1. Anti-LGBTQ evangelical preacher Billy Graham has died at the age of 99. Known as one of the pioneers of the modern evangelical Christian movement, Graham filled stadiums and was a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, calling homosexuality “detestable” and “a sinister form of perversion.” His son Franklin recently took over his father’s church.
2. Vermont Electric Cooperative CEO Christine Hallquist, 61, has announced her official candidacy for governor of Vermont. If elected, the Democrat would be the first transgender governor in the country. “I consider myself a very strong leader with a good history who happens to be transgender,” she said last month. “I mean, I’d ask the voters who may be struggling with the fact I am transgender to try to look beyond that. Try to look at what I’ve done.” The Vermont primaries are held in August.
3. In Fort Worth, Texas, Bryn Esplin and her wife, Fatma Marouf, both professors at Texas A&M University, are suing the Trump administration and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. They contend they were blocked from fostering refugee children because they’re a lesbian couple. They were told, according to the lawsuit, that they didn’t qualify to be foster parents because they didn’t “mirror the Holy Family.”
4. A Starz series premiering May 6 will shine a spotlight on the LGBTQ Latinx community, often under-represented on television.”Vida,” an East L.A.-set drama, was created by out Mexican-American writer Tanya Saracho (“Looking”/”How to Get Away With Murder”/”Girls”) and features gender-nonbinary actor Ser Anzoategui in the cast as Eddy, a queer woman; and Maria Elena Laas playing a lesbian named Cruz, whose role is pivotal.
5. VIDEO OF THE DAY: Genderqueer musician KERA describes their sound as “bipolar folk.” Take a listen to their first single, “I’m Late,” from their upcoming album, “Fall.Apart.”