Pro-LGBTQ+ Democrats sweep off-year elections across the country & show that anti-trans rhetoric can fail

Key wins:

• Republicans tried to make Virginia’s election about trans people and lost everything: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and at least 13 state House seats.
• Democrat Mikie Sherill beat an anti-LGBTQ+ Republican for New Jersey governor.
• Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the race for New York City mayor and promised to support trans people in his victory speech.
• Democrat Erica Deuso became the first out trans mayor elected in Pennsylvania.
• Democrats won a supermajority in the New Jersey Assembly.

Why it matters: Not only do these wins help secure LGBTQ+ people’s rights in their districts and states, they’re also a sign of voters’ increasing frustration with the current MAGA federal government and bode well for Democrats in 2026.

Democrats sweep in historic races across the country: “This is as big as it gets”

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The Supreme Court allows the administration to ban trans people from getting the correct passport

Did the conservative justices even explain the decision?: No, they used the shadow docket. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a dissenting opinion, though, and was joined by the two other Democratic appointees, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. According to them, the conservative justices “once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification.”

Why it matters: Trans people could face harassment, discrimination, and even be kept from traveling because they can’t get a passport that matches their identity, their presentation, and their other documents.

Supreme Court allows Trump’s anti-trans passport order to continue

The Netherlands will soon have its first gay prime minister with Rob Jetten

Is he taken?: Rob Jetten is engaged to field hockey player and Olympian Nico Keenan, and they proudly post pics together to Instagram.

Why it matters: LGBTQ+ people are underrepresented among world leaders and in elected office.

Netherlands is close to electing its first gay prime minister

LGBTQ+ rights champion Nancy Pelosi announces her retirement

Key quote: “As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power. We have made history. We have made progress. We have always led the way, and now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our Democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.”

Why it matters: Representative and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has championed LGBTQ+ equality throughout her career, including when she was first elected to Congress in the 1980s and fought for those impacted by HIV/AIDS.

“Know your power”: History-making Rep. Nancy Pelosi announces retirement from House

Uganda considers law that could send people to jail for 10 years if they identify as LGBTQ+

What this would change: The bill would make it illegal to even identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer in a country that already has harsh anti-gay laws.

Why it matters: LGBTQ+ people in Uganda are severely oppressed, and this would make it harder for them to even advocate for themselves. Such laws also tend to put a target on LGBTQ+ people’s backs and increase violence against them.

New bill would send people to prison for 10 years for identifying as LGBTQ+ in Uganda

In pictures

Palm Springs, California, celebrated Halloween last week and, perhaps unsurprisingly for the very queer city, some came dressed in LGBTQ+ costumes. Here, resident Brad Elsberry dressed as a rainbow Calavera Catrina.

TJ Wilkinson dressed as Frank N. Furter of Rocky Horror fame.

This person wore a Keith Haring-inspired look. Haring was an out gay pop artist whose work often dealt with the AIDS crisis.

And here are some interesting queer and trans reads

LGBTQ Nation editor Molly Sprayregen talked to Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) – along with her parents – about growing up transgender and how parents can support their trans children in LGBTQ Nation’s November Issue cover story.

“A Person With Parents”: How Sarah McBride and her family stay strong in the face of transphobia

LGBTQ Nation editor-in-chief Alex Bollinger discussed how anti-gay jokes are still anti-gay even if they’re made by liberals.

A liberal comedian called JD Vance a “queer-eyed freak show.” LGBTQ+ people aren’t a punchline.

LGBTQ Nation contributor Greg Owen talked to an organization that supports parents of trans youth.

A liberal comedian called JD Vance a “queer-eyed freak show.” LGBTQ+ people aren’t a punchline.

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