This week on Queer News: Berlin Pride Attacked, $200 Million in HIV Funding in Limbo & Raven Symone to Receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
This week on the Queer News podcast, our top story covers Sam Nordquist’s accused torturer pleads guilty to all charges. In politics, the supreme court votes 6-3 in west virginia vs b. p. j a case that determines the future of trans athletes ability to participate in sports. In sports, the women’s pro baseball league reveals the first four teams and we provide a guide to WNBA’s All Star Weekend. In culture and entertainment, GLAAD releases their where we are in film study.This week on the Queer News podcast, we begin with breaking news out of Berlin after a white van ran into a crowd on Saturday during Berlin Pride. For our top story, 200 million dollars in HIV prevention federal grants are at risk because of Trump administration budget cuts. In politics, rugby team the Baltimore Ferals won’t comply with Trump’s trans sports ban. In culture and entertainment, Meshell Ndegeocello debuts a new album of cover songs, Raven Symone is to be honored on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and Chicago’s Esteem Awards uplifts courageous queers in the city. Let’s get into it!
Want to support this podcast? 🏳️🌈 Join the QCrew: If you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, support the work we do. Join the QCrew for as low as $5 a month, https://queernewspod.substack.com.
🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.
🌈✊🏾🏳️⚧️✨
00:26 Welcome to Queer News 03:05 Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/JoinQCrew 03:50 Berlin Attack 06:30 Queer News Headlines 07:19 200 Million in HIV Prevention Federal Grants At Risk 10:46 Rugby Team The Baltimore Ferals Wont Comply With Trumps Trans Sports Ban 13:43 Subscribe to our Newsletter 14:06 Send us your Queer News Tip 14:26 Meshell Ndegeocello Debuts New Cover Album 16:34 Raven Symone To Be Honored On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame 18:57 Chicago’s Esteem Awards Uplifts Courageous Queers In The City 21:30 Anna’s Word
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 349.
This Week’s Top Story
200 Million in HIV Prevention Federal Grants At Risk
200 million dollars in federal funding towards HIV prevention are at risk after the CDC allegedly declined to renew the grant program. The current grant runs through September, thanks to an extension passed earlier this year. Some speculate that the CDC will announce a new program and/or funding opportunity in place of the current grant, but with no guarantees, 96 organizations may be left without crucial funding. What’s interesting is this grant has been in circulation for more than 30 years, so to cut it now with no alternative in sign is alarming.
Organizations need this funding to continue providing free/low cost HIV prevention services to the general public. The lack of funding could also lead to the closing of even more HIV treatment sites. We’ve already seen a decrease in them since last year due to Trump’s increased cuts to funding. According to the human rights campaign, a study by amfAR found that over 1,700 HIV testing sites have already shuttered their doors since Trump took over.
This Week In Politics
Rugby Team The Baltimore Ferals Wont Comply With Trumps Trans Sports Ban
Rugby team the Baltimore Ferals refuse to comply with Trump’s Trans Sports ban. Back in February, USA rugby crumbled to Trump’s whims and made a policy stating that only people “assigned female at birth” could play on the women’s team.
A statement released by the team states “Trans women are women and belong in women’s sports…We are proud that so many of our opponents have shown us that they share these values and we hope that clubs around the nation continue to recruit and uplift trans players, especially in the face of transphobic policies.” The Guardian reported that “While most trans-exclusionary policies in sports face opposition, advocates say that no sport has seen the immediate, collective cry of resistance that US women’s rugby has in the aftermath of its ban.”
This Week In Culture & Entertainment
Meshell Ndegeocello Debuts New Cover Album
Poet, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello returns to the musical world with a brand new cover album. Tilted Synonym, Meshell describes the album as a collection of “classic songs that…have diverse tones, representing various genres and intentional grooves.”
In addition to diverse tones, this album is stacked with star studded features and collaborations. Celebrities like “Cat Power, Chaka Khan, Brandi Carlile, Bill Callahan, Chris Thile, Nick Hakim, Robert Glasper, Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, ANOHNI, and Willow” all make appearances on the album. Synonym releases on October 2, but is currently available for preorder wherever you buy music.
Raven Symone To Be Honored On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
WNBA All-Star Weekend is almost upon us, and if you don’t have your itinerary put together then what are you doing? I’ve rounded up a few events and activations that you don’t want to miss during the exciting and jam-packed weekend. WNBA Live presented by AWS will be at the McCormick Place July 23rd-25th. The fan festival aims to unite fans and players for a weekend full of celebration of the WNBA.
The Three Point contest and the Kia WNBA Shooting Stars take place on Friday the 24th. The All-Star game is on Saturday July 25th. Bliss Sundays, Ladies Love Us, and Lovers and Friends are partnering together to host a Lesbian WNBA All-Star Weekend full of meetups! Dirty Matriarch will be joining the fun on July 25th with an All-Star weekend after party at Tunnel Chicago. Yours truly will be co-hosting a WNBA trivia night with Shana Sumers at level sporting club on July 23rd at 8pm.
Chicago’s Esteem Awards Uplifts Courageous Queers In The City
Chicago’s Annual Esteem Awards was held last week at Sidetrack, and a handful of courageous Chicagoans received high honors.The Esteem Awards honors and celebrates “the changemakers, trailblazers, and community champions who are making a real difference in the lives of African American, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ communities and our allies.” Since the creation of the awards in 2007, more than 300 Chicagoans have received an esteem award.
Award recipients for the 2026 ceremony include: “chef Dominique Leach (Outstanding Female Service to the Community); Travis Gayles, MD (Outstanding Male Service to the Community); Darrius Caffey (Future Leader); Myah Brown (Outstanding Service, Transgender); Peter Gaona (Artistic Expression); Brandynicole Brooks (Outstanding Female Service National); with a special recognition for Jerry Jones, UB the Cure (Institutional Award); and the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project (Service Organization).”
Anna’s Word
“Think about how you can swag and surf in your own work, how you can bring people together, wrap your arms around somebody, move lock in step…” Anna DeShawn brings a word full of pure joy, unity, and electric energy to the family this week: Swag and Surf. Recounting an unforgettable night at the record-breaking WNBA All-Star Game at Chicago’s United Center, where nearly 20,000 fans packed the arena, Anna shares the magic of standing side-by-side with her wife and friend, locking arms with total strangers, and moving as one collective body. It’s a reminder that powerful moments don’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, unity comes from the simplest acts: connecting with the person next to you, locking arms, and riding the wave together. As you go through your week, consider this your invitation to bring people together, move in alignment, and create your own “swag and surf” moment in your community.
📢 Queer News Tip Line
Got a story I should cover? Send it my way!
🎧 We are Queer News Done Right.
🌈✊🏾🏳️⚧️✨
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 7am CT.
Edited by Ryan Woodhall.
Brought to you by E3 Radio, and distributed on The Qube.
