MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — For 36 years, Quatrefoil Library has been a center for books and archived magazines about the queer experience.

"The mission, I think then as now is to be a crossroads, to be a place where people connect and to be a place where people can explore and be exposed to new ideas or existing ideas that they might already be thinking about," said executive director Claude Peck.

It’s a place that believes in the power of books for folks to see themselves in and connect to a community that they might otherwise not have. With this belief, the current culture war is something that worries Peck.

"It's a concern and things seem to be accelerating," he said.

According to PEN America, between July 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, 1,586 books were banned in 86 school districts across 26 states, including Minnesota where Quatrefoil is located. Most of the books had to do with race and LGBTQ topics.

"Books were an important part of my coming out process and so for me to be able to think about like, what was missing then and what is probably missing now. And can I write that?" said Rachel Gold, who is an associate professor and author of young adult books about queer characters.

"Representation is immensely important in young adult because it's this identity formation stage," they said.

Rachel says that they believe these bans come from fear. They believe that stories are one of the safest ways for teens to see themselves as they figure out their identity or for people to learn about others.

"Learning about LGBTQ lives is not going to turn anybody gay, but it is going to allow for broader, interesting, productive, and fulfilling work and friend relationships for the whole rest of your life," they said.

Just like Gold saw a gap in representation in literature, Rebecca Lawerence saw a gap in the telling of queer history. Lawrence started telling queer history, a series of gatherings for these stories to be passed down.

"There's like anger and also just hilarity that they think that that will keep us from knowing who we are or keep us from being who we are," they said.

Limiting exposure to queer literature won’t erase their community, but they believe barriers to access are harmful.

"Having stories to reflect yourself is extremely validating. It's a way to understand yourself and be like, okay, that's not exactly my story, but I can understand this. Like that's how we build empathy," Lawrence said.

When a new LGBTQ book is banned, Quatrefoil makes it a point to have it available.

"My parents hated my Frank Zappa album when I first bought it and I liked it twice as much as a result, so you gotta be careful of that to," joked Peck.

While conversations about excluding books in libraries continue, advocates for more available literature hope people consider the benefits of representation.

"People just need to be aware that this wisdom comes from all kinds of sources and that it's a changing world," said Peck.

COVINGTON, Ky. — Just ahead of Pride Month, Covington police added another LGBTQ+ liaison to its patrol. It was days before NKY Pride in Mainstrasse.

"Everyone was very receptive," said police specialist Doug Ullrich. "I got to meet a lot of people, shake a lot of hands, be out in the community and help interface the police department with people in the LGBTQ+ community."

Ullrich joined one of the department's original LGBTQ+ community liaisons, Lt. Jennifer Rudolph. She's been in the role since 2016, when she and then-assistant chief Rob Nader started the unit.

"This is just like another resource that we have with ways and avenues to respond to people who are in crisis," Rudolph said.

The pair specialize in building relationships with the community and focusing on breaking down barriers with police when its members become victims of crimes.

"Having liaisons with the community, I think just is one step that we can take to ensure that occurs," Ullrich added.

The department looked to expertise from across the river when the liaison jobs launched. Cincinnati Police Department has had LGBTQ community liaisons since 2013. Covington also turned to the NKY Pride Center and its director Bonnie Meyer.

"The need for the police department to be part of and involved in the community is obvious," Ullrich said.

But relations between law enforcement and the LGBTQ+ community have historic strains. Enforcement of strict and cruel laws meant to criminalize being gay or gender non-conforming people sometimes led to violence. An anti-police riot at New York City's Stonewall Inn in June 1969 is widely credited with starting the modern Pride movement.

Some Pride parades have banned uniformed law enforcement.

"I think, though, when we have officers in the City of Covington who have been allies and supporters that it's important to recognize that, that they're here doing the work," said Covington resident A.J. Miller. "And it's important to build on those relationships."

Miller's already had interactions with Ullrich during planning for the NKY Pride Festival at the beginning of the month. Miller is the festival chair.

"It just adds more of a contact that we can have here in the city of Covington," he said.

And, like in the Cincinnati Police Department, the liaisons are finding their work isn't limited to the community outside the walls of the department. They're helping educate fellow officers, too. One example: language, including pronouns.

"Being familiar with how people want to be referred to, using their proper pronouns and I think that was a big thing with educating ourselves," said Rudolph.

