1. The Trump Administration will allow anti-trans discrimination in health care. According to the Advocate, “The administration will reverse a mandate of the ACA which bars discrimination against trans patients and ensures they receive coverage for vital services.” The original ACA banned medical services from discriminating against patients based on sex. The Obama Presidency expanded that provision to trans and gender-nonconforming patents. The White House is claiming that according to a Texas federal judge’s January 2017 ruling, the 2010 law does not cover gender identity or presentation.
2. “Kingsman” actor Taron Egerton has been tapped to play Elton John in an upcoming biopic. The movie will likely be produced by Paramount, and will be directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hill. John and Egerton appeared together in last year’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.”
3. A candlelight vigil was held in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., in support of the two gay men who were attacked last Sunday in what police have called a hate crime. According to the Washington Blade, “Several speakers at the vigil, including lead organizer Jerry Blackmon, who heads an LGBT supportive kickball league, said they were prompted to take action after seeing a video of the attack taken by a bystander with a cell phone who posted it on Twitter.” Over 300 people showed up for the event.
4. A California bill would label gay conversion as a fraudulent practice. A new statute passed in the California Assembly would label the selling or advertising of the “therapy” as illegal. According to The Hill, “The bill does not ban people from selling conversion therapy books or talking about it — they just cannot advertise or sell the practice.”
5. VIDEO OF THE DAY: Who hurt Mike Pence? Queerty reporter Max Emerson went to Pence’s hometown, during their first Pride Festival, to get to the bottom of the pressing question: