O'Shae Sibley case update, Cannabis is no longer banned in the WNBA, and Representative Zoe Zephyr wins the Montana primary again

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story welcomes accountability in the O'Shae Sibley hate crime. In politics, Representative Zoe Zephyr wins the Montana primary and a federal judge blocks the Trump Administration from accessing the medical records of trans patients again. In culture and entertainment, cannabis has been removed from the WNBA's prohibited substances list and Brave Space Alliance is hosting a name change clinic.

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05:09 A Verdict Has Been Reached 3 Years After O'Shae Sibley's Death

09:12 Representative Zoe Zephyr Wins Montana Primary

12:48 Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Accessing The Medical Records of Trans Patients Again

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17:54 Cannabis Has Been Removed From The WNBA's Prohibited Substances List

20:36 Brave Space Alliance Is Hosting a Name Changing Clinic 6.17

23:22 Anna's Word

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This week's episode of Queer News is packed with historic milestones, urgent calls for justice, and accountability. Here is your social-media-ready breakdown of every story from Episode 342.

This Week's Top Story

A Verdict Has Been Reached 3 Years After O'Shae Sibley's Death

A new verdict has been reached in O'Shae Sibley's death after 3 years, ushering in some justice to O'Shae and his loved ones. O'Shae, a vouge Dancer residing in Brooklyn, was fatally stabbed by Dmitriy Popov who claimed he stabbed O'Shae in self defence. The Jurors disagreed with Popov's testimony, arguing that his motivation was rooted in anti-LGBT+ beliefs. In the end, the jurors found Popov guilty of a hate crime in the form of manslaughter.

This Week In Politics

Representative Zoe Zephyr Wins Montana Primary

Montana's first openly trans woman and Representative Zoe Zephyr has won the Montana Primary for the third consecutive year! With a nearly 100% vote, she will run unopposed in the general election. Zephyr's wife Erin announced the news on her website saying "I'd like to congratulate my wife, Rep. Zoe Zephyr, for winning her primary with 100% of the vote. She ran unopposed and will also be unopposed in the general, meaning for election cycles in a row, Montana will have a trans woman (and kick ass human) in the legislature. I love her so much!"

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Accessing The Medical Records of Trans Patients Again

Ahhh. Another beautiful day of Trump getting blocked by a federal judge. In California, a federal judge blocked the Trump Administration from accessing the medical records of youth seeking gender-affirming care at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts sent an emergency order to the hospital advising them to not hand over the medical records of their trans youth patients.

This Week In Culture & Entertainment

Cannabis Has Been Removed From The WNBA's Prohibited Substances List

If I may be blunt, this new WNBA policy is pretty lit. Cannabis is no longer part of the WNBA's Prohibited Substances list. It was removed as a part of the negotiations that happened earlier this year between the WNBA and the players union.

Brave Space Alliance Is Hosting a Name Changing Clinic 6.17

On June 17th, Brave Space Alliance and Transformative Justice Law Project are hosting a name changing clinic. Hosted monthly at Brave Space Alliance, the name changing clinic offers free legal assistance to those living in Cook County looking to change their name and/or gender marker. "We believe that folks should have access to any resources that will allow them to live affirmed and supported lives. To find affirmation in a name and in identity is integral for many queer folks…" said the Brave Space Alliance communications team to The Windy City Times in an interview.

Anna's Word

"Let the darkness do what it's gonna do, but joy comes in the morning. Choose the light."

Following a wild week of intense storms in Chicago that left fallen trees scattered across her property and upended her daily routine, Anna DeShawn drops a deeply moving, vulnerable word about a universal truth: the light will always exist with the darkness, but it is our job to choose the light. Balancing the chaotic "adulting" of storm cleanups with professional commitments across the city, Anna found her anchors of gratitude in the people thanking her for her work, and in a beautiful, profound moment celebrating her mother's 78th birthday—where despite the cruel reality of dementia, her mom remembered her name twice.

Choosing the light also means making room for joy, ease, and community care as we head into the season. To prevent burnout and keep Sunday brunches and rooftop hangs guilt-free for both her team and the family, Anna is announcing a special, intentional cadence for our summer programming: alternating weekly between incredible long-form interviews and our traditional multi-story news roundups.

Let's choose the light together this summer. Help us bring that joy to life by hitting our goal of 200 paid subscribers at just $5 a month, and look out for the full summer lineup in our newsletter!

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About Queer News

An intersectional approach to a weekly news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. New pod drops every Monday by 9am CT.

Edited by Ryan Woodhall for Public Sound.

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