The Annual Hero Awards celebrates businesses and business owners who exemplify outstanding dedication, leadership, and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community in Greater Phoenix. This prestigious event recognizes individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to foster inclusivity, champion equality, and create meaningful change. Honorees are leaders who inspire progress, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ rights, representation, and well-being. Their efforts strengthen our community, making Greater Phoenix a more equitable and welcoming place for all. The Hero Awards is an evening of celebration, featuring inspiring stories, impactful connections, and recognition of the exceptional contributions that drive our shared vision of equality.

https://www.equalitychamber.org/

The Phoenix Film Festival returns March 27 – April 6 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Over the past two decades, the Phoenix Film Festival has been a stage for thousands of aspiring filmmakers, debuting over 150 films annually. This year, the festival is continuing to spotlight diverse stories and storytellers including a fantastic lineup of LGBTQ+ films!

Here are some of the highlights. You can learn more about these films HERE and review the entire festival schedule HERE.

Jess Plus None

A reluctant maid-of-honor attends her best friend’s off-the-grid wedding in the woods, where she’s forced to confront her perfect ex-girlfriend, her more successful college friends, and every bad choice she’s made in her life so far.

Screening Time(s):
Friday, March 28 at 9:20am
Saturday, March 29 at 6:05pm
Sunday, March 30 at 1:40pm

This is Me

This is Me explores the challenges (from both within and society) that face the LGBTQ+ community. Transgender men and women must cope with being disowned by family and friends, hated by strangers, survive their internal struggles, to find the love and happiness that the rest of the world takes for granted.

Screening Time(s):
Saturday, March 29 at 1:25pm

Heightened Scrutiny

Heightened Scrutiny follows Chase Strangio, ACLU attorney and the first out trans person to argue before the Supreme Court, as he fights a high-stakes legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (United States v. Skrmetti). The film exposes the dangerous role of mainstream media in fueling anti-trans legislation, uncovering how biased coverage drives hate, endangers lives, and threatens democracy itself. With insights from journalists like Jelani Cobb, Lydia Polgreen, and Gina Chua, and activists like Laverne Cox, the story dismantles anti-trans disinformation and highlights its devastating real-world impact. As SCOTUS prepares to rule on the case, Heightened Scrutiny reveals the fight for bodily autonomy as a fight for the soul of democracy, offering a powerful call to action against bigotry and injustice.

Screening Time(s):
Monday, Mar 31 at 2:25pm
Wednesday, April 2 at 9:15pm

Join the Club

After losing his lover to AIDS, rebel activist Dennis Peron launches the first public cannabis dispensary in the nation, skirting the law in pursuit of true justice–the legalization of medical marijuana.

Screening Time(s):
Friday, Apr 4 at 01:20pm
Saturday, Apr 5 at 08:05pm

Tickets are now on sale and you can get yours HERE! You won’t want to miss out on seeing these incredible films!

For more information, call 480-513-3195 or go to www.phoenixfilmfestival.com.

Record heat during the Pride Weekend 2024 in September was a major factor in making the decision.

Tucson, February 20, 2025: Tucson Pride announces Tucson Pride Weekend 2025 will be presented over November 21-23.

Since 2009, Tucson Pride Weekend has been held in late September or early October after moving from the national Pride month of June due to Tucson’s summer heat. However, in response to Tucson’s high temperatures extending past September over the last several years, Tucson Pride’s board of directors decided it was necessary to move Pride Weekend to a more temperate month.

“Tucson experienced record heat over the last weekend of September 2024 which, unfortunately, was Tucson Pride Weekend.” says board president, Jeff Myers-Fulgham. “The event dates are secured nearly a year out so there was no way we could have guessed Pride Weekend would be in the middle of a historic heat wave. The stress it put on our attendees, vendors, performers and volunteers was incredible. Within days of the Pride Weekend 2024 ending, we realized we needed to move it to a cooler month starting in 2025.”

Tucson Pride is excited for the move. “Tucson is absolutely beautiful in November. Besides giving our city a Pride Weekend during pleasant temperatures, we’re hoping to become a destination Pride event for our LGBTQIA+ community in colder cities” continues Myers-Fulgham, “Who wouldn’t want to get out of Minnesota in November for a fun-filled Pride Weekend in Tucson?”

Founded in 1977, Tucson Pride is the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration in the United States, following New York City and San Francisco. Tucson Pride is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and is 100% volunteer driven.

