Iowa & University of Pennsylvania remove protections for our trans siblings, Artis Restaurant needs our support and Noah’s Arc makes history - July 7, 2025
Release Date: 07/07/2025
Queer News on E3 Radio
Family, this week on Queer News we’re watching blue states draw a legal line in the sand as they sue the Trump administration for attacking gender-affirming care. In a major win for reproductive justice, a federal judge blocks efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. In culture and entertainment, we celebrate the crowning of the first King of Drag, bid farewell to Dinah Shore founder Mariah Hanson, and get a much-needed laugh from TS Madison and Laverne Cox on Family Feud. Plus, I bring you Baldwin’s words, wisdom, and rage as we celebrate his birthday. Let’s get into it. Want to...
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Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn and you’re listening to Queer News, your weekly pod where race & sexuality meet politics, culture, and entertainment. Only on E3 Radio. This week, I’m coming to you with a heart full of gratitude and a story full of hope. Amidst a chaotic week caring for my family, a bright moment stopped me in my tracks: Lambda Legal won a massive legal victory that restored $6.2 million in funding to LGBTQ+ and HIV organizations. I knew we had to talk about it. So I sat down with Jose Abrigo, Lambda’s HIV Project Director, to...
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This week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn is holding space for the hard and the hopeful as Iowa becomes the first state to strip gender identity from civil rights protections, and UPenn caves to Trump’s threats, erasing Lia Thomas’ NCAA wins. We hear about the family of Chyna Long, a Black trans woman, finally getting some justice in court. Then there’s resilience too: nearly 100,000 march for Pride in Budapest despite a government ban, Noah’s Arc: The Movie makes Black queer history on Paramount+, and Chicago’s Artis restaurant fights to stay open after tragedy. From heartbreak to...
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Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn, and this is Queer News — your favorite weekly news pod where race & sexuality meet politics, culture, and entertainment. This week, we’re wrapping up Pride month with headlines you need to know: the Supreme Court keeps lifesaving HIV prevention free under the Affordable Care Act, Chicago is officially named the #1 safest travel destination for LGBTQ folks, and Netflix drops a powerful new documentary honoring ballroom legend Venus Xtravaganza. From legal wins to cultural milestones, let’s get into it. Want to...
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In this episode of Queer News, Anna breaks down one of the most significant legal wins for trans rights this year—a federal judge blocking Trump’s ban on gender-affirming care for incarcerated trans folks. We remember Laura Schueler, a beloved Black trans woman murdered in Cincinnati, and we honor the 49 lives lost at Pulse Nightclub nine years ago. Plus, we celebrate the power of protest and performance: four drag queens crashing Trump’s Kennedy Center return with defiance and dignity. Contributor Benjamin Coy takes us to the Native Son Gala, a night honoring the brilliance of...
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Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn, and this is Queer News — your favorite weekly news pod where race and sexuality meet politics, culture, and entertainment. This week’s episode is unlike any other because I’m fresh off the plane from WorldPride Washington, DC 2025 and bringing you a special edition filled with the powerful voices, moments, and movements that made the week unforgettable. In this special recap, Anna shares firsthand reflections from the week that brought LGBTQIA+ activists, artists, and leaders together from across the globe. From...
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In this special episode of Queer News, Anna drops the script and speaks directly from the heart. As Pride Month begins amidst a wave of political attacks, rising hate crimes, and corporate retreat, Anna reflects on the importance of joy as resistance and why we must never stop telling our stories. From celebrating her upcoming WorldPride panels in DC to spotlighting a heartbreaking hate crime in Illinois, this episode is raw, unfiltered, and full of fire. We also hear from contributor Jake Wittich of Windy City Times, who reports on a recent anti-LGBTQ hate crime in Illinois...
info_outlineThis week on Queer News, Anna DeShawn is holding space for the hard and the hopeful as Iowa becomes the first state to strip gender identity from civil rights protections, and UPenn caves to Trump’s threats, erasing Lia Thomas’ NCAA wins. We hear about the family of Chyna Long, a Black trans woman, finally getting some justice in court. Then there’s resilience too: nearly 100,000 march for Pride in Budapest despite a government ban, Noah’s Arc: The Movie makes Black queer history on Paramount+, and Chicago’s Artis restaurant fights to stay open after tragedy. From heartbreak to historic wins, let’s get into it.
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02:50 Queer News Headlines
03:35 Iowa is First to Remove Gender Identity from Civil Rights Code
05:50 Chyna Long’s Murdered is Sentenced in Milwaukee
08:32 UPenn Erases Lia Thomas’ NCAA Titles Under Trump Pressure
12:40 RSVP for Black Sex Series, https://events.eventnoire.com/e/black-sex-series
13:20 Your Mental Health Coverage Is Just As Important As Your Physical Health Coverage., https://getcovered.illinois.gov/resources/mental-health-parity.html
13:36 Howard Brown is on the South Side too, https://howardbrown.org/service/community-testing-sites-outreach-services/
14:16 100,000 March in Budapest Pride, Defying Government Ban
16:13 Chicago’s Artis Restaurant Faces Closure After Mass Shooting
19:30 Noah’s Arc: The Movie Makes Streaming History
21:26 Anna's Got A Word
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Politics
⚖️ Iowa is First to Remove Gender Identity from Civil Rights Code
After nearly two decades, Iowa lawmakers reversed protections, making it legal to fire, evict, or deny service to trans people. Medicaid will no longer cover gender-affirming care, and birth certificates must match sex assigned at birth erasing visibility and safety for trans Iowans.
🩺 UPenn Erases Lia Thomas’ NCAA Titles Under Trump Pressure
Facing threats to freeze $175 million in research funding, UPenn caved, stripping Lia Thomas’ titles and banning trans women athletes from women’s spaces. Advocates say this isn’t about fairness, but about erasure.
🕊️ Chyna Long’s Murdered is Sentenced in Milwaukee
Two years after she was murdered, the man responsible has been sentenced to 50 years. Chyna’s family remembers her joy and truth, knowing nothing will bring her back but hoping this stops future violence.
Culture & Entertainment
🏳️🌈 100,000 March in Budapest Pride, Defying Government Ban
Despite threats, surveillance, and fines, LGBTQ+ Hungarians and allies marched in their largest Pride ever reminding the world that Pride began as resistance.
🍽️ Chicago’s Artis Restaurant Faces Closure After Mass Shooting
After tragedy struck outside this Black lesbian-owned safe space, city officials push to close it down. The community is rallying to keep Artis’ doors open and protect what it stands for.
🎬 Noah’s Arc: The Movie Makes Streaming History
The first all-Black gay film to break into Paramount+’s Top 10, proving again the hunger and need for authentic Black queer stories.
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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 every Monday by 9am CT.
Edited by Ryan Woodhall.
Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.