{"id":114656,"date":"2026-01-28T03:07:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T03:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/114656\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T03:07:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T03:07:12","slug":"in-brief-appropriations-bills-nyc-pride-marrying-abroad-queer-sundance-events-mariah-carey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/114656\/","title":{"rendered":"IN BRIEF Appropriations bills, NYC Pride, marrying abroad, queer Sundance events, Mariah Carey"},"content":{"rendered":"

NATIONAL<\/p>\n

The U.S. House and Senate negotiated final appropriations bills to fund the federal government through Sept. 30\u2014and all anti-transgender provisions have been removed, per The Advocate<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"\"U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride. Photo by Bryan Bedder_Getty Images for Human Rights Campaign <\/p>\n

The \u201cmost extreme\u201d ones were in the bills to fund the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, Erin Reed noted in her Erin in the Morning Substack column. <\/p>\n

These included \u201clanguage barring \u2018any federal funds\u2019 from supporting gender-affirming care at any age and threatening funding for schools that support transgender students,\u201d she wrote. Trans U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Delaware) \u201cwas proud to work relentlessly with her colleagues in ensuring these funding bills did not include anti-LGBTQ provisions,\u201d a McBride staff member told Erin in the Morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Recently, parents, families and advocates gathered at the Florida Capitol to speak out against what they said have been years of relentless attacks on their LGBTQ+ children by Gov. Ron DeSantis and extremist lawmakers, according to an Equality Florida press release. \u201cWe are standing shoulder to shoulder with parents who are doing exactly what parents are supposed to do: Loving their children, protecting them, and fighting for their futures,\u201d said Executive Director Stratton Pollitzer. \u201cBut once again, Ron DeSantis and his extremist allies in the legislature are choosing cruelty over care.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Advocates gather at the Florida Capitol to speak against Gov. Ron DeSantis and extremist lawmakers. Image courtesy of Equality Florida<\/p>\n

NYC Pride\u2014which organizes the main Pride March in New York City\u2014unveiled its 2026 theme, Gay City News noted. It\u2019s \u201cFor All of Us,\u201d which is inspired by a quote attributed to the late Marsha P. Johnson. This year\u2019s theme aims to pay tribute to LGBTQ+ icons like Johnson while also emphasizing the need to support marginalized members of the community, according to NYC Pride. Pride events were scaled back or cancelled in some cities last year in the midst of President Donald Trump\u2019s campaign against LGBTQ+ rights and DEI; that trend continues this year, with Pride events getting cancelled in cities like Tampa, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; and Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n