Denver, CO, January, 2025 – Combining laughter and purpose, the nation-wide “Here to Pee” Tour, organized by trans activists and comedians, will kick off in Denver, Colorado. This first of its kind tour will stop in all 50 states highlighting trans performers and local LGBTQ+ organizations doing life saving work in their communities. In different cities across the country each show on the tour will feature and amplify trans voices as performers tackle both the challenges and joys of gender diversity through stand-up comedy that is as insightful as it is hilarious.

“We’re bringing trans visibility to every corner of the country. Although this tour is founded in potty humor, it sheds light on the very real, very menacing issue of barring trans people from accessing public spaces,” said organizer and trans activist Ren Q. Dawe. “but we are going to have the last laugh.”

Ren Q. Dawe, lead organizer of the “Here to Pee” Tour, saw firsthand the need for this groundbreaking tour after visiting 40 cities in 16 states and performing in front of over 10,000 people in 2024. In each city, members of the local trans community shared their own experiences and the ways that the current political climate has impacted their lives.

The increase of organized attacks on LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans people, have left LGBTQ+ community and advocacy groups scrambling for the necessary resources to support and protect their communities.

The organizers and performers on the tour are committed to helping local communities by donating a percentage of ticket proceeds to local nonprofits that serve the LGBTQ+ community and provide direct service to trans individuals.

A film crew led by award-winning documentarian Jeff Stonic will follow the tour, capturing not only the on-stage performances but also the heart of the project—each city’s unique activism efforts, the lives of those impacted by anti-trans legislation, and the communities rallying behind them. The film aims to shine a national spotlight on the importance of grassroots LGBTQ+ organizations, sharing their stories with audiences everywhere.

Tour Details and Communications
For tickets and more information on tour dates, cities, featured comedians and community partner organizations, follow @RenQComedy and @HereToPee on social media or visit www.heretopee.com.

Background Information

• Info

• “Here to Pee” Tour Website 
• “Here to Pee” Quotes from Associated Partners
• Graphics for West Coast Leg of the Tour
• Headshots and Bios for of Performers
• Documentarian: jeff stonic shot it 

• Press on the Here to Pee Tour

• Trans comedians have advice for Dave Chappelle | Out Magazine 
• Dear trans youth: messages from icons to trans youth | Out Magazine
• Trans Comedians Embark on 50-State Protest Tour | NYCTastemakers
• The Here to Pee Tour Champions Trans Visibility | Artist Weekly

Trans Bathrooms / Trans Rights Resources

• Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures | ACLU
• Bans on Transgender People Using Public Bathrooms and Facilities | MAP
• Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures | ACLU
• Bans on Transgender People Using Public Bathrooms and Facilities | MAP
• 4 Big Problems With Anti-Trans Bathroom Bills – and How You Can Help | GLSEN
• Transgender bathroom bills are back | NPR 

Tour Information

WEST COAST

• Saturday, March 1, 2025 | Boulder, CO @ Junkyard Social Club
• Tuesday, March 4, 2025 | Casper, WY @ Racca’s
• Wednesday, March 5, 2025 | Missoula, MT @ Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center
• Thursday, March 6, 2025 | Boise, ID @ The Lounge
• Friday, March 7, 2025 | Seattle, WA @ The Rendezvous (Jewelbox Theatre)
• Monday, March 10, 2025 | Portland, OR @ The Siren Theatre
• Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | Los Angeles, CA @ The Print Shop LA
• Saturday, March 15, 2025 | Reno, NV @ Carl’s Saloon
• Sunday, March 16, 2025 | Phoenix, AZ @ Boycott Bar
• Thursday, March 20, 2025 | Albuquerque, NM @ Sidewinders​

WASHINGTON— The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) and Lambda Legal today filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Trump administration’s ban on military service by transgender individuals. The lawsuit, brought in response to the administration’s executive order, was filed on behalf of seven actively serving transgender service members, a transgender person seeking to enlist in the military, and Gender Justice League, a civil and human rights organization headquartered in Seattle.

“This discriminatory ban is a threat to our national security, wastes years of training and financial investments, and is unconstitutional,” said Sarah Warbelow, Vice President of Legal, Human Rights Campaign Foundation. “Thousands of transgender servicemembers have already met the military’s rigorous standards and more than proven themselves. Our military must be able to recruit the best candidates, retain the highly-trained servicemembers, and every qualified patriot should be able to serve free of discrimination. Thank you to the courageous plaintiffs who have already sacrificed so much for this country, and now are fighting to continue their service in the face of a cruel and dangerous ban.”

