🪐 Meet the lesbian scientist who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom

Plus, watch Sherry Cola defend queer youth Hi there, [Nineteen people received the Presidential Medal of Freedom]( on Friday, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and [LGBTQ]( rights advocate Judy Shepard. Jane Rigby also received one. But who exactly is the lauded scientist? 🔭 🪐 Rigby is a lesbian and is a civil servant astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, as well as the senior project scientist at the James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful telescope in the world. She has also done extensive data research for the Keck and Magellan Observatories and the Hubble Space Telescope. 🌈 Sherry Cola recently partnered with GLAAD for a special campaign all about empowering LGBTQ+ youth called #ProtectThisKid. The campaign aims to highlight the crucial fact that queer youth will eventually become queer adults and that their rights should not be dependent on their ages. “Queerness is something that society has brainwashed us into thinking we shouldn't embrace,” [Cola told The Advocate]( Advocate](. “I hope that this creates a ripple effect and shows all the LGBTQ youth that you should be proud of who you are. And I see it – the future is bright.” 🌈 Onward and upward, Alex Cooper [Who is Jane Rigby, the lesbian scientist who just received a Medal of Freedom?]( [Watch Sherry Cola passionately defend LGBTQ+ youth: 'Queerness is such a superpower' (exclusive)]( [Megyn Kelly’s latest conspiracy theory about student furries at Utah Middle School debunked]( [Judy Shepard more than deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom for what she's done to protect LGBTQ+ lives]( [RFK Jr. makes California ballot by collaborating with political party with a bigoted, anti-LGBTQ+ past]( [Dua Lipa thanks her devoted gay fans by dropping 'mature' new album 'Radical Optimism']( [These 4 states don't allow pregnant women to get a divorce]( Look, the answer! Each week, The Advocate newsletter has a little bit of LGBTQ+ trivia. Tuesday, you'll get the question. Thursday, you'll get a hint. And today, you'll get the answer. This week’s question is: Who was the first out LGBTQ+ White House Press Secretary? This week's answer is: Karine Jean-Pierre. She is the first immigrant, the first Black woman, and the first LGBTQ+ person to hold the position. [Check out our recent interview with her here.]( Reply to this email with the answer and you may get a shout-out in a future newsletter! What you should also be reading: - [Justice Smith opens up about how his perfectionism was making him 'miserable']( (Pride) - [Andrew Haigh is directing a Leonardo da Vinci biopic that may be SUPER gay]( (Pride) - [Breaking down 'Selling the OC's bisexual chaos, accusations & receipt]( (Out) - [Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd investigated for dating trans actress who auditioned for show]( (Out) Do you know someone who would like to receive The Advocate newsletter? Share it with them! [Click to email a link to your friends]( Keep up with the latest LGBTQ+ news -- from politics to entertainment to opinions from queer voices. The Advocate is part of [equalpride]( a proudly LGBTQ-owned and operated media company that serves as a leading voice on equality with LGBTQ, women and people of color. Follow us [X]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( Copyright © 2024 equalpride. All rights reserved. PO Box 241579, Los Angeles, CA 90024 [Privacy policy]( [Terms of use](