River Valley Equality Center

03/10/2026

If you vote for Republicans, you don't care about LGBTQ people. Simple as that.

The US Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has proposed a significant policy shift by formally removing federal protections for LGBTQ+ children in foster care.

The Administration of Children and Families, in a notice of proposed rulemaking, announced it will remove requirements ensuring placement in foster care for children “who self-identify with an alternative s*xual orientation or self-identify as something other than their s*x.”

The proposed rule would allow foster homes to reject LGBTQ+ children based on their s*xual orientation or gender identity, countering protections established in 2024 during the Biden administration.

The reversal is based on a federal lawsuit from Texas, which concluded that the agency overstepped its authority in enforcing the original regulations. Public comments on the proposed change will be accepted until April 6.

📷 Getty

02/26/2026

In a concerning move on Wednesday morning (25 February), House Republicans introduced HR 7661, a sweeping federal bill that seeks to censor the existence of transgender individuals in public schools nationwide.

Introduced hours after Trump’s State of The Union address— in which he took aim at schools “secretly socially transitioning” trans kids— the bill would ban all federally funded K-12 schools from “developing, implementing, facilitating, hosting, or promoting anything” that “includes s*xually oriented material,” with “s*xually oriented material” being defined to include anything “involving gender dysphoria or transgenderism.”

Dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Trans’ bill due to its similarities to Florida’s 2022 ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law— this measure wouldn’t just affect lessons in class that would mention trans people, such as s*x education programs, but also extends to prohibiting related educational materials and support groups. This could include books mentioning trans people and any school clubs, like GSAs or support groups, that discuss trans people.

Additionally, due to the bill’s vague language, it may also force trans teachers into the closet and prevent schools from affirming trans kids’ identities out of fear of retribution.

📷 Envato

02/25/2026

Allies don't vote for Republicans.

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday (24 February), President Donald Trump pointed his focus towards transgender youth, specifically referencing the story of Sage Blair, a Virginia teenager who was invited to the State of the Union alongside her mother.

In 2023 Blair’s mother, Michele sued the Appomattox County School Board over allegations that the district did not disclose information about Sage identifying as male. As reported by WSET, Michele claimed that the school’s alleged withholding of this information contributed to Sage running away across state lines and subsequently experiencing abuse. The court case remains ongoing.

By alleging that school officials transitioned Blair's gender identity without parental consent, Trump aimed to mobilize support for a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children, telling Congress that “no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will,” adding, “We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately."

Blair has also been central to legislative efforts in Virginia to enact “Sage’s Law,” which would mandate parental notification when students disclose a transgender identity and restrict even socially affirming practices like using their preferred name or pronouns without parental consent.

Critics, including civil rights organizations, have denounced this proposal as a harmful measure that endangers LGBTQ+ youth and undermines their civil rights, even describing the bill as a “forced outing”. Advocacy groups have asserted that Trump’s comments perpetuate misinformation and threaten access to critical healthcare services for transgender individuals.

📷 Getty

02/10/2026

The Trump administration had a large rainbow flag removed from a flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument— the Christopher Park monument located in Greenwich Village, NYC and the site of the Stonewall riots in 1969, which is widely regarded as the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the US.

Gay City News contacted the National Park Service on the evening of Feb. 9 to inquire about why the rainbow flag was removed from the Stonewall National Monument, “Under government-wide guidance, including General Services Administration policy and Department of the Interior direction, only the US flag and other congressionally or departmentally authorized flags are flown on NPS-managed flagpoles, with limited exceptions,” a spokesperson for the National Park Service told Gay City News on the evening of Feb. 9.

“Any changes to flag displays are made to ensure consistency with that guidance. Stonewall National Monument continues to preserve and interpret the site’s historic significance through exhibits and programs,” the National Parks Service rep continued.

The Stonewall National Monument was designated as a national monument by former President Barack Obama in 2016.

“This is a deliberate act of erasure,” the political leaders told Gay City News in a joint statement. “The Pride Flag is history, resistance, and Pride born at Stonewall itself. Taking it down does not diminish our community. It exposes an administration afraid of visibility and truth. Our history will not be erased, and our Pride is not theirs to take down.”

📷 National Parks Service / Donna Aceto
📷 Getty

01/08/2026

Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.

04/15/2025

Excited to announce our fundraiser event.

Tippi McCullough was a long-time teacher who was fired for marrying her partner, Barb. Tippi is now a legislator from Little Rock. This film tells their love story.

May 22
6 pm VIP Reception at Prohibition Bar - Fort Smith $100
7 pm Open reception and screening of film at The Bakery District. $25

Guests of honor:
Tippi McCullough
Barbara Mariani
Brad Burleson, filmmaker
and
Chris Jones, Ph.D.

Tickets at:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tippiandbarb

Presented in cooperation with the Fort Smith International Film Festival

11/20/2024

06/21/2024

A court order is currently in place allowing Arkansans to have their gender markers changed on their driver's licenses and state IDs. If you need to update your gender marker, we strongly encourage you to get your updated DL or ID as soon as possible while the order is in effect. For those eligible, we recommend also obtaining a Real ID to ensure your documents are compliant with federal standards.

Contact us if you have any issues changing your gender marker: www.acluarkansas.org/get-help

Let's work together to support everyone's right to accurate identification.

06/13/2024

Goodbye, Lynn. Thank you for your constant support and encouragement since the day I started these comics. It has meant the world to me, and I wish I could have told you. We will remember you forever.

06/12/2024

06/01/2024

Happy Pride, Lions!