1+ hour, 37+ min ago (242+ words) " Oklahoma University has placed a trans graduate instructor on leave after a student received a zero on a rambling essay that didn't follow instructions, called trans people "demonic," and claimed gender roles are "Biblically ordained" " and it's quickly become a flashpoint for right-wing media. Meanwhile, we explore the rising numbers of LGBTQ+ people planning an escape route from America in Trump's second term, and check in with the trans National Guard employee suing Trump over bathroom bans. We also have an update on the murder of a gay University of Mississippi student, and we dig into Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego's leaked texts mocking women's looks and complaining about masculinity. Although the student did not properly complete the assignment to academic standards, the university is investigating the teacher. The instinct to flee is not new in American life. But the scale,…...

5+ hour, 29+ min ago (456+ words) Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr., 25, has pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of out gay University of Mississippi student and prominent figure in the local LGBTQ+ scene Jimmie "Jay" Lee. Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Jimmie "Jay" Lee. A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of out gay University of Mississippi student and prominent figure in the local LGBTQ+ scene Jimmie "Jay" Lee. Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday, over three and a half years after Lee went missing from his student housing complex in Oxford early on the morning of July 8, 2022. He is set to be sentenced on Tuesday. Lee was a pillar in Ole Miss' LGBTQ+ community, known for his creative fashion and makeup, and for performing as drag queen Jay Divaa in Oxford's drag night. At…...

6+ hour, 31+ min ago (308+ words) An X-Ray of the bullet in Kyle McFarlane's spine (L); Kyle McFarlane with his dog (R) A man in Florida was left partially paralyzed after an incident his friends call "a violent crime perpetrated by a hate-filled neighbor." A man in Jacksonville, Florida was left partially paralyzed last month when an ongoing feud " which previously saw his home vandalized with anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and feces " resulted in his neighbor allegedly shooting him. McFarlane was not on the couple's private property, as video obtained by law enforcement showed that he was in the easement at the time of the confrontation. Records also show that McFarlane had reported harassment from his neighbors before, including feces being smeared on his home walls and signs with anti-gay and anti-transgender slurs being posted to face his window. A GoFundMe has been launched to help pay McFarlane's medical and…...

7+ hour, 14+ min ago (283+ words) The secretary of Defense, now in trouble over military strikes on an alleged drug trafficking boat, has plenty of toxic deeds on his record. Hegseth at a confirmation hearing Hegseth testifies before Senate Armed Services Committee Related: Who Is Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host who doesn't wash his hands that Trump nominated for Defense Secretary? Related: Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ cabinet: An in-depth look Hegseth speaks to special forces Courtesy Department of Defense Related: Fox & Friends Upset Over Schools Teaching Trans Acceptance, Climate Change U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth departs the U.S. Capitol Building on June 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C..; U.S. Navy portrait of then-Ens. Harvey Milk Related: Who was Harvey Milk? Harpy Daniels and Hegseth In what appeared to be another attack on drag, in July, Hegseth blocked Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly's promotion to vice admiral and command of the Navy's 7th Fleet. The action…...

8+ hour, 40+ min ago (245+ words) Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego has admitted to texts that mocked Democrats. His party is "not allowing men to be men," or "women to be hot," the Arizona Democrat complained. First-year U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona is facing intensified scrutiny after leaked text messages showed the Democrat deriding the appearance of women and men in his own party. The comments mirror far-right rhetoric about gender and deepen concerns about his recent repositioning on LGBTQ+ issues. He made some of these remarks after receiving a meme that included an image of 82-year-old Connecticut U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a fellow Democrat. Related: Eight times Kyrsten Sinema let down the LGBTQ+ community " and others In an interview with local ABC affiliate KNXV last week, Gallego confirmed the leaked texts were authentic and said he was "heartbroken" that a longtime friend shared them. But he did…...

8+ hour, 58+ min ago (300+ words) An Oklahoma University banner on the campus of the educational institution. Although the student did not properly complete the assignment to academic standards, the university is investigating the teacher. The University of Oklahoma has placed a trans graduate instructor on administrative leave after a student received a zero on a psychology assignment that described transgender people as "demonic" and asserted that gender roles are "Biblically ordained." The dispute has quickly escalated into a statewide political flashpoint. The controversy began when junior Samantha Fulnecky submitted a 650-word reaction paper for a course on how social expectations shape gender. Instead of addressing the assignment's questions using data, her essay claimed society is "pushing lies" about gender, warned that eliminating strict gender roles would be harmful, and described transgender identities as "demonic," Them reports. Related: Oklahoma transgender student dies after allegedly assaulted by…...

13+ hour, 2+ min ago (515+ words) LeAnne Withrow, a civilian employee of the Illinois National Guard, says she believes it's never the wrong time to do the right thing. "I think that it's important to fight for what's right, even if it becomes more difficult or inconvenient," she tells The Advocate of why she brought the suit. "It's a question of human dignity, it's a question of equal treatment under the law, and I was not raised to back down from either of those things," she adds. She participated in military exercises in South Korea, Jordan, Alaska, and elsewhere. She served at the 2012 NATO Summit in Chicago and Guantanamo Bay in Cuba in 2016. She helped with flood duty in 2019 with Operation Ready Response, with civil disturbance missions in Chicago, and COVID-related operations at the height of the pandemic. As a public affairs officer, "I got to…...

14+ hour, 1+ min ago (578+ words) He will receive the award at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute's International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ elected leaders held in Washington, D.C. annually. Former President Joe Biden will be honored Friday with the Chris Abele Impact Award at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute's 41st International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, an annual Washington, D.C., gathering that has become both thermometer and barometer for the political fortunes of LGBTQ+ Americans. Related: Pete Buttigieg will be inducted into LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame at DNC (exclusive) "President Biden has shown unwavering commitment to ensuring LGBTQ+ people can participate fully and openly in our democracy," Low said in announcing the award. The Institute's board cited Biden's "historic leadership on LGBTQ+ equality'a standard made starker by the political environment in which this year's conference unfolds. In an interview with The Advocate, Low said the timing underscores a…...

15+ hour, 8+ min ago (1341+ words) Donald Trump may love to throw charges at his political opponents " but so far none of them have stuck. The Department of Justice's cases against James Comey and Letitia James were thrown out last week after U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie determined that the appointment of lead prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was illegal. That spells tough luck for the Trump administration, as Halligan has so far been the only attorney willing to pursue the charges. Several federal prosecutors initially declined to indict Comey or James, citing insufficient evidence. U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert refused to file charges in September, leading to the Trump administration threatening to fire him. Before he could be officially terminated, Siebert instead resigned. While the cases against Comey and James have been dismissed " at least until another prosecutor decides to take them on " there…...

18+ hour, 1+ min ago (1240+ words) A passport control station at D'sseldorf International Airport in Germany. The instinct to flee is not new in American life. But the scale, and the kinds of people considering it in the Trump era, reflect something different. Some are wealthy enough to buy investment visas in Europe. Others are applying for digital nomad permits that require little more than proof of remote income. Still others are assembling go-bags, stockpiling medication, or rehearsing how they would reach the Canadian border if federal restrictions tightened. But the phenomenon, a blend of dread, pragmatism, and resignation, is unmistakably rising. None of the people interviewed for this story wants to leave their country. All emphasized that they hope their Plan B remains unused. Related: Trump will ban trans women from women's prisons by removing trans inmates from rape protections They are preparing anyway, because,…...