Ep. 265: LGBTQ+ News: Maine Trans Ballot KILLED, Malaysia Raids & DC Black Pride | May 28

Six stories as we count down to Pride Month: Maine's Secretary of State killed an anti-trans ballot measure after more than 12,500 petition signatures were found to be invalid or forged — leaving the campaign funded by out-of-state billionaire Richard Uihlein just 532 signatures short. New research reveals that more than a quarter of LGBTQ+ people feel underrepresented or excluded by mainstream Pride Month celebrations, with 10% saying they now avoid public LGBTQ+ spaces due to the political climate. A man was arrested in Washington D.C. for threatening to shoot a bar employee with homophobic slurs during DC Black Pride weekend on the U Street corridor. DC Black Pride, celebrating its 35th anniversary under the theme "New Black Renaissance," faced corporate sponsors going dark under pressure from the orange convicted felon's anti-DEI campaign — though many continued giving quietly. Malaysian police conducted four raids on Kuala Lumpur hotels on May 24th, arresting 51 men in connection with what authorities labeled a "gay party." One man was pronounced dead at the hospital. Homosexuality remains criminalized in Malaysia under both civil and Islamic law. And 9-1-1 star Oliver Stark declared at a fan convention that he is "absolutely proud" to play bisexual character Buck — pushing back on stereotypes about bi men and sending a powerful message just days before Pride Month begins. 🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts | listenupgirl.com 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.