\"\"Tucson, Arizona. Image credit Kieran MacAuliffe from Pixabay<\/p>\n

And on a related note, Tucson Pride is shutting down after nearly 50 years serving southern Arizona, per The Advocate<\/a>. While no particular reason was mentioned, Tucson Pride recently faced significant financial challenges, according to the Arizona-based LGBTQ+ news outlet LOOKOUT. The organization also canceled a Pride festival slated for February that had been rescheduled from last November.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has rescinded LGBTQ+-inclusive guidance regarding workplace harassment, The Advocate<\/a> reported. The commission voted two to one to withdraw the document, which was approved in 2024, when Joe Biden was president. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, appointed by Donald Trump in 2020, had said that the agency would not advocate for transgender and nonbinary people\u2014in keeping with Trump\u2019s executive order.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Highly Favored<\/a>\u2014the Los Angeles LGBT Center\u2019s annual Black History Month celebration\u2014will return on Saturday, Feb. 21, at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, a press release noted. This year, the center is honoring the legacy of Black queer nightlife in Los Angeles, inspired by the iconic space Jewel\u2019s Catch One. Highlights will include a special installation by LA artist\/photographer Nikko LaMere at the Advocate & Gochis Galleries; and a high-energy dance party, with queer DJs spinning tunes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Minnesota-based federal magistrate judge in Minnesota rejected charging gay journalist Don Lemon after he covered a protest inside a St. Paul church\u2014reportedly angering Attorney General Pam Bondi, The Advocate<\/a> noted, citing CBS News. A source said that the Justice Department may find other ways to charge Lemon. Protesters interrupted a church service at St. Paul\u2019s Cities Church\u2014an event that Lemon covered. One of the pastors is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official. Protests erupted in Minnesota after the killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chelsea Zahn\u2014a former employee of the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2014has taken the football team to court, alleging she faced discrimination when she worked there during 2013-24 due to her sex and sexual orientation, The Advocate<\/a> noted. Zahn has claimed that she was mistreated, paid less and denied promotions in her work in corporate sales because she is a lesbian. Media reps for the Steelers declined to comment for the article.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WORLD\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wedding bells are ringing worldwide for LGBTQ+ U.S. couples choosing to marry abroad\u2014and safety is a key reason, GayCities<\/a> noted. A new study by wedding-specialist company Destify revealed that the United States ranks 19th with a safety score of 70.1\/100. Marriage equality is still the law in the U.S.; however, as many have become aware, the queer community is facing discrimination and violence led by policymakers. Iceland, Canada and Denmark have been listed as the three safest countries for LGBTQ+ destination weddings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The United States officially left the World Health Organization (WHO) on Jan. 22, despite warnings that doing so would hurt public health in the U.S. and globally, USA Today noted. President Donald Trump gave notice that the U.S. would quit the organization on the first day of his presidency in 2025 with an executive order. According to a news release from the U.S. Health and State departments, the United States will only work with the WHO in a limited fashion to conclude the withdrawal.<\/p>\n

Also, the Trump administration has ordered U.S. embassies to issue reports on countries that allow gender-affirming medical care for minors\u2014which Trump loyalists say is human-rights abuse, according to Erasing 76 Crimes<\/a>, citing a report from The Council for Global Equality. The council added that \u201cthe reports are no longer even vaguely credible on LGBTQI+ issues and are now creating an anti-rights framework to legitimize attacks against our communities.\u201d Because of the changes, the council warned human rights groups to be wary of reporting abuses to U.S. embassies.<\/p>\n

A survey revealed that 94% of highly educated queer professionals are preparing to emigrate from Nigeria, per Erasing 76 Crimes<\/a>. This means that discrimination could cost Nigeria up to $31 billion in GDP over the next decade. The national graduate unemployment rate is 22%; among queer graduates in the data set, it rises to 26%, despite strong academic and technical qualifications.<\/p>\n

\"\"Gus Kenworthy. Photo by Kevin Winter_Getty Images for Human Rights Campaign <\/p>\n

Skier\/actor Gus Kenworthy received word that he would be part of Team GB (Great Britain) at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, per Outsports<\/a>. \u201cI want you to be the first to congratulate you for being selected to Team GB for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics,\u201d Pat Sharples, the Team GB snowsport head coach Pat Sharples told Kenworthy over the phone. Kenworthy\u2014who came out a year after winning a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics\u2014retired from his sport a couple years ago, but made a comeback. (Kenworthy has dual citizenship in the United States and Great Britain.)<\/p>\n

