Story 1 — Texas Children's Hospital Detransition Clinic Texas Children's Hospital agreed to open the nation's first "detransition clinic," pay $10 million, and fire five physicians as part of a settlement with Texas AG Ken Paxton and the Trump DOJ. The hospital denies wrongdoing and says it settled to avoid ongoing litigation. Sources: Texas Tribune, Axios Houston, Houston Public Media.

Story 2 — HIV Functional Cure Breakthrough Three participants in a clinical trial using broadly neutralizing antibodies suppressed HIV for months without antiretroviral therapy. Published May 16, 2026. Source: LGBTQ Nation, aidsmap.

Story 3 — Bureau of Prisons Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) demanded the BOP reverse anti-trans prison policies including bans on gender-affirming care even when self-funded, deadnaming, and forced facility transfers. The BOP rejected the demand. Source: Washington Blade.

Story 4 — Kansas Court Win Douglas County Judge Carl Folsom III temporarily blocked Kansas Senate Bill 63, banning gender-affirming care for trans minors, finding it likely violates the Kansas Constitution's equal protection and parental rights guarantees. ACLU filed suit on behalf of two trans teens. AG Kobach to appeal. Case: Loe v. Kansas. Source: ACLU, AP.

Story 5 — Japan Non-Binary Ruling The Osaka High Court ruled May 8 that Japan's national family registry (koseki) violates Article 14 of the constitution by offering only male/female gender options. The court called for national legislative reform. Sources: The Japan Times, PinkNews, Them.

Story 6 — GLAAD Social Media Safety Index GLAAD's 2026 SMSI found declining safety scores across all major platforms except TikTok. YouTube dropped 11 points to 30; X scored 29; Meta's platforms scored 39–41. Meta's 2025 policy changes allowed anti-LGBTQ rhetoric; YouTube removed gender identity from hate speech protections. Full report: glaad.org/smsi. Sources: GLAAD, The Advocate.

Story 7 — IDAHOBIT 2026 The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia was observed worldwide on May 17 under the theme "At the Heart of Democracy." The date marks the 1990 WHO decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness. More at may17.org. Source: ILGA World.

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!!!

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King Charles included a trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban in his King's Speech on May 13th — covering both sexual orientation and gender identity. Advocates are cautiously hopeful but note the UK has been promising this since 2018. NYU Langone is facing pressure from elected officials and LGBTQ+ organizers to reject a subpoena seeking medical records of transgender youth. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $10 million settlement with Texas Children's Hospital that forces the creation of a "Detransition Clinic" and the firing of five doctors who provided gender-affirming care. Japan's Osaka High Court ruled that the country's binary-only gender registration system violates the constitutional equality principle — a major step toward nonbinary legal recognition. Iran's football federation submitted ten demands to FIFA including a ban on Pride flags at World Cup matches, with Iran scheduled to play Egypt in Seattle's designated Pride Match on June 26th — a country where homosexuality is punishable by death. Poland registered its first same-sex marriage in Warsaw following an EU court ruling. Oxford University's rowing body banned trans women from Women's boats in a member vote of 49 against to just one in favor. And Seattle's LGBTQ+ Commission is urging the

00:55 — King Charles promises trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban

02:15 — NYU Langone faces pressure over trans youth medical records subpoena

03:20 — Texas forces "Detransition Clinic" and fires five doctors

04:45 — Japan's Osaka High Court rules binary gender registration unconstitutional

05:30 — Iran demands Pride flag ban at 2026 World Cup

07:00 — Poland registers its first same-sex marriage

07:50 — Oxford University rowing bans trans women from Women's boats

08:55 — Seattle LGBTQ+ Commission calls for civil state of emergency

09:20 — Outro

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!!!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Happy International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia! On Episode 1 of today's Listen Up Girl: Niecy Nash calls for more stories about masculine-identified queer women in parenting roles. Charles Barkley calls out homophobia in sports at the NBA Tip-Off. FKA Twigs is cast as bisexual icon Josephine Baker in a new biopic. Netflix renews Big Mistakes and signs Dan Levy. Russell Tovey and Olivia Colman star in an Alexander McQueen short film directed by Andrew Haigh. Spain tops Europe's LGBTQ+ Rainbow Map. Queen Latifah joins The Voice. And Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 amid a historic boycott.

00:00 — Intro & International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

01:15 — Niecy Nash on queer representation in parenting roles

03:00 — Charles Barkley calls out homophobia in sports

05:00 — FKA Twigs cast as Josephine Baker in new biopic

07:00 — Big Mistakes renewed for season 2 on Netflix

08:00 — Russell Tovey and Olivia Colman in Alexander McQueen short film Wild Bird

9:15 — Spain tops Europe's LGBTQ+ Rainbow Map

10:00 — Queen Latifah joins The Voice as coach

10:20 — Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026

10:45 — Outro

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!!!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.