I am so glad to be back in your inboxes today. We continue to see attacks against trans people in the US and globally, but we are also seeing so many stand up and fight back with us. And I am somehow, amidst it all, so excited about what we’re creating here.

As we enter our second year, I’m going to be experimenting with our premium content. I will be scaling back on some of the columns. I will continue to review books and interview cool people when I get the chance, but I want to focus on bigger stories, in-depth research, and action-oriented educational content for you.

So, I would love to ask for your recommendations! I am looking to connect with educational institutions and continuing education organizations serving health and wellness providers and practitioners.

I am developing a survey and standardized interview to do qualitative research on your queer trans health media literacy and education needs. When it’s ready, you’ll be the first to know, but I would love your suggestions for partners or contacts who would be willing to share the link.

Today is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day! The progress toward an HIV vaccine is a small bright spot in some dark days ahead, friends.

Last week, Trump released the 2026 “United States Counterterrorism Strategy” in which he declared war against “radically pro-transgender ideology,” something that has both trans people and our allies understandably concerned.

The NYU Langone subpoena pierces a safety bubble for trans youth patients and their families, with released grand jury documents confirming federal officials want names of every trans youth seen at the facility—part of a DOJ campaign targeting hospitals nationwide. Legal analysts say the subpoenas violate HIPAA.

The DOJ is all in on their anti-trans agenda: Texas Children's Hospital will open a detransition clinic following a federal investigation, while DOJ offered $25,000 bonuses to attorneys working on cases against trans people and immigrants.

But they are running into legal hurdles all along their path. A Trump-appointed judge blocked a Rhode Island subpoena after finding that DOJ had misled the courts in its pursuit of patient records, and a separate ruling halted FTC investigations into trans healthcare organizations on grounds of political retaliation.

At the state level, a Kansas court temporarily blocked that state's care ban, Wisconsin conservatives sued to overturn a conversion therapy ban, and New Jersey moved trans patient protections closer to law after passionate community testimony.

International

South Africa is preparing to launch the lenacapavir HIV prevention injection in June, which will offer twice-yearly protection against the virus in high-risk communities.

A trans discrimination ruling prompted Australian Liberal leader Angus Taylor to vow legal reforms, aiming to amend the country’s Sex Discrimination Act, so it not only no longer protects, but discriminates against transgender women in the establishment of “sex segregated” spaces.

The EU stopped short of a binding conversion therapy ban despite overwhelming public support to put an end to the legalized torture of queer and trans people.

Learn to dismantle transmedicalism: As resurgent transmedicalism debates intensify amid deteriorating conditions for trans people in the US and UK, this resource offers critical frameworks for understanding and countering transmedicalist ideology. With trans rights under sustained attack, having accessible tools to engage these internal debates strengthens community resilience.

Stand with African LGBTQ+ resistance: Activists are mobilizing against a major anti-LGBTQ+ conference using "African values" rhetoric scheduled during Pride Month in Ghana. This pushback is crucial as such conferences increasingly leverage cultural framing to justify discrimination across the continent.

For the Parents of Intersex Kids, Deciding how to Proceed Isn't Easy — Uncloseted Media — In the U.S., thousands of infants with intersex traits undergo medically unnecessary genital surgeries each year, often before they can consent.
Softening Your Body as a Transwoman on HRT: Strategies for Adding Fat in a Healthy Way — TransVitae — Transwomen on HRT can achieve a more feminine shape by following these strategies and learn how patience will help ensure sustainable changes.
Our Journalist Spoke to 4 Trans Foster Kids Who All Attempted Suicide. Why? [WATCH] — Uncloseted Media — Uncloseted journalist Sam Donndelinger talks about her findings from a months-long investigation into America's foster care system where she uncovered why trans kids regularly face abuse and neglect.
America's Broken Pipeline of Mental Healthcare for Trans Youth — Uncloseted Media — Despite strong demand, 44% of LGBTQ youth who want mental healthcare say they cannot access it.
They Detransitioned. They're Still Trans Allies. — Assigned Media — Lucy Kartikasari was only 19 when she underwent sterilization as a part of her transition to male. Eight years later, she started detransitioning.