The Gaily Show

It’s another major election day in America. We look at key races. Dominic Coletti, the Student Press Program Officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is back to talk about alleged censorship of LGBTQ writing at Pensacola State College. PSC has reversed course and will fund a publication they were planning to defund for LGBTQ writing.

: The Colorado Supreme Court issues landmark ruling in favor of transgender healthcare. Hennepin County files charges against ICE agent. Seattle is looking to declare a civil emergency as so many LGBTQ people have fled to the city from red states. Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, has passed away. King Charles announces a new trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban in the UK.

Jill Rosenberg talks about her new book Now I’m Photogenic and Other Stories I Tell Myself. Get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9781625572172. Connect with Jill here: https://jillrosenberg.me

THEN: Gabriel Rotello drops by to talk about his new novel The CBGB Conspiracy. Buy it here: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9798888249093. Connect with Gabriel here: https://www.gabrielrotello.com

John Parker sits down with Dr. Perry Zurn to dive deep into the messy, fascinating history of the word “cisgender” and where it actually came from. They explore everything from the word’s roots in early German sexology to its weird mainstream moment on South Park, proving that “cis” isn’t nearly as simple as just matching your birth certificate. By the end, you’ll see why gender is really a lifelong journey for everyone, especially once you consider how it intersects with race and disability.

Dominic Coletti, the Student Press Program Officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, joins us to talk about alleged censorship of LGBTQ writing at Pensacola State College. The European Commission announces all EU countries must ban conversion therapy. White House Correspondent for the Washington Blade Joe Reberkenny is back with new reporting:

White House counterterrorism strategy targets ‘anti-American, radically pro-transgender’ groups https://www.washingtonblade.com/2026/05/11/white-house-counterterrorism-strategy-targets-anti-american-radically-pro-transgender-groups/

Senate Democrats press DOJ over anti-trans prison directives

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2026/05/11/senate-democrats-press-doj-over-anti-trans-prison-directives/

DOE investigates Smith College’s trans-inclusive policy

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2026/05/05/doe-investigates-smith-colleges-trans-inclusive-policy/

Since 1969, The Washington Blade has been the nation’s independent source for fearless reporting earning the paper the moniker “the newspaper of record for the LGBTQ+ community.” Read their award-winning journalism at more than 100 locations throughout the DC region and online at https://washingtonblade.com. Connect with Joe at https://www.joereberkenny.com/

John and Jim chat with activist and writer Chuck Forester about the raw stories in his new memoir, Bonding in the Time of Plague, then bring on Tammy Nash from the Dallas Voice to break down the latest legislative drama unfolding in Texas.

: Ilana Masad and Stevie K. Seibert Desjarlais join us to talk about their new book: Here For All The Reasons Why We Watch The Bachelor.

THEN: Dr. Samuel Clowes Huneke joins us to talk about Texas Tech University banning LGBTQ research. Plus, MAGA is using federal funds to promote MAGA think tanks in Europe. And, the Virginia congressional map debacle: the State Supreme Court tossed out both the new voter approved map. Now what?

Get the Here For All The Reasons: here:https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9781684426126

Ilana Masad is a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and criticism whose work has been widely published. She holds a PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is the author of the novels All My Mother’s Lovers and Beings.

Stevie K. Seibert Desjarlais is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Her writing appears in the Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Journal of Popular Film and Television, and Pedagogy.

Join TanyaMarck and Nick from Queer Spirit as we explore ways to find and connect to community in innovative ways. Let’s think outside the box to explore care and share in community.

Queer Spirit (QS) is a grassroots non-profit charitable organization. They are space holders who offer care-centered + inclusive virtual spaces centering Queers + Allies. Since 2018 QS has been providing free support and care globally via virtual care circles and the QS podcast.

John Parker and Jim Pounds are diving deep into the local arts scene this week, starting with a look at the bone-chilling 15th-anniversary lineup for the Twin Cities Horror Festival alongside artistic director Nissa Nordland. The conversation then shifts to the massive Art-A-Whirl weekend as Anna Becker stops by to explain how over 1,400 artists are turning Northeast Minneapolis into a giant creative playground.

This episode originally aired April 2, 2026:

How can states fight back against fascism and Trump? Turns out there is a taxonomy of five tiers of resistance that States can do right now. It has been developed and researched by Christopher Armitage and he joins us to discuss.

Christopher Armitage is an Air Force veteran, journalist, former law enforcement officer, and author of Conservatism: America’s Personality Disorder and the Substack The Existentialist Republic. You can hear him regularly on the Thom Hartmann show. Read The Existentialist Republic here: https://cmarmitage.substack.com