Governor JB Pritzker Signs 3 Trans Affirming Bills For Pride, MLB Players Protest Pride Night, and the BET Awards queer recap

This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story covers Governor JB Pritzker as he signs three new bills protecting LGBTQ+ Rights in Illinois moments before the pride parade. In politics, a federal judge blocks the DOJ from accessing the medical records of patients seeking gender-affirming care. In sports, three Giants players protested their own pride night, angering the MLB. In culture and entertainment, Chicago city officials break ground on the Elise Malary Pedestrian Plaza, and we talk about the BET awards.

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00:26 Welcome to Queer News

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06:36 Queer News Headlines

07:27 Gov JB Pritzker Signs 3 New Bills Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights In Illinois

15:15 Federal Judge Blocks DOJ From Accessing The Medical Records Of Patients Seeking Gender-Affirming Care

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21:59 Three Giants Players Protest Their Own Pride Night Angering The MLB

24:55 City Officials Break Ground On The Elise Malary Pedestrian Plaza

28:59 BET Awards Star Studded Queer Performers

31:19 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 344.

This Week's Top Story

Gov JB Pritzker Signs 3 New Bills Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights In Illinois

Happy pride family! Just hours before the pride parade kicked off in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker showed his support to the LGBTQ+ community by signing three house bills that offer additional protections to the community. Pritzker signed the following three Bills: HB 4834, HB 5095, and HB 5492. HB 5095 preserves gender markers on state IDs; HB 5492 expands access to hormone therapy; and HB 4834 shields private medical information from surveillance. HB 4834 is effective immediately, while HB 4834 and HB 5492 will be effective on January 1st 2027.

This Week In Politics

Federal Judge Blocks DOJ From Accessing The Medical Records Of Patients Seeking Gender-Affirming Care

A federal judge has blocked the DOJ from accessing the medical records of patients seeking Gender-Affirming care. If that headline sounds familiar, that's probably because the DOJ has been blocked 8 times by federal judges for similar requests. The DOJ defends their administrative subpoena's, saying that the investigation is linked to possible drug misbranding but Lambda Legal and federal judges across the nation call BS.

Judge Failla concluded after hearing oral arguments that "The subpoena expressly targeting members of a particular and uniquely vulnerable group both shocks ⁠the conscience and rises to the level of the most egregious official conduct." The block is temporary as Judge Failla searches for a long term solution.

This Week In Sports

Three Giants Players Protest Their Own Pride Night Angering The MLB

The San Francisco Giants pride night is in hot water with the MLB due to three players staging their own protest of pride. Starting pitcher Landen Roupp and relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker scribbled bible verses on their pride night caps that were a part of the team's attire for the special night. Reliever Sam Hentges went against the uniform by wearing a different colored Giants cap. A similar event happened during the Dodgers pride night last year where pitcher Clayton Kershaw also wrote bible verses on his baseball cap. MLB chief communications officer Pat Courtney addressed the protest saying "The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations."

This Week In Culture & Entertainment

City Officials Break Ground On The Elise Malary Pedestrian Plaza

Andersonville breaks ground on a plaza honoring a local Black trans activist and icon. The Elise Malary Pedestrian Plaza will be a car-free plaza at the cross streets of Clark Street and Ashland Avenue. The city held a ground breaking ceremony to start the construction of the project.

Chicagoans know and honor the late activist, but for you out of towners, Elise Malary was a longtime trans activist who assisted with the creation of the Chicago Therapy Collective in an effort to combat the disproportionate amount of mental health care services that are available for the LGBTQ+ community.

BET Awards Star Studded Queer Performers

The BET Awards were last night, and this year these four queer artists showed up and showed out with their live performances. Doechii, Queen Latifah, Durrand Bernarr, Kehlani, and kwn performed in tributes that honored D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill. Doechii won the BET Her Award for her single "girl, get up." featuring SZA while Kehlani took home the BET awards for video of the year, and Best Female R&B/Pop Artist. Congratulations to all the BET awards winners!

Anna's Word

In today's episode Anna passed the mic to Equality Illinois CEO Channyn Lynne Parker for the word. Channyn spoke at the Equality Illinois breakfast before the governor signed those three bills. She said, "Access to Pride depends on what state you live in, what county, what block. The fight continues." Speaking directly to the privilege of gathering in a room overflowing with friends, supporters, and allies, Channyn drops an urgent reality check for the family: not everyone has access to Pride. While many are out celebrating at beautiful events, the reality of safety, visibility, and freedom varies drastically depending on the exact block or state you call home. As we wave our banners and celebrate our joy, Channyn delivers a vital reminder that the fight is far from over. True liberation requires staying on the ground, passing protective legislation, and supporting organizations like Equality Illinois that work tirelessly to ensure that every single one of us is completely free, no matter where we live.

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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.

Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.