Ullrich agrees.

"A lot of it comes down to just trying to have open and frank conversations," he said. "People we work with who are not as familiar with how to deal with people in the community and how to have that open and respectful conversation and also with community members on how to interact with police."

With Ullrich's addition, there is a liaison on patrol at nearly every hour of the day.

The Covington Police LGBTQ+ liaisons can be reached by email at jrudolph@covingtonky.gov and dullrich@covingtonky.gov.

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SALT LAKE CITY —

The city of St. George must issue a permit for a Utah-based group that organizes drag performances to host an all-ages drag show in a public park, a federal judge ruled, calling the city's attempt to stop the show unconstitutional discrimination.

Related video above: Federal judge rules Tennessee’s anti-drag show law is ‘unconstitutional’

"Public spaces are public spaces. Public spaces are not private spaces. Public spaces are not majority spaces," U.S. District Judge David Nuffer wrote in a Friday ruling granting the preliminary injunction requested by the group. "The First Amendment of the United States Constitution ensures that all citizens, popular or not, majority or minority, conventional or unconventional, have access to public spaces for public expression."

Southern Utah Drag Stars and its CEO, Mitski Avalōx, sued the city of St. George in May after the city denied the group permits for an all-ages show it aimed to host in a public park in April. A complaint filed in federal court accused city officials of "flagrant and ongoing violations of their free speech, due process, and equal protection rights," and asked for St. George to reverse its decision and authorize a drag show at the end of June.

A city events coordinator told Drag Stars, Avalōx said, that the group could start advertising for the April show before obtaining a permit. The city council later denied the permit, citing a never-previously-enforced ordinance that forbids advertising before permit approval.

The permit denial based on that ordinance, Nuffer wrote in his ruling, was a pretext for discrimination.

"Public officials take an oath to 'support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Utah,'" Nuffer wrote. "They do not merely serve the citizens who elect them, the majority of citizens in the community, or a vocal minority in the community."

The city now may not enforce any new advertising prohibitions against the group or its show, Nuffer ruled, ordering that the performance must "take scheduling precedence over any other event."

In a statement, the city of St. George said it is committed to ensuring public parks and facilities remain viable and open to residents and those who want to hold special events.

"Our intent is always to follow the law both when we enact laws and when we enforce laws, and we will continue to do so," the statement said. "We have read Judge Nuffer's opinion and while we are disappointed in the result, we are currently evaluating our options in light of the ruling."

The lawsuit marked the most recent development in a fight over drag shows in St. George, Utah, a conservative city 111 miles (179 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. Since HBO filmed a drag show in a public park last year for an episode of its series "We're Here," the city has emerged as a flashpoint in the nationwide battle over drag performances as they've garnered newfound political scrutiny in Republican-controlled cities and states.

Public events like drag queen story hours and the all-ages event that Avalōx intended to put together have been increasingly targeted in legislatures throughout the country. In May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a ban on minors attending drag shows, and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a ban on people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries.

In Utah, a proposal from a St. George Republican to require warning notices for events like drag shows or pride parades in public places stalled after advancing through the state House of Representatives in March. The proposal stemmed from the pushback that resulted from the HBO-produced drag show in St. George.

City officials issued permits for the show over the objection from some council members and community activists. City Manager Adam Lenhard resigned months later after writing councilmembers to say that he could not legally deny the show permits, according to emails obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune.

Avalōx founded Southern Utah Drag Stars after the fallout, hoping to showcase drag for members of the LGBTQ+ community in a rural place where such forms of entertainment are often lacking.

"I made it my mission to continue to do these events and not just one month out of the year, but to do so people that were like me when I was little ... can see that there are queer adults that get to live a long and fulfilled life," Avalōx said in an interview with The Associated Press. "My biggest ambition was to provide a public space where people can go to a park and enjoy a show that's meant for everyone."

MINNEAPOLIS, Mn. — As parents of two, Hannah and Dave Edwards have a lot on their plates and they love it that way.

"Hildie's got acting opportunities that she's always auditioning for, so we're hopeful about that and Dahlia has really awesome soccer and track," said Dave.

The past few months have been filled with a lot of highlights for this family of four. Hildie, who identifies as trans and uses she/her pronouns, was the marshal of the local pride parade.

"Uplifting, super uplifting," said Hannah about the experience.

