🌈 Barack Obama endorsed marriage equality 12 years ago today

Plus, Pittsburgh's gay police chief is living his authentic life Hi all, Happy Thursday! ✨ We are introducing two new parts of this email newsletter today. ✨ - 🚨 The first: We want to hear your stories of queer joy. Big or small, what's made you happy this week? Tell us by responding to this newsletter. - 🚨 The second: Help us find the stories we should be covering. Below you'll find out how to contact us to share news tips. And now, back to your regularly scheduled email newsletter. Twelve years ago, [former President Barack Obama]( made a historic declaration on national television supporting same-sex marriages, a momentous event that would significantly shape the landscape of [LGBTQ]( rights in America. 🎉 📚 Kindness isn’t just about being nice to others, according to [author Jackson Cooper](. The out LGBTQ+ author is dissecting what it means to be kind in his new book, A Kids Book About Kindness — and he wants everyone to know that it’s never too early (or too late) to start thinking about how we treat others and ourselves. We also take a moment to remember [Starr Brown]( a Black [transgender]( woman who was shot and killed in Tennessee last month. 🚓 Larry Scirotto is Pittsburgh's first gay police chief. My colleague John Casey spoke to him about his job and being out. For those who are scared to live their truth, Scirotto's advice is "The world in which you think you live is much different when you get outside...There are lots of people that accept you for who you are and will welcome you for who you are.” Onward and upward, Alex Cooper [This queer author is teaching kids to be kind: 'There is nothing political about kindness']( [Barack Obama made history by publicly supporting same-sex marriages 12 years ago today]( [Now is the time for scouting to fully embrace trans and nonbinary youth]( [Black transgender woman Starr Brown shot to death in Memphis. Her coworker has confessed to the killing]( [Lesbian and bisexual women live shorter lives than straight women. Here's why]( [Pittsburgh’s gay police chief is stopping crime and living proud (exclusive)]( [South Carolina has passed a gender-affirming care ban. Here's what families can do]( [6 of South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem's craziest moments]( [Joe Fryer, NBC News' jack-of-all-trades, is his social studies class's newest celebrity]( 🌈✨🌈 Share some queer joy 🌈✨🌈 Got a joyful story? We'd love to hear it! Respond to the email and tell us something positively queer that's going on with you or your community. Look, a hint! Each week, The Advocate newsletter has a little bit of LGBTQ+ trivia. Tuesday, you'll get the question. Today, you'll get a hint. And Saturday, you'll get the answer. This week’s question is: Who created what is widely known as the transgender pride flag? This week's hint is: The flag made its debut in Arizona in 2000. Reply to this email with the answer and you may get a shout-out in a future newsletter! Do you have a news tip for us or know a story you think The Advocate should pursue? Get in touch. Email us at news@equalpride.com. What you should also be reading: - [Alyssa Edwards reveals her all-time favorite meme from RuPaul's Drag Race]( (Pride) - [Andy Cohen cleared of shocking allegations made against him by former Real Housewives]( (Pride) - [Michelle Visage reveals why RuPaul asked her to host Drag Race Down Under]( (Out) - [Here's who sparked the I Saw TV Glow stars' queer & trans awakenings]( (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](