Ep. 255: Jason Collins Dies + Trans Student Killed + GLAAD's Scary Social Media Report | 5/13/26

Today's episode covers seven stories from May 12–13, 2026. Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, passed away yesterday at 47 after an eight-month battle with glioblastoma. A 19-year-old trans student was stabbed and killed at the University of Washington; Turning Point USA postponed a campus event days later following widespread student backlash. GLAAD released its 2026 Social Media Safety Index, showing historic safety lows across Meta, YouTube, and X — TikTok was the only platform that did not decline. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged to recognize same-sex EU marriages and issued a rare public apology to same-sex couples for years of state-sanctioned rejection. Comedian Margaret Cho revealed she turned down her original role on Heated Rivalry due to fear of ICE detention at the US-Canada border. The Pulse nightclub in Orlando is being demolished to make way for a permanent memorial, against the backdrop of Florida's erasure of the Pulse rainbow crosswalk last year. And Spain claimed the top spot on ILGA-Europe's 2026 Rainbow Map — even as anti-LGBTQ+ violence in the country has sharply increased. Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedmanhttps://www.listenupgirl.com/Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.