“This ban not only wrongfully prevents patriotic, talented Americans from serving, it also compromises the safety and security of our country,” said Sasha Buchert, Counsel and Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project Director, Lambda Legal. “Thousands of current service members are transgender, and many have been serving courageously and successfully in the U.S. military. Once again attacking a vulnerable population based on bias, political opportunism and demonstrably untrue ‘alternative facts,’ President Trump is seeking to deny courageous transgender people the opportunity to serve our country. He’s got to get through us first.”

Lambda Legal and HRCF filed the lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The plaintiffs include:

1. Commander Emily “Hawking” Shilling, United States Navy, with 19 years of service.
2. Commander Blake Dremann, United States Navy, with 19 years of service.
3. Lieutenant Commander Geirid Morgan, United States Navy, with 14 years of service.
4. Sergeant First Class Cathrine “Katie” Schmid, United States Army, with 20 years of service.
5. Sergeant First Class Jane Doe, United States Army, with 17 years of service.
6. Staff Sergeant Videl Leins, United States Air Force, with 16 years of service.
7. Mr. Matthew Medina, a transgender person seeking to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
8. Gender Justice League, a civil and human rights organization.

“The assertion that transgender service members like myself are inherently untrustworthy or lack honor is an insult to all who have dedicated their lives to defending this country,” said Commander Emily Shilling, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “My nearly two decades of service as a naval aviator and test pilot, routinely selected for the most challenging leadership roles, with 60 combat missions and over 1,700 flight hours in high-performance jets, speaks for itself. I have been selected for promotion and ranked number one in my community for merit. Not because of my identity, our boards are deliberately blind to such things, but because my performance and leadership set me apart. What greater proof of merit is required? This ban is not about readiness or cohesion, and it is certainly not about merit. It is about exclusion and betrayal, purposely targeting those of us who volunteered to serve, simply for having the courage and integrity to live our truth.”

“I am one of thousands of transgender service members currently serving honorably on active duty in the US military,” said Geirid Morgan, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “Transgender Americans who volunteer to serve in the Armed Forces meet the same standards and requirements to serve as any other warfighter and we have earned our place in the military. Our Nation has invested billions of dollars into our military training and experience, and we have invested years of our lives and countless hours of hard work in service to this Nation. I am truly hopeful that our case filing will ensure that those investments don’t go to waste. Our dedication and our sacrifice, as well as that of our families, is not worth any less to the military or the American people.”

“This Executive Order is nothing more than just a discriminatory attack against transgender individuals like myself and many others to paint us as the problem in today’s world and keep everyone else distracted from the actual problems at hand like mental health, veteran benefits and many more,” said Matthew Medina, speaking in his personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “I cannot stand for this blatant exploitation of human rights to go on any further and I will not be shamed for my identity. I am human first like everyone else and should only be seen for my humanity.”

“I’ve served my country for 20 years. I’ve deployed across half the world, led Soldiers in all kinds of weather and fought in every domain,” said Cathrine Schmid, speaking in her personal capacity and whose views and opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Navy or Department of Defense. “The Army invested in my skills, awarded my performance, and entrusted me to uphold the values of our noble profession. I ask nothing more than to continue that mission. Let the DoD prove its dedication to merit and performance over arbitrary measures like the fact that I’m trans and let me serve.”

“Gender Justice League is honored to stand with the thousands of brave trans service members in fighting for a US Military that bases employment on merit, qualifications, and that does not discriminate simply on the basis of who people are,” said Danni Askini, Executive Director, Gender Justice League. “For the last 10 years, tens of thousands of transgender people have served our country honorably in all branches in nearly all fields. This executive order harms our military’s retention, recruitment, and deprives us of highly trained service members when we need them most.”

In 2017, then President Trump announced via tweet his intention to ban transgender Americans from serving openly in the U.S. Armed Services. The Human Rights Campaign, represented by Lambda Legal and the Modern Military Association of America sued to block this policy, one of several such lawsuits filed by sister organizations across the country. Courts unanimously blocked the policy before the Supreme Court allowed it to take effect during the pendency of the cases. The Biden administration later rescinded the policy upon taking office in 2021.

Read about the first lawsuit, Karnoski v. Trump,here.

The government-commissioned RAND study released in May 2016 determined that the cost of providing transition-related care is exceedingly small relative to U.S. Armed Forces overall health care expenditures, that there are no readiness implications that prevent transgender members from serving openly, and that numerous foreign militaries have successfully permitted open service without a negative effect on effectiveness, readiness or unit cohesion.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation attorneys working on the case are: Sarah Warbelow, Cynthia Weaver, and Ami Patel. They are joined by co-counsel Sasha Buchert, Jenny Pizer, Camilla Taylor, Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Kenneth Upton, and Kell Olson of Lambda Legal.