As Missouri lawmakers continue to introduce legislation targeting “adult cabaret performances,” two bills—Senate Bill 1476 and Senate Bill 1164—have drawn particular attention for their potential impact on drag. While neither bill explicitly bans drag, together they create a legal framework that could significantly restrict where and how drag performances take place across the state.…
St. Louis Transgender Community to Celebrate 4 Days of Trans Visibility
The St. Louis Transgender Community is proud to announce the 16th annual Trans Day of Visibility by organizing an historic series of events called Visibility for Our Lives: 4 Days of Trans Visibility. Events celebrating the joy and beauty of being Transgender will be taking place in various locations across the St. Louis region beginning…
Just John Co-Owner John Arnold Hospitalized After Major Heart Attack
John Arnold, co-owner of the popular LGBTQ bar Just John, is recovering after suffering a massive heart attack on Sunday following a pickleball game, according to an update shared by his husband, Adam Arnold. Arnold experienced what his cardiologist described as a “widow maker” heart attack — a 100% blockage of a critical coronary artery…
THISTL (Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis) is seeking donations for its Mutual Aid Fund
THISTL (Trans Housing Initiative St. Louis) is seeking donations for its Mutual Aid Fund, the organization’s longest-running program and a critical winter lifeline for transgender and gender-nonconforming TGNC people in the St. Louis region. Each year, the Mutual Aid Fund provides low-barrier rental assistance and emergency aid to TGNC community members facing housing instability. Aid…
Black Pride St. Louis to Hold Rally Defending Trans Youth
On January 13, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., landmark cases challenging bans that discriminate against transgender students under the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX. In response, the ACLU has called on Black Pride and TFAM organizations nationwide to host community activations…
The Opportunity Cost of Being a Hater
Opportunity cost is an economic term, but its most painful examples often play out in human relationships. It describes what we give up when we choose one path over another. When someone chooses to spend their time and energy hating—tracking enemies, nursing grudges, and relitigating conflicts—the opportunity cost isn’t abstract. It’s measured in friendships that…
Jordan Elizabeth Braxton Elected Co-President of United States Association of Pride Organizations
Jordan Elizabeth Braxton has been officially elected as Co-President of the United States Association of Pride (USAP), marking a significant milestone in her long-standing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ Pride Movement. The announcement was made during USAP’s December board meeting, where delegates from member Pride organizations across the country cast votes for national leadership positions. Braxton…
2025 Luminary Awards: The Art Doll
Sherelle Speed — known artistically as The Art Doll — is a surrealist painter whose work transforms personal pain into imaginative, dreamlike worlds. Her artistic journey began in 2015 after a traumatic experience pushed her to create an alternative reality through painting. A self-taught artist, Sherelle honed her craft through trial and error, studying the…
2025 Luminary Awards: Dannae Delano
An attorney with the Wagner Law Group, focusing on employee benefits law, executive compensation, and taxation, Dannae Delano wasn’t known for publicly weighing in on hot-button issues. That all changed a year ago. “When Trump was first elected, I was so angry. I believed the best in people, and I was angry that he…
2025 Luminary Awards: Maven Logik Lee
Maven Logik Lee is a multidisciplinary artist, community cultivator, and cultural producer whose work uplifts identity, empowerment, and authentic expression. As Executive Producer of Tens Across the Board, a documentary inspired by their acclaimed Tens Project, Maven has brought the artistry of ballroom to audiences across the U.S. and abroad, earning features on PBS…