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The latest news from local authors

What’s Next in the Wave of U.S. Book Bans? The Rise of ‘Soft Censorship’

David Shelley, CEO of Hachette, one of the “big five” publishing houses, grew up in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain under Section 28, a law in place from 1988 to 2003 that prohibited schools from “promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality.” Recalling the 1980s, Shelley said his primary sources of information were teachers and libraries,

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Anti-LGBTQ+ education activist exposed as former gay adult film actor

Corey DeAngelis, a conservative education reform advocate known for his anti-LGBTQ+ views, has recently faced allegations of hypocrisy following the exposure of his past involvement in gay adult films. This revelation has sparked widespread criticism online, given his public opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion. DeAngelis, a self-proclaimed “school choice evangelist,” holds senior positions at

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Short: Fresno Pride (2024)

The five-minute short – “Fresno Pride” (2024) by Angeline Ruiz Cardenas, a local high school student – highlights the history of the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade and Festival, which was established in 1991. Alex Cisneros Soto, instructor and mentor. It includes an interview with Dr. Peter Robertson, an inaugural grand marshal, a founding member of

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Breakthrough Injectable HIV-Prevention Drug Proves Effective, but Costly

Lenacapavir (Sunlenca), administered every 26 weeks alongside daily antiretroviral therapy (ART), showed comparable HIV suppression. At week 54, viral suppression to fewer than 50 copies/mL was achieved in 85-90% of participants across three groups receiving lenacapavir, whether orally or subcutaneously every 26 weeks, combined with two daily oral ART drugs for the first 28 weeks,

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Famed Gay Penguin Passes Away

Sphen, an 11-year-old male gentoo penguin who became an international icon for his same-sex partnership with another male penguin, Magic, has died, according to the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. Sphen’s health deteriorated earlier this month, and the aquarium made the difficult decision to euthanize him to prevent further suffering. Sphen and Magic’s bond began six

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Assembly Bill 1825: The Fight to Protect Library Access and Diversity in California

The presentation was modest, featuring a few picture books on a bookcase. These included titles such as the ABCs of a Pride parade, biographies of the gay World War II codebreaker Alan Turing and 50 LGBTQ+ people who made history, the sex education manual “It’s Perfectly Normal,” a retelling of the Stonewall riot, and “My

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Lavish Spending at GLAAD: Inside the Controversial Expenses of Its CEO

Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD, a leading LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit, is facing scrutiny over lavish spending and potential policy violations. Despite GLAAD’s $30 million budget, Ellis’s expenses on luxury travel, hotels, and personal home office renovations are raising concerns. These expenditures, reviewed by The New York Times, included first-class flights, stays at high-end hotels,

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Image by Downtown Fresno Partnership

Tioga Sequoia Brewery Flag Saga

During the week of July 7th, Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company ignited a social media uproar when it was revealed that their director, John Ramirez, had removed the Pride Flag that had been displayed at their downtown Fresno location for years. Makenna Rae Christiansen, a bartender at Tioga-Sequoia, highlighted the removal on her Instagram story, noting that

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Attorney General Bonta Releases State of Pride Report in Honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month

Today, in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a new “State of Pride Report” highlighting the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent actions to support, uplift, and defend the rights of LGBTQ+ communities across California and beyond. Pride Month is a time to celebrate the beautiful strength and diversity of

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