Up Front, Winter 2026

Journalist Don Lemon made a surprise appearance at the HRC New York Dinner in February and delivered an emotional speech about the attacks on journalistic freedom and the need for solidarity in these perilous times. A couple weeks before the dinner, Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents for doing his job: reporting on peaceful protestors in a Minneapolis church.

“The free press does not exist to reassure the nation. It exists to reveal it to itself,” said Lemon. “Freedom is fragile, but it is not finished. Truth is contested, but it is not defeated. Democracy is strained, but it is not silent.”

Watch Lemon’s speech here. 

A May 2025 Pew Research Center report found that 96% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. are “out” to someone, and most LGBTQ adults think acceptance of our identities has improved over the past 10 years .While that’s promising news, there are still monumental concerns — only about 13–14% believe transgender or nonbinary people are widely accepted. Many transgender adults also say they worry about their safety (about 70%) and experience discrimination. 

And yet, optimism abounds: The majority of LGBTQ adults also believe that acceptance will continue to grow. It’s an important message for anti-equality forces: We are here. We are visible. And we are not going back.

Learn more about the report findings.

There’s power in unity — and there’s no better time for our community to have each other’s backs. Here are 5 things we can all do to support each other: 

Be an advocate and ally — in your neighborhood, workplace, social media and especially at the ballot box. Consume LGBTQ+ media — all kinds: books, music, videos and news and content from LGBTQ+ creators. Support queer businesses and staff — shop at local and queer-owned businesses and support workplaces committed to equality and inclusion. Get involved — volunteer with an LGBTQ+ organization or chapter, and participate in local elections. Listen, learn and educate — find out more about your community’s history, listen to queer voices and perspectives and share resources from queer organizations to help others. 

And here at the Human Rights Campaign, we’ve got YOU — 3.6 million members, supporters, and allies in the fight for equality. 

Learn more about what we can do to support each other.

Longtime HRC friend Wanda Sykes is funny, fearless and, most importantly, a staunch supporter of our transgender family. 

Sykes recently used her moment in the spotlight as a presenter at the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards to advocate for our trans community and to call out transphobic comedians. For many viewers, this may have been the first time they’ve heard Sykes sound off like this. But Sykes has been doing this repeatedly throughout her career, including when she has attended HRC events.

In accepting the Visibility Award at the 2025 HRC Philadelphia Dinner, Sykes took aim at those who target trans kids and their families.

“Kids just want to be kids,” said Sykes. “Instead of trying to give parents of a trans child everything they need to provide for their child, to love their child unconditionally, they’re getting in the business of medicine. And they don’t have any idea what they’re talking about. It’s just so hateful and wrong.”

Watch more of Sykes’ speech at the Philadelphia Dinner.

Jane Krakowski, the Emmy-nominated and Tony Award–winning actress, received HRC’s Ally for Equality Award at the HRC New York Dinner in February for her dynamic work as a performer and ally in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

“Here we are in 2026 and the government has again turned its back on this community,” Krawkowski said. “Even worse, they’re actively attacking it. … And once again, I am watching this community respond with the same defiance, with the same solidarity and the same insistence on being seen that I first witnessed all those years ago. ... You refused to be silent when the government turned its back. You refused to hide when the world tells you to be ashamed. You refused to stop making art, making history and making your lives full and loud.”

Watch Krakowski’s speech here.