The state of Gender-affirming care for youth, queers winning settlements galore, and queer-owned indie bookstores for the win

This week on the Queer News podcast, for our top story we cover the state of gender-affirming care for youth that remains in limbo here in Illinois. In politics, The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund released their April list of endorsements, and Jayee Cooper wins a settlement from USA Powerlifting. In culture and entertainment, Utah Drag Queens win their settlement against the state, and we highlight queer owned bookstores to support on Indie bookstore day. Let's get into it.

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06:50 Queer News Headlines

07:26 Illinois youth access to gender affirming care remains in limbo in the aftermath of a new federal ruling

12:20 The LGBTQ Victory Fund Announces their Candidate Endorsements

14:54 JayCee Cooper and USA Powerlifting Reach a Settlement

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19:57 Drag Queens Win Lawsuit Against the State of Utah

21:59 Chicago's Independent Bookstore day was April 25th and here's a list of the queer owned bookstores you should visit this year.

25:54 Anna's Got A 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 336.

This Week's Top Story

Illinois youth access to gender affirming care remains in limbo in the aftermath of a new federal ruling

On April 18th, the U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai issued a ruling that reversed the treacherous Trump administration's policies aiming to end medicare and medicaid from providing gender-affirming care to minors. While the ruling eases hospitals' fears of losing federal funding if they were to provide gender-affirming care to minors, the hospitals that have already cut, and/or gutted their gender-affirming care programs have no legal obligation to reinstate them.

In Illinois, UChicago Medicine, Rush University Medical Center and Lurie Children's Hospital have all disbanded their gender-affirming care for minors, and none of those hospitals have released a statement and any indication that they plan to reinstate the programs anytime soon.

This Week In Politics

The LGBTQ Victory Fund Announces their Candidate Endorsements

In the whirlwind of this political climate it can be challenging to find guidance on candidates to support in your local and national elections this year. The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund just released their list of endorsements which highlight 57 new candidates for people to support. Candidates who earn an endorsement from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund must "be an out member of the LGBTQ+ community who supports LGBTQ+ equality and the right to bodily autonomy and demonstrates a path to victory."

JayCee Cooper and USA Powerlifting Reach a Settlement

We first covered this story back in episode 306, but we have an update in the JayCee Cooper vs USA powerlifting case. JayCee Cooper won the Minnesota Supreme Court's unanimous approval back in 2025 after she faced discrimination during a powerlifting tournament. On the lawsuit, Cooper commented: "I don't want anyone to experience what I and other trans athletes have and continue to experience: having our basic human dignity questioned and opportunities denied because we are trans…We all benefit when sports are as inclusive as possible, when we organize around our shared humanity and collective empowerment."

This settlement is a great win for JayCee Cooper and all trans women in sports as it sets a precedent that discrimination can and should continue to be challenged in the court of law and that it's possible to win cases like this.

This Week In Culture & Entertainment

Drag Queens Win Lawsuit Against the State of Utah

Drag Queens in Utah win big in a lawsuit against the state. The state of Utah has been court ordered to pay $350,000 dollars in attorney fees to the Southern Utah Drag Stars after Judge David Nuffer ruled in their favor. The legal battle between the Southern Utah Drag Stars and the city of St. George continued for three years until they reached a settlement back in 2025. In April, and federal judge ruled that the city must also cover the legal fees of the drag queens who sued the city of St. George, resulting in the $350,000 going towards the attorneys. In cases similar to the one in Utah, judges have been shown to rule in favor of the first amendment which is what the Southern Utah Drag Stars said was violated in their initial lawsuit back in 2023.

Chicago's Independent Bookstore day was April 25th and here's a list of the queer owned bookstores you should visit this year.

April 25th was national Indiependent bookstore day, and all over the country people spent the day supporting these stores through book buying block parties, exclusive author signings, and special story times for families. Chicago does things a bit differently by hosting a city wide bookstore crawl. A whopping 82 independent bookstores participated in the crawl this year which is a significant increase from the 54 stores last year. Goblin Market, Unabridged Books, and Women and Children First are a few of the queer-owned indie bookstores that participate in the bookstore crawl.

If you missed independent bookstore day this year, worry not because these queer owned bookstores are open year round. You also have time to plan your route for next year, and should add these stores to your 2027 bookstore crawl.

Anna's Word

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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.