Hi there,

⛪ Who will be the next pope? We'll find out soon enough. The conclave is underway to decide who will replace Pope Francis, a pretty progressive pope regarding LGBTQ+ topics. The next pontiff could be one who will continue Francis's legacy, or we could see a move back to more conservative Catholic doctrine. Here are some of the contenders.

🚔 One of Trump’s latest schemes is to reopen the notorious federal prison on Alcatraz Island, just off the coast of San Francisco. Many gay and bisexual men were held at Alcatraz, some imprisoned simply because of having sex with other men — and one was a convicted murderer who became a bird expert and had his story told on film.

🚨 Seven Democratic U.S. senators sent a letter Wednesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denouncing the Trump administration’s plan to cut funding for a crisis and suicide prevention program for LGBTQ+ youth.

Onwards and upwards,

Alex Cooper

Editor-in-chief, The Advocate

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