ongoing challenges. Local therapists say these resources are more vital than ever.

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is signaling support for the religious rights of Maryland parents who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters.

Some parents in a suburban Maryland county want to pull their children from elementary school classes that use books featuring LGBTQ characters.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from parents in suburban Washington who want to pull their children from elementary school classes that use books featuring LGBTQ characters.

Reverend Emily Sheppard is facilitating expedited weddings for LGBTQ couples before Trump's inauguration amid concerns about potential shifts in marriage laws.

A second high court has ruled that the Japanese government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Several hundred LGBTQ Ukrainian servicemen and their supporters have marched in central Kyiv to demand more rights and highlight their service to their country in its war with Russia.

10 News is taking a deep dive into LGBTQ+ mental health for Pride Month.

Lawmakers have approved legislation that would rename a New York City subway station in honor of the Stonewall riots.

United Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on the celebrations of same-sex marriages or unions by its clergy.

For the past 52 years, the United Methodist Church had officially declared “the practice of homosexuality.

United Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate.

Rights groups and lawyers in Nigeria say the West African nation's law enforcement authorities are using the country’s same-sex prohibition law to target the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring abuses against them.

Members in the LGBTQ Plus community are speaking out, showing support for transgender athletes.

The Roanoke County School Board adopted the VDOE model transgender policy, after much debate and an arrest.

Cellphone video shows people chanting "protect trans kids" while one person was taken away in handcuffs at Thursday night’s Roanoke County School Board meeting.

School leaders in Southwest Virginia are responding to the new policy for transgender students.

Roanoke County schools are looking at implementing a new policy in regard to classroom decorations and displays.

From a block party in New York City to a movie screening outside of Denver, groups across the U.S. have found ways to merge Pride month and Juneteenth celebrations.

Ugandan lawmakers have passed a new version of an anti-gay bill to remove a clause which appeared to criminalize identifying as LGBTQ.

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Thursday that will permanently outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the state.

Gov. Tim Walz has signed an executive order protecting the rights of LGBTQ people from Minnesota and other states to seek and receive gender affirming health care.

Sage's Law would require schools to notify parents if a child's preferred gender identity is different than their biological sex.

Police in Kenya are investigating the death of a local LGBTQ activist whose body was found stuffed in a metal box.

Organizations across Virginia have an Angel Tree program but the PRISM Foundation takes theirs to the next level.

North Carolina drag performers and LGBTQ community members fear for their safety after an attack on the electrical grid in Moore County left tens of thousands without power for several days.

In the mostly conservative city of Colorado Springs, Club Q has long been a go-to spot for members of the LGBTQ community — a safe space where many felt they could just be themselves.

There are many reasons to criticize FIFA for the way they’ve handled the Men’s World Cup that is about to begin in Qatar, and at the top of that list is that they chose to have it in a nation with egregious human rights violations.

Several hundred people have joined an LGBTQ pride march in Montenegro that was held amid strong opposition from the influential Serbian Orthodox Church in the small conservative Balkan country.

Hundreds of people have gathered in Montenegro for a protest led by the Serbian Orthodox Church against holding an LGBTQ pride march this weekend.

Thousands of opponents of a pan-European LGBTQ event planned for this week in Belgrade marched through the Serbian capital on Sunday despite an announced ban of Europe’s largest annual gay gathering.

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for an LGBTQ group to gain official recognition from a Jewish university in New York, though that may not last.

Social media sensation JoJo Siwa will be honored by the LGBTQ education group GLSEN next month for her anti-bullying and advocacy efforts.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong to legalize gay marriage in the landmark 2015 case.

Pressure is mounting on a French government minister to quit over comments stigmatizing homosexuality and LGBTQ people.

The Roanoke Diversity Center offers more than 3,000 books featuring LGBTQ challenges and characters.

As we all know, June is Pride Month, and it’s a time for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate being out and proud.

According to the Trevor Project, 45% of LGBTQ youth considered attempting suicide last year.

