National
Jerri Ann Henry first woman ever named as Log Cabin executive director
Lesbian GOP activist lead efforts on marriage equality


Jerri Ann Henry will become new executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. (Photo courtesy of the Log Cabin Republicans)
Jerri Ann Henry, a communications strategist and GOP consultant, will take the helm of Log Cabin in the aftermath of the departure of Gregory Angelo, who announced in the weeks before the election he’d step down from the LGBT Republican group.
“Log Cabin Republicans have a rich history of grassroots activism and a legacy of great leaders, and there is no other organization better suited to offer solutions to today’s challenging political environment than us,” Henry said in a statement. “I’m humbled to step into this leadership role, and I don’t take it lightly — I believe my experience with the Republican Party and LGBTQ community, combined with this incredible team will allow us to build a strong, effective movement and grow the Republican Party of the future.”
Henry, who is the first woman to lead Log Cabin, will assume head of the organization as a new chapter begins in Washington with Democrats in control of the U.S. House after victories on Election Day, but President Trump still in the White House.
Prior to her new position, Henry was head of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, a group that sought to encourage support for marriage equality within the Republican Party leading up the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision for marriage equality nationwide. Henry also headed the Platform Reform campaign that sought to eliminate opposition to same-sex marriage in the 2016 Republican Party platform.
“We believe it’s not consistent with Republican values,” Henry told the Washington Blade in 2015. “We’re pro-limited government, we’re very pro-family. Having more families is a big deal in our community and makes for a more stable society. We would like to replace the hateful language with inclusive language that reinforces our commitment to the values of limited government, individual freedom and family, but is inclusive of all those views.”
Henry’s efforts, however, were ultimately unsuccessful. Not only did the Republican platform affirm opposition to same-sex marriage and support for a constitutional amendment reversing that decision, the document was declared by Log Cabin itself as the most anti-LGBT ever.
According to Log Cabin, Henry has worked in the last decade in D.C. on digital engagement tools for businesses and non-profits organizations. She has been recognized as a Rising Star by Campaigns & Elections and a Future 40 Leader by Maverick PAC.
Henry has also served in leadership roles with Maverick PAC, Young Republicans of Alexandria, Women’s Public Leadership Network (WPLN), the National Federation of Republican Women and the Texas State Society. A native of Dallas, Texas and a graduate of Texas A&M University, Henry resides with her spouse and their dog live in Alexandria, Va.
Angelo praised the selection of Henry as the new leader of Log Cabin in a statement, recognizing her past work in LGBT activism within the Republican Party.
“As someone who has known Jerri Ann Henry for years, I couldn’t be more pleased to see the Log Cabin Republicans and Liberty Education Forum Boards of Directors have chosen her to continue the proud legacy of both organizations into the future,” Angelo said.
New York
Two teens shot steps from Stonewall Inn after NYC Pride parade
One of the victims remains in critical condition

On Sunday night, following the annual NYC Pride March, two girls were shot in Sheridan Square, feet away from the historic Stonewall Inn.
According to an NYPD report, the two girls, aged 16 and 17, were shot around 10:15 p.m. as Pride festivities began to wind down. The 16-year-old was struck in the head and, according to police sources, is said to be in critical condition, while the 17-year-old was said to be in stable condition.
The Washington Blade confirmed with the NYPD the details from the police reports and learned no arrests had been made as of noon Monday.
The shooting took place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, mere feet away from the most famous gay bar in the city — if not the world — the Stonewall Inn. Earlier that day, hundreds of thousands of people marched down Christopher Street to celebrate 55 years of LGBTQ people standing up for their rights.
In June 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, members of the LGBTQ community pushed back, sparking what became known as the Stonewall riots. Over the course of two days, LGBTQ New Yorkers protested the discriminatory policing of queer spaces across the city and mobilized to speak out — and throw bottles if need be — at officers attempting to suppress their existence.
The following year, LGBTQ people returned to the Stonewall Inn and marched through the same streets where queer New Yorkers had been arrested, marking the first “Gay Pride March” in history and declaring that LGBTQ people were not going anywhere.
New York State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, whose district includes Greenwich Village, took to social media to comment on the shooting.
“After decades of peaceful Pride celebrations — this year gun fire and two people shot near the Stonewall Inn is a reminder that gun violence is everywhere,” the lesbian lawmaker said on X. “Guns are a problem despite the NRA BS.”
New York
Zohran Mamdani participates in NYC Pride parade
Mayoral candidate has detailed LGBTQ rights platform

Zohran Mamdani, the candidate for mayor of New York City who pulled a surprise victory in the primary contest last week, walked in the city’s Pride parade on Sunday.
The Democratic Socialist and New York State Assembly member published photos on social media with New York Attorney General Letitia James, telling followers it was “a joy to march in NYC Pride with the people’s champ” and to “see so many friends on this gorgeous day.”
“Happy Pride NYC,” he wrote, adding a rainbow emoji.
Mamdani’s platform includes a detailed plan for LGBTQ people who “across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment.”
His campaign website explains: “New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights.
“Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis confronting working class people across the city hits the LGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than the rest of the city.”
“The Mamdani administration will protect LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide, making NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city, and creating the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.”
U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court upholds ACA rule that makes PrEP, other preventative care free
Liberal justices joined three conservatives in majority opinion

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a portion of the Affordable Care Act requiring private health insurers to cover the cost of preventative care including PrEP, which significantly reduces the risk of transmitting HIV.
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh authored the majority opinion in the case, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management. He was joined by two conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, along with the three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown-Jackson.
The court’s decision rejected the plaintiffs’ challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s reliance on the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force to “unilaterally” determine which types of care and services must be covered by payors without cost-sharing.
An independent all-volunteer panel of nationally recognized experts in prevention and primary care, the 16 task force members are selected by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to serve four-year terms.
They are responsible for evaluating the efficacy of counseling, screenings for diseases like cancer and diabetes, and preventative medicines — like Truvada for PrEP, drugs to reduce heart disease and strokes, and eye ointment for newborns to prevent infections.
Parties bringing the challenge objected especially to the mandatory coverage of PrEP, with some arguing the drugs would “encourage and facilitate homosexual behavior” against their religious beliefs.
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