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie carried the Olympic torch in Feltre, Italy, as part of the Milano Cortina 2026 relay, Variety<\/a> noted. Dressed in pink-and-white tracksuits, the two are seen in videos on social media holding the torch, smiling and waving to the crowds. The relay will conclude Feb. 6 in Milan ahead of the opening ceremony. The date and location of their participation had not been announced ahead of time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In China, local authorities detained two men in connection with an AI-manipulated photo of two pandas showing same-sex behavior, Out<\/a> noted. They were arrested for \u201cmaliciously\u201d associating queerness with certain Chinese cities, according to The Washington Post. The men allegedly shared the image at the \u201cpanda capital\u201d of Chengdu. \u201cThis case has been described as a stigmatization of Chengdu, because many netizens joked that homosexuality is so widespread in the city that even pandas there turned gay,\u201d lawyer Wang Xuetan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At least one guest at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz\u2019s 2022 wedding provided his view on the chef\u2019s claims that his mother, Victoria Beckham, danced \u201cinappropriately\u201d with her son at the event, per Page Six<\/a>. Stavros Agapiou\u2014the partner of British DJ Fat Tony, who was asked to perform at Peltz and Brooklyn\u2019s wedding reception\u2014wrote \u201cI was there and she did[;] he\u2019s telling the truth\u201d in a now-deleted Instagram comment. After deleting his response, Agapiou wrote, \u201cGood on him for finally speaking out!\u201d However, the DJ has also weighed in<\/a>, telling This Morning that \u201cthere was no slut dropping, there was no PVC cat suit [and] no Spice Girl action.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the show Big Brother: Brazil, the first kiss of the season (for the first time) was between two gay men: model\/biologist Breno Cora and physician Marcelo Alves, according to Instinct<\/a>. The outlet stated, \u201cThis kiss wasn\u2019t just a [romantic] moment. It was a milestone for representation on a show that reaches millions. It\u2019s proof that love and attraction don\u2019t need to be limited to straight storylines or straight narratives.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

SHOWBIZ\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the third consecutive year, GLAAD teamed with Frameline and NewFest\u2014two of the nation\u2019s premier LGBTQ+ film festivals\u2014for the return of Cheers, Queers at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 23, a press release noted. Founded by Alex Schmider (GLAAD), Allegra Madsen (Frameline) and David Hatkoff (NewFest), Cheers, Queers continued the legacy of the Queer Brunch started at Sundance by PlanetOut.com co-founder Jenni Olson and Outfest Executive Director Morgan Rumpf in 1997. MC\u2019ed by Ryan Mitchell and with hosts David Hatkoff (NewFest), Allegra Madsen (Frameline), and Alex Schmider (GLAAD), a couple programs included a highlight reel of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, creatives and activists including Guinevere Turner (Go Fish), Sav Rodgers (director, Chasing Chasing Amy), Jennie Livingston (director, Paris Is Burning) and Yvonne Welbon, among others; and The New & Next Queer Cinema: A Conversation with Queer Icons of Then and Now, a panel featuring prolific filmmakers Christine Vachon and Cheryl Dunye.<\/p>\n

\"\"Christine Vachon and Cheryl Dunye. Photo by David Becker_Getty Images for GLAAD<\/p>\n

On a related note, Meredith Marks hosted GLAAD\u2019s 4th Annual Celebration\u2014a toast to this year\u2019s GLAAD Media Awards nominees\u2014at Sundance in Park City, Utah, per a media release. Some of the guests included Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan,\u00a0 Kelly McCormack, Nik Dodani, Seth Marks, Soledad O\u2019Brien, Thora Birch, Yasim Kassim, GLAAD\u2019s Anthony Allen Ramos and Ryan Mitchell.<\/p>\n

Queer WNBA All-Star Breanna Stewart held a sign during player introductions at Unrivaled in Miami on Jan. 25, that read \u201cABOLISH ICE,\u201d per USA Today<\/a>. Stewart\u2014who helped start the three-on-three women\u2019s professional basketball league\u2014is among a few athletes who have spoken out after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by a federal agent. Stewart\u2019s wife, Marta, is an immigrant who has a green card.<\/p>\n

Billy Porter, Foo Fighters, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Adam Lambert, Charlie Puth, Kesha, Teddy Swims and Taylor Momsen are among those slated to perform at the 2026 MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala honoring Mariah Carey, Broadway World<\/a> noted. The event will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 30, and it will highlight Carey\u2019s storied career and philanthropic impact. The evening will also feature a live auction benefiting MusiCares\u2019 mission; items will be available for bidding during the gala and will include a VIP Floor Bistro table at the 2026 Grammy Awards taking place Feb. 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Kathy Griffin. Photo by Jen Rosenstein<\/p>\n