Have you ever had dreams of starring in a Broadway show and singing your heart out to hundreds of people in a packed New York theater?

A high school graduation speech telling students to “choose a spouse” based on “biblical principles” is sparking outrage online.

Colorful flags proudly waved at the return of the Roanoke Pride Festival to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community Sunday.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin visited Lynchburg Friday and spoke one-on-one with 10 News about several topics impacting Southwest and Central Virginia.

Finding a safe and comfortable place to get a haircut can be a challenge for members of the LGBTQ community.

Florida House Republicans have advanced a bill to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, rejecting criticism from Democrats who said the proposal demonizes LGBTQ people.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a Colorado web designer who says her religious beliefs prevent her from offering wedding website designs to gay couples.

A new study says that LGBTQ representation on TV series has grown along with the footprint of streaming services.

Emmy-nominated “Pose” star Michaela Jaé “Mj” Rodriguez will be honored at the GLAAD Media Awards.

France has a new law that bans so-called conversion therapies and authorizes jail time and fines for practitioners who use the scientifically discredited practice to attempt to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ people.

Police violence is among the myriad challenges that LGBTQ people experience in Tunisia, and observers say officers who can dispense beatings with impunity are becoming increasingly brazen.

If the Supreme Court decides to overturn or gut the decision that legalized abortion, some fear that it could undermine other precedent-setting cases, including civil rights and LGBTQ protections.

Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day, and for many LGBTQ+ Americans, there are many reasons to celebrate their Pride.

The Supreme Court of Virginia has upheld a lower court ruling that ordered the reinstatement of a northern Virginia gym teacher who said he won’t refer to transgender students by the pronouns they use.

Just like Kesha said in her hit song “Tik Tok,” well, “the party don’t start till I walk in,” and that goes for her Kesha Cruise that is setting sail in 2022.

A northern Virginia school board voted Wednesday to expand access for transgender students to school facilities and groups, a decision coming the day after hundreds of people for and against the changes converged for a public hearing.

Debates sparked at the Botetourt County School Board meeting when parents spoke about the state’s policy requirements for transgender students.

A new state law requires divisions to adopt a policy by the start of the upcoming school year.

California has added five more states including Florida to the list of places where state-funded travel is banned because of laws that discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community.

The General Assembly passed a law last year requiring school systems to adopt inclusive policies for transgender and gender non-conforming students by fall 2021, but some lawmakers are encouraging districts to reject this.

President Joe Biden is celebrating Pride Month at the White House, a reflection of the growing stature of the LGBTQ community at the highest level of government.

As we all know, June is Pride Month, and what better way to celebrate the rainbow flag than listening to some music made by those in the LGBTQ community?

Las Vegas Raiders football player Carl Nassib made history Monday when he became the first active NFL player to come out of the closet.

It’s Pride Month!

While June is all about celebrating pride, local activists say it is also a time to recognize how much work still needs to be done.

Burger King is showing support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month.

President Joe Biden released an official presidential proclamation on Tuesday recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month and vowing to stand behind the rights of LGBTQ individuals.

Caitlyn Jenner's Republican campaign for California governor has elicited angry reaction from some members of the LGBTQ community.

Caitlyn Jenner's Republican campaign for California governor has elicited angry reaction from some members of the LGBTQ community.

More than 400 companies __ including Tesla, Pfizer, Delta Air Lines and Amazon __ have signed on to support civil rights legislation for LGBTQ people that is moving through Congress.

Arizona lawmakers have approved changes to sex education laws that make them some of the strictest in the nation when it comes to teaching about LGBTQ issues.

One LGBTQ advocacy group is suing the U.S. Department of Education alleging mistreatment by certain institutions including Liberty University.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Bills have been filed in 25 states across the country, including Florida, seeking to ban transgender women from competing in women’s school sports. The legislation, which would prevent transgender women from competing in women’s sports, follows multiple instances of transgender athletes winning titles in state and national competitions. The House version of the bill would ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports outright, whereas the Senate version would allow transgender athletes to compete provided they maintain a low testosterone level. AdEskamani said even though there are some restrictions in place for transgender athletes on the professional stage, she believes policies concerning children and student-athletes should be treated differently. In Connecticut, there is an ongoing federal lawsuit challenging whether allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports violates Title IX, a federal civil rights law that aims to shield people from gender-based discrimination.