But 2022 has also been filled with a lot of darkness, including the recent mass shooting at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"It was a tough one, I'm not gonna lie. It was a hard one for Hildie, I think especially because she is old enough now to realize what's going on," said Hannah.

Explaining a mass shooting tragedy to any kid is a hard ask, but explaining one when your kid identifies with those targeted is a challenge "rainbow families," or families that have one or more members of the LGBTQ community in them, have had to face lately.

"We try and keep things as being other people versus our family and we can't control other people and there's this evil that exists in the world, but it has nothing to do with who she is," said Dave.

When we first met this family, they talked about their hardships and their victories in raising Hildie. While she experienced bullying and adversity in school, with the help of her family and outside support, she's been able to find her voice and become and an enthusiastic advocate.

Issues involving LGBTQ people remain in the political zeitgeist, but Dave and Hannah, who work in advocacy as well, say they've also seen an increase in folks wanting to learn how to support kids like Hildie.

"Lots of educators are really digging down deep and responding to things like what happened in Colorado and saying like, 'How can we lay the foundation to prevent that kind of thought process and, and behavior from occurring in the future,'" said Dave.

Focusing on the negatives can get heavy, especially for kids who are in the process of figuring out who they are, but they say things like this increased interest is a reason to celebrate.

"Despite a lot of the hostility that's going on, there are a lot of good people that are reaching out for support, that are really trying to do what's best for LGBTQ+ kids," he said.

While the Edwards hope more folks will want to learn how to best support members of the LGBTQ community in this next year, they also are going to hold on to each happy moment with their kids and enjoy being the colorful family that they are.

A federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that a state law limiting public drag show performances represented an “unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech.”

“As a matter of text alone, the (Adult Entertainment Act) is a content, and viewpoint-based restriction on speech. The AEA was passed for the impermissible purpose of chilling constitutionally-protected speech,” US District Court Judge Thomas Parker, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, said in a 70-page late-Friday ruling.

Parker, who called the law “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad,” also barred the defendant in the case – the district attorney of Shelby County, which is home to Memphis – from enforcing the law in that county.

The court ruling comes after Friends of George’s, a Memphis-based nonprofit that produces drag performances and comedy sketches, sued in March to stop the law from going into effect, arguing it was a violation of its free speech. Parker then temporarily blocked the state from enforcing the ban as he considered the law’s constitutionality.

Tennessee Republicans, who hold supermajorities in the state legislature, earlier this year passed the measure to restrict public drag show performances, which was signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee. The law sought to limit “adult cabaret performances” on public property to shield children from viewing them, threatening violators with a misdemeanor and repeat offenders with a felony. The ban specifically included “male or female impersonators” who perform in a way that is “harmful to minors.” It had been set to go into effect on April 1.

“WE WON!” Friends of George’s wrote in a tweet Saturday. “Judge Parker has declared Tennessee’s anti-drag law unconstitutional!”

Tennessee officials have argued that the measure is not a full ban and is only intended to stop overtly sexual performances in front of minors. Parker, in his ruling, acknowledged the state’s “compelling interest in protecting the psychological and physical wellbeing of children” but ruled against the law as “an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech.”

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement Saturday that his office was reviewing the order and expects to appeal “at the appropriate time.”

“The scope of this law has been misrepresented in public by those more interested in pressing a narrative than in reading the statutory text,” Skrmetti said. “The Adult Entertainment Act remains in effect outside of Shelby County. This narrowly-tailored law protects minors from exposure to sexually explicit performances. Its operative language is rooted in the U.S. Supreme Court’s long-established First Amendment precedent.”

CNN has also reached out to Lee’s office for comment.

Tennessee’s law is just one of a slew of other similar measures that Republican-led state legislatures across the country have considered this year.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, signed a bill last month that, among other things, gives his administration the power to take away licenses from establishments if they allow children into an “adult live performance,” widely interpreted as a crackdown on drag shows.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed legislation in May that prevents children from attending “sexually oriented shows” and from being present at obscene performances on public property. It specifically targets drag story hours, which it defines as “an event hosted by a drag queen or drag king who reads children’s books and engages in other learning activities with minor children present.”

Republicans say the performances – which often feature men dressing as women in exaggerated makeup while singing or entertaining a crowd, though some shows feature bawdier content – expose children to sexual themes and imagery that are inappropriate. LGBTQ advocates, however, argue that not all drag shows are sexual in nature and laws such as the ones in Montana and Tennessee stigmatize the community and could violate the First Amendment.