Comedian\/actress Kathy Griffin added to her complex history with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, urging both men to use their platforms to speak out about ICE protests in Minnesota following the shooting death of Minnesota mother Renee Nicole Good, according to Instinct<\/a>. In a video, Griffin commented that the only reason she was \u201cputting aside\u201d her \u201cbeef with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper\u201d was because she wanted them \u201cto recognize that you have a much larger microphone and platform than little D-lister Kathy Griffin.\u201d Much of Griffin\u2019s message was aimed at Cooper, whom she once considered a close friend; she questioned why the CNN journalist wasn\u2019t reporting on the ground.<\/p>\n

U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn\u2014who recently clinched a spot on her first Olympic team and who may become the first U.S. woman to medal in singles at an Olympics since 2006\u2014said that coming out as bisexual and pansexual in 2019 helped her mental health immensely, NBC News<\/a> noted. \u201cIt was something that did set me free,\u201d Glenn said in the run-up to the Olympics. \u201cI was able to feel like I wasn\u2019t being pressured into trying to fill someone else\u2019s shoes.\u201d Glenn will become the first out woman to figure-skate at an Olympics, Outsports has stated.<\/p>\n

In one of his \u201cWhat the Old Gays Remember\u201d Instagram videos, out comic Guy Branum (Bros; Platonic) focused on<\/a> bodybuilder Bob Paris, who came out in 1989 after falling in love with fellow competitor Rod Jackson, Queerty<\/a> mentioned. Almost immediately, Paris said he lost more than 80% of his bookings and received death threats; Paris and Jackson became vocal advocates for equal rights, although they split as a couple in the mid-\u201990s.<\/p>\n

The 2026 <\/a>Tony Awards will take place Sunday, June 7, and return to Radio City Music Hall for a second consecutive year, Deadline<\/a> confirmed. Tony Award Productions also set the eligibility cut-off date for the 2025-26 season as Sunday, April 26, for all Broadway productions that meet all other eligibility requirements. Nominations for the 2026 Tonys will be announced on Tuesday, May 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Queer multi-platinum, Grammy\u00ae-nominated musician Mika released Hyperlove\u2014his first English-language studio album since 2019\u2014via Republic Records, per a press release. To celebrate the release, Mika will bring his live show back to North America next spring. The Spinning Out Tour kicks off April 29 in Boston and will travel through major cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kim Vo\u2014a celebrity hairstylist and colorist to many stars\u2014has died at age 55, People<\/a> confirmed. Vo\u2019s husband, Adeel Khan, told the outlet that he died Jan. 19 in Beverly Hills, California. Khan also shared the news of Vo\u2019s death on Instagram<\/a>, revealing that Vo had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2018. Khan added that instead of flowers, Vo had requested that donations be made to the Kim Vo Foundation<\/a>, which supports \u201chair, beauty and fashion creatives also affected by cancer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Outdoor retailer Patagonia is suing drag queen Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement, claiming that the play on its name has caused \u201cconfusion and deception\u201d among consumers, per The Independent<\/a>. \u201cThe trademark application reflects Pattie Gonia\u2019s departure from discrete use of a persona to engage in activism and confirms Defendants\u2019 intent instead to launch a wide-ranging commercial enterprise under the PATTIE GONIA brand,\u201d according to court documents. Patagonia included images of the drag personality promoting merchandise featuring their trademark, which the company has claimed \u201cis nearly identical to the Patagonia word mark.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n

British artist and LGBTQ+ ally Louis Tomlinson released the single \u201cImposter\u201dwith an official music video<\/a> (with award-winning actor James Nelson-Joyce), a press release noted. The song is from Tomlinson\u2019s newest album, How Did I Get Here? And fellow former One Director bandmate Harry Styles is doing something unique this year: He will play 30 consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden (MSG) from August through October 2026 as part of his Together, Together world tour, per another press release. The 30 MSG shows will mark Styles\u2019 only U.S. dates this year and the most shows at any venue across the international tour, which begins in May in Amsterdam and includes 50 stops in only seven cities worldwide in 2026.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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