Ep. 331: Anti-Gay Congressman Loses Seat, Canada Ends Donor Ban & More LGBTQ+ News

Broadway Bounces Actor After Transphobic Videos Resurface — Geno Segers was set to play Hades in Hadestown until old videos surfaced of him comparing trans people's fight for equal rights to people impersonating animals for discounted airfare, and mocking the idea of stating pronouns. Producers "mutually agreed" to part ways days after his casting was announced; his apology was criticized for not naming who was harmed. Canada Ends Decades of Discrimination Against Gay Sperm Donors — Health Canada eliminated sexual-behavior screening questions that specifically targeted gay and bisexual donors, following a years-long legal challenge from a donor named Aziz. Medical experts testified that modern HIV testing carries effectively zero residual risk. Advocates called it a precedent-setting win. Anti-Gay Congressman Loses His Seat — Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, known for saying "homosexuality has no place in America" and calling last year's Super Bowl halftime show "gay pornography," lost his Republican primary to a better-funded challenger who picked up a late endorsement from the state's own governor. He's the second Trump-endorsed House candidate to lose a primary this week. Chef Accuses Anti-LGBTQ+ Senator of Kissing a Male Escort — Chef and content creator Joe Gera posted a series of unverified allegations claiming Sen. Josh Hawley kissed a male escort and separately accused Sen. Bernie Moreno of being closeted. Neither senator has responded. Both allegations remain unproven. UK Parents of Trans Kids Say They Were Ignored — An advocacy group says it sent the UK government a detailed report on the harm of a new school policy targeting trans students and received no response, as families describe declining mental health under policies that out kids to classmates and leave teachers without guidance. Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy Is Engaged — Four-time Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy proposed to boyfriend Andrew Rigby on a clifftop off Mallorca, Spain, complete with a picnic and a surprise boat of friends. Kenworthy came out in 2015 and made history kissing his boyfriend on live TV during the 2018 Games. Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman https://www.listenupgirl.com/ Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ Podcast music: https://dillonderosa.com/ Thank you Dillion!!! GayBFF: the app where making LGBTQ+ friends is finally as easy as swiping — no dating pressure, just your people. https://gaybff.app/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gaybff-make-real-friends/id6795699619 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.