A big reason for this change is that a higher percentage of adults in younger generations are more likely to be a part of the LGBT community. When breaking down the 5.6% of Americans identifying as LGBT:Identify As Among LGBT U.S. AdThe survey also broke respondents down by generation, with nearly 1 in 6 Gen Z adults (those born between 1997 and 2002) identifying as LGBT. Nearly 16% of those surveyed in Gen Z identified as LGBT. With younger generations far more likely than older generations to consider themselves LGBT, that growth should continue.”

AMERICUS, Kan. – A Kansas school district has banned a 13-year-old girl from riding the bus after saying she’s gay in front of other students. Izzy Dieker is an eighth-grader at Americus School in the North Lyon County District. Every day Dieker rides the bus to school for 30 minutes from her small town. “Once I got home my dad told me he got a call from the school that I was kicked off for saying ‘I’m a lesbian’,” Dieker says. “We’ve had talks about other students calling her names and I expect that because they’re repeating what their parents say.

The percentage of regularly seen LGBTQ characters on streaming as well as prime-time broadcast TV and cable during the 2020-21 season fell. Prime-time broadcast fell to 9.1% after reaching an all-time high of 10.2% last season. GLAAD's report, “Where We Are on TV,” found that 70 out of 773 series regular characters on broadcast scripted prime-time TV were LGBTQ. The group found good news on the second request in the latest study — over half of LGBTQ characters on cable television were people of color, meeting GLAAD’s challenge. The advocacy group noted that nearly half of all LGBTQ representation in prime-time scripted cable is seen on just three networks — FX, Freeform and Showtime.

While most Americans continued awaiting the presidential election results, history was silently being made in Delaware. Sarah McBride, 30, made history on election night by becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected to the state Senate in U.S. history. “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too,” McBride tweeted Tuesday night after the election was called. McBride is a former spokesperson for the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and also became the first trans person to speak at a major political convention. McBride will represent parts of Bellefonte, Claymont and Wilmington, the state’s largest city.

LOS ANGELES – An online channel devoted to women in the LGBTQ community is launching with shows including a pandemic-set romantic comedy and a paranormal drama. The channel debuts Thursday as part of Revry, a digital platform that offers free, queer-focused programming, including the 24/7 Revry News channel. “I’m overjoyed to offer a free, living and breathing space for queer female stories to be seen across the world,” Revry co-founder LaShawn McGhee said in a statement. Now called OML, it's become “a tentpole brand for the lesbian and queer female communities,” McGhee said. OML has expanded its female-driven content and outreach to a larger audience, a goal that will be enhanced by its partnership with Revry, OML founder Shirin Etessam said in a statement.

ROANOKE, Va. – Recently, Pope Francis became the first pope to voice his support for civil unions for same-sex couples. Bernard Alvarez of the Roanoke Diversity Center said most of the pushback the LGBTQ community faces comes from churches and causes people to question their identity. Therefore “it’s a sigh of relief” to hear the pope publicly endorse, Alvarez said. “After my first experience with a same-sex person, I was torn apart, depressed after that because I just felt that I had broken my covenant with God and my community," Alvarez said. "And I did not know how to deal with it.”Alvarez said he would like to see Pope Francis follow up with a more detailed policy to see if local dioceses will be able to perform same-sex marriages.

MANILA – Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions drew mixed reactions Thursday in the Philippines, Asia’s bastion of Catholicism, with a retired bishop saying he was scandalized by it while an LGBT group welcomed the pontiff’s remarks with relief. President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman said the Philippine leader has long expressed support to same-sex civil unions but added it needed to pass through Congress. Retired Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said he “had very serious doubts about the moral correctness” of the pontiff’s position. He said it ran against long-standing church teachings, which explicitly permit only the union of man and woman whether in civil, legal or church sacramental unions. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte has long supported same-sex civil unions and the papal endorsement may finally convince legislators to give their approval.

Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day, and for many LGBTQ+ Americans, there are many reasons to celebrate their Pride. National Coming Out Day has been celebrated for 32 years now, and it’s an important reminder on just how far the queer community has come since earlier times. There was an entire generation of LGBTQ Americans who had live inside the closet because of laws and discrimination. So if you’re proud to be out and want it to shout it from the rooftops, tell us about it below! If you have advice for people still in the closet struggling with their identity, maybe offer some advice, and tell us how your life has improved since coming out.

We’re PROUD to announce the first-ever Rainbow OREO Cookies made in honor of our partnership with @PFLAG 🏳️‍🌈 Join our #ProudParent campaign and you could snag a pack of Rainbow OREO Cookies! pic.twitter.com/Sg5U6Q7sTb — OREO Cookie (@Oreo) October 9, 2020These rainbow Oreo cookies could be yours, here’s how the company said you can get the cookies:“Join OUR #ProudParent campaign and share a photo of what allyship means to you. Don’t forget to follow @OREO too.”Here’s how:1️⃣ Join OUR #ProudParent campaign and share a photo of what allyship means to you. Don’t forget to follow @OREO too. — OREO Cookie (@Oreo) October 9, 2020According to the company, 10,000 “rewards” will be made available to participants throughout the contest, which ends Oct. 31 or when all of the rewards are claimed.

ROANOKE, Va. – Two Roanoke politicians will play an active role in the Biden-Harris campaign’s effort to reach LGBTQ+ voters in Virginia. The Biden for President Virginia campaign announced on Monday that Roanoke Vice Mayor Joe Cobb and Roanoke City Council candidate Peter Volosin are among the co-chairs selected for the LGBTQ+ Virginians for Biden-Harris leadership council. The goal of the council is to “highlight Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' plan to advance LGBTQ+ equality, starting by working to pass the Equality Act.”Council members will work to “mobilize and engage” the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia. The campaign said this will include things like hosting weekly meetings, tapping into existing networks and organizing voters for early voting. Here is the full list of those who will serve as co-chairs:

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal appeals court has denied a request for a full-court review of a ruling that a Virginia school board’s transgender bathroom ban is unconstitutional. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Wednesday rejected a request from the Gloucester County School Board for a rehearing to review a ruling that the board’s policy discriminated against transgender student Gavin Grimm, who was barred from using the boys' bathrooms at Gloucester High School. The board’s policy required Grimm to use private bathrooms or restrooms that corresponded with his sex assigned at birth. A federal judge ruled against the school board last year. That ruling was upheld last month by 4th Circuit judges.

Grocery giant Kroger is being sued in federal court after two former employees claim they were wrongfully fired for refusing to wear an apron with a rainbow symbol, according to NBC News. The women were allegedly disciplined and eventually fired for not wearing the new aprons issued last April that had an embroidered rainbow heart on the top left part of the bib. Before refusing the aprons, the lawsuit says the workers requested a religious accommodation to the uniforms but were denied, according to the lawsuit. The rainbow flag is used as a symbol to express LGBTQ pride. NBC News reports that Kroger declined to confirm whether the symbol was intended for pride purposes and said it can’t comment on pending litigation.

I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter himself, was the first star to make a statement on the matter. His thoughts were long, but to many “Harry Potter” fans, his words were very comforting. And in my opinion, nobody can touch that.”Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, tweeted out in support of the trans community. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia is outlawing the discredited practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ children. Conversion therapy is a practice used to try to change sexual orientation or gender identity. Ralph Northam said Tuesday he had signed into law that bans licensed therapists and counselors from subjecting minors to the practice. The American Psychological Association has said conversion therapy is not based in science and is harmful to mental health. The Virginia law will go into effect July 1.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia lawmakers have passed comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that advocates say makes the state the first in the South to enact such protections for LGBTQ people. The measures advanced on bipartisan votes in both chambers Thursday. Each chamber still must take up the other’s measure in procedural votes before the legislation can be sent to Democratic Gov. The legislation prohibits discrimination in housing, public or private employment, public spaces and credit transactions on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Advocates praised the passage of what they called urgently needed landmark human rights legislation.

WASHINGTON, DC – A White House lawyer won Senate confirmation as a federal appeals court judge Thursday despite complaints by lawmakers from both parties about his record on immigration, race, women's equality and LGBTQ rights. Steven Menashi, an associate White House counsel, was confirmed by a 51-41 vote for a seat on the New York-based 2nd U.S. Graham was one of several senators who expressed frustration at Menashi’s refusal to answer questions about his record at the White House and the Education Department during his confirmation hearing in September. Menashi is among more than 150 federal judges nominated by Trump and confirmed by the Senate, including at least 46 appeals court judges. About one-quarter of federal appeals court judges were nominated by Trump.

The country's lawmakers passed a bill in 2014, but they replaced the death penalty clause with a proposal of life in prison. But members of Uganda's LGBTQ community have vowed to fight this bid to reintroduce the bill. Together we stand as the LGBT community in Uganda." Arrests and attacksUgandan activists told CNN they have noted worrying trends of arrests and attacks on the LGBTQ community. Last Friday, a young gay paralegal, Brian Wasswa, was bludgeoned to death at his home in Jinja, LGBT group Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) said.

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (CNN) - A New Jersey mayor called the LGBTQ rights movement "an affront to almighty God" at a town council meeting and warned that people who support "unrighteous laws" will be held accountable. Barnegat Township Mayor Alfonso Cirulli, a former assistant principal, began Tuesday by condemning a state law that requires LGBTQ-inclusive material be taught in public school. He said, "There is no hate or bigotry intended here," and that his comments did not represent the Barnegat Township Committee. Fuscarino said, however, that Garden State Equality has a "great working relationship" with the Barnegat school district and called Cirulli "an outlier." In a statement posted on its website, superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis wrote that the Barnegat Township School District would comply with state guidelines.

(CNN) - An LGBTQ rights activist who was murdered in St. Petersburg had received death threats and was named on a website urging vigilante violence, campaigners have said. Grigoryeva also protested against Russia's backing of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea, Olga Smirnova, a friend and fellow activist, told CNN. A spokeswoman for the Russian LGBT Network told CNN that Grigoryeva's name was included on a Russian website that identified LGBT activists and called for vigilante action against them. "The situation is scary, especially for LGBT activists. Asked about threats that Grigoryeva received, Smirnova said: "She did not just complain, she kept us informed about all the threats that she received.

(CNN) - New York has always been a major Pride destination, but this year's celebration is expected to draw record crowds. "The LGBTQ community is an essential part of NYC," New York Police Department Commissioner James O'Neill said at a news conference on Tuesday. Sunday's march caps off a month of events that included a rally commemorating Stonewall 50, Youth Pride and Pride Island, a three-day outdoor music festival. "New York City is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement," Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted last week. Last year's march in New York City featured more than 550 groups and more than 100 floats.

Police were notorious for raiding bars in the West Village and downtown Manhattan, havens for the LGBTQ community, that were suspected of serving homosexual customers. If you sat at a gay bar, you could not turn around, Tree said. It reopened with new money thanks to members of the Genovese crime family syndicate and became popular in the LGBTQ community. The rebellion mobilized the LGBTQ community and its allies in a way not yet seen. In 2011, New York State legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the sixth state at that time to do so.

(CNN) - Please "Believe" that Jake Owen will not allow people to diss the LGBTQ community. The country singer took on an Instagram commenter who had words to say regarding Owen's latest song. "Some of my closest friends and coworkers, are part of the #lgbt community and I couldn't be more happy for the progress they have made," Owen wrote in the caption. Owen went on to say, "I BELIEVE the world needs more love. The singer asked the commenter to come find him for a hug at the concert if he or she attended.