The very same free speech arguments that lawyers used to attempt to defend sex shops and strip clubs in the late 1990’s are being used to defend against SESTA/FOSTA now — and the fallout is largely the same: erasure of so-called “deviance” for the sake of respectability and supposed “safety.”

Plus: Janelle Monae opens up about being a black queer woman, Lena Waithe pens an op-ed in Time about Hollywood’s black renaissance, Sara Ramirez is going to bat for #20BiTeen on Twitter, Kristen Gillebrand is fighting for trans service members, Carol and Therese art for Valentine’s Day, and so much more!

Topics include the new Veep trailer, Alicia Witt on “Orange is the New Black,” casting P-Valley, a lot of Lena Waithe related projects, how “Dating Around” found its cast (including lesbians!), a lot of shows with lesbian characters getting cancelled and more!

Stories include a record-breaking number of LGBTQ-inclusive films garnering Oscar nods, the long road to The Favourite, Kristen Stewart’s hot new haircut, queer Sundance picks, Batwoman gets a filming start date, gay women role models on TV, the Intimacy Coordinator of sex scenes, and so much more!

The Grammy Awards are extra queer, Ellen Degeneres is doing stand up again, trans folks speak out, and more!

Missy Elliott is nominated for the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, King Princess is queer pop royalty, more about that rainbow wave ??, She-Ra, Beyoncé and more!

The 71-year-old has prided herself on being a hard worker coming from a humble background and being a champion for the people. But her lackluster campaign and her not-so perfect record as Dallas County Sheriff has dampened Texans’ enthusiasm for her as a candidate, including this queer Tejana.

Some good news and hope to fill your week: Taiwan’s Pride Parade, new queer movies, Raveena celebrating queer brown love, Janelle Monáe, and queer polyamorous foster families!

Interviews with cast of Pose, queer women in World War II, Janelle Monáe of course, and coming out because you’re in love!

Tahani and Eleanor are not “off the table,” Helena Peabody’s ex-girlfriend is a lesbian psychologist on Law & Order SVU, the Runaways Season Two trailer is here and HOT, “The Bisexual” trailer is here and HOT, Chicago Fire might have a new LGBTQ character, some Trump supporters angry at Wanda Sykes, 100 Best Romantic Comedies and more!

Imagine a 2020 campaign where people of color, LGBT people, young people, single women — voters who have been taken for granted for YEARS — get to be the power brokers.

In an interview with King Princess for Wonderland Magazine, Amandla Stenberg reveals a recently uncovered truth about her sexual orientation — “I realised that I’m gay – not bi, not pan, but gay.”

Out lesbian Ruby Rose is cast as The CW’s Batwoman, a star-studded roundtable with trans actors graces the cover of Variety, “Head Over Heels” hits Broadway, Hayley Kiyoko deserves to win all her VMAs and more!

This week we’ve got teen lesbians joining intersectional feminist vampire cults, Jodie Foster, queer archives, and a Gay Music Video of the Week!!!

WNBA’s latest activism, nonbinary in the workplace, some new stats on LGBTQ identities, TEENS, Canada puts LGBTQ rights above religious freedom, the future of ‘queer’, plus more!

A personally curated list of complicated feelings surrounding July 4th, trans feminist vampire slayers, Meshell Ndegeocello has a new music video, and other evening news ready to take you into the weekend.

Sara Ramirez and Stephanie Beatriz want to be the sunshine in your lives, this administration remains a hellmouth, a roundup of the most rainbow places you can visit, and EVEN MORE LINKS FOR YOUR WEEK!

Daniela Vega’s performance in A Fantastic Woman reignites interest in Chilean gender identity bill, Lupe Valdez advances in Texas primary, Cynthia Nixon might run for governor why not, Philippines to consider same-sex marriage, Iraqi LGBT group uses street art to spread awareness, LGBT candidates running in Colombia, SXSW performers on LGBTQ representation, and a lot more jam-packed goodness!

Laverne Cox’s music video Beat To The Gods, LGBTQ athletes winning at the Olympics, Daniela Vega is the first openly trans presenter at the Oscars, gender-inclusive makeup launch, Pulse survivors join gun control activism, and tear-jerking photos of Black kids watching Black Panther that will probably destroy you in a good way.

The statistics on acceptance of LGBT people were generally staying the same or improving, until last year — when, as GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis puts it, “the acceptance pendulum abruptly stopped and swung in the opposite direction.”