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LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About
Candidate & Campaign Trainings in Full Swing!
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s trainings are in full swing in 2025, with six successful LGBTQ+ Leadership Summits already wrapped and another training at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School program completed. We’re proud to have welcomed over 120 LGBTQ+ leaders to our 2025 Candidate & Campaign Trainings (CCT), equipping them with the tools and strategies to run - and win - public office [[link removed]] . These trainings are designed to build political power by helping LGBTQ+ candidates sharpen their skills and expand their networks.
Next up: our Houston Candidate & Campaign Training kicks off in May! If you or someone you know is ready to step into leadership, now’s the time. Keep an eye out for more upcoming opportunities, and reach out to [email protected] to get involved or learn more.
Congratulations, Spring Victory Congressional Interns!
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute proudly celebrates the Spring 2025 cohort of Victory Congressional Interns, who have just completed their semester in Washington, DC [[link removed]] !
These outstanding LGBTQ+ undergraduate students spent 8 to 10 weeks interning with pro-equality members of Congress, gaining firsthand experience with the federal legislative process while contributing meaningfully to public service. The Victory Congressional Internship is designed to cultivate the next generation of LGBTQ+ public leaders, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to create change in their communities and beyond.
More to come on our next cohort of VCIs!
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Colorado Protects Marriage
Marriage equality is now the law of the land in Colorado [[link removed]] !
Thanks to the leadership of LGBTQ+ State Representatives Brianna Titone and Lorena García [[link removed]] , voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot initiative to repeal the outdated constitutional ban on LGBTQ+ marriage. And now, with Governor Jared Polis’s signature, it’s officially repealed [[link removed]] .
Congratulations to all who worked to ensure love is protected!
The Colorado legislature is also working to pass another series of pro-equality bills, including ensuring gender-affirming care, protecting trans people from discriminatory acts [[link removed]] , and protecting abortion providers and gender-affirming care providers under shield laws [[link removed]] .
Montana: Another Anti-Trans Bill Defeated
Two pieces of good news from the Montana legislature! After another fantastic speech from nonbinary State Representative SJ Howell , the Montana State House defeated an anti-trans bill that would have labeled gender-affirming care as child abuse [[link removed]] .
Meanwhile, a bathroom bill passed in the state was blocked by Montana’s Fourth Judicial District Court [[link removed]] ! The judge ruled the bill failed to provide any proof it would fulfill its stated goal of “protecting women” [[link removed]] .
Anti-Trans Legislation Forces Trans People Out of Ohio
Anti-trans leaders in Ohio are once again trying to pass legislation directly targeting trans candidates [[link removed]] . The legislation would require candidates to list past legal names, but has been used to target trans candidates who did not list or were not required to list their dead names. Read more to learn about the trans candidates targeted by this legislation [[link removed]] .
As a result – and as a result of numerous anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the state – more trans people are considering leaving Ohio [[link removed]] .
Quick Hits: The News in A Second
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and other Oregon elected officials are refusing to sign off on demands from the Trump Administration to dismantle DEI and pro-LGBTQ+ policies in return for federal funding [[link removed]] .
U.S. Representative Becca Balint has introduced legislation educate medical professionals and expand gender-affirming healthcare [[link removed]] !
In a huge win for Delaware, U.S. Representative Sarah McBride ensured the Trump Administration did not defund critical services for her state [[link removed]] . She’s also working to tackle bird flu [[link removed]] !
Texas State Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons successfully defended intersex rights and defeated an anti-LGBTQ amendment during a recent debate over Texas’s budget [[link removed]] !
Former LGBTQ+ Arizona state Representative Andrés Cano was selected to fill an empty seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors [[link removed]] !
In defiance of the national mood, advocates, elected officials and allies held a Trans Joy Party and Visibility March at the Kentucky State Capitol [[link removed]] . Check out pictures here [[link removed]] !
Atlanta City Council Member Liliana Bakhtiari has passed legislation removing homophobic language from the city’s code [[link removed]] !
Oshkosh City Council Member DJ Nichols spoke in support of a recent vote to waive fees for Pride-related community events. Watch his stirring speech here [[link removed]] !
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LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a global organization dedicated to elevating out LGBTQ+ leaders who can further equality at all levels of government. Through our global [[link removed]] and domestic [[link removed]] trainings, professional development programs [[link removed]] and yearly conferences [[link removed]] , Victory Institute prepares hundreds of out individuals to launch an influential careers in politics, government, business and advocacy. Many of our trainees join the more than 1,000 out LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials [[link removed]] now serving around the world. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today! [[link removed]]
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FOLLOW ALONG:
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 52-1835268.
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