CINCINNATI —

The Withrow University High School Tigers bleed orange and black, whether that means cheering on the varsity football team to its first playoff win in school history or rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56.

The school held a pep rally for students Wednesday afternoon.

"The city needs this, our high school needs this, Cincinnati Public Schools needs this," said school principal Jerron Gray. "This is a tremendous outlet to have our kids celebrate our Super Bowl-bound Cincinnati Bengals."

Students got to meet and interact with a special guest Wednesday. Former Bengal and UC Bearcat Artrell Hawkins. He said all former players share a special bond, and he's loving watching the team rise to greatness.

"We may not be teammates, but we're forever connected. Somebody had to go through the wilderness. That was us, my group. We went through the wilderness and the promise is here," Hawkins said. "I'm happy for the team, for the ownership. I'm really happy that the city gets to experience some success."

He said he has enjoyed seeing the entire city energized by the Bengals.

"I mean honestly, I never thought I'd see it," Hawkins said. "It's my true belief that they found a solid quarterback in Joe Burrow. The next 10 years you could see two, three, four of them."

The football players were the most excited students in the gym during the pep rally.

"It's like a dream come true cause it's our own city. It's different. It feels good to have our own city around us winning," said senior defensive back Artrimus Sartor, who was part of the fall 2021 team that won the school's first playoff game.

"That's why we're rooting for them so hard. We're just like the Bengals," Sartor said. "We feel like we're at the Super Bowl and our season's been over... It lets you know that it's possible. Anything is possible."

Cincinnati Public Schools canceled classes Monday in anticipation of celebrating a Super Bowl win.

CINCINNATI —

The atmosphere in Cincinnati is super-charged right now and depending on the outcome of Sunday's AFC championship game it could become Super Bowl-charged.

The Bengals bandwagon is getting larger by the hour.

Some fans are downright driven to make it a mighty memorable weekend. TJ Bedacht is one of them.

He runs GCI Digital Imaging and will take his 40-foot Fleetwood RV, a vehicle right out of a "Christmas Vacation" scene, to the Kansas City tailgate.

He will drive the 30,000 pound RV with his wife, his three kids and another VIP on board.
Big Burrow, the popular blowup which stands 30 feet high. It was deflated today for the ride ahead.

"We're going to shove him underneath the bus in one of the large compartments and we'll throw some Skyline chili down there, some Gold Star and let him eat," Bedacht said.

When we reacted in horror at the thought of throwing Big Burrow under the bus, so to speak, he quickly added, "Well, we're gooing take — gently carry him with the bus."

He made us a Who Dey banner and we carried it into the Holy Grail where ESPN shot a Sunday segment Thursday about the game ball that was delivered to the bar.

There's a definite Bengals buzz in the air just about everywhere.

"I just think people really want to be a part of this in any way they can be," said Jim Moehring who co-owns the Grail. "You know, we're expecting a big crowd here on Sunday. And I think this is just a prelude on Friday."

That's when Randi Rico and Megan Mitchell of WLWT News 5 will emcee a Who Dey rally at the DORA with Bengal greats from the past.

Anthony Munoz, Jim Breech, and Ickey Woods are among the former players who will be there along with the team mascot and the Ben Gal cheerleaders.

Here's why there's a thirst for this kind of thing despite the deep cold.

"People are proud," Moehring said. "The city wants to show their pride in these guys. It's been a long time."

Hamilton County commissioners wore their colors Thursday as they friendly wagered with the county executive in Mahomes territory.

The kibosh on a Sunday stadium watch party was fresh and still stung one commissioner, who lobbied for some Super preparation to get underway just in case.

"I just think we should start now for whether it's a watch party or a celebration," Commissioner Alicia Reece said. "Let's start getting everybody together now so we don't say that we didn't have enough time."

Some fans will head for Kansas City on Friday while others will depart Saturday morning.
Bedacht said there will be two Fleetwood RV's at the tailgate.

"We're gonna just kind of post up into a corner and have a big V and then we'll have the big blowup Burrow in the corner there and it's going to be epic," he predicted.

He knows Who Dey Super Bowl planning could start as soon as Sunday around 6 p.m.

"We might drive to L.A.," he said. "It's been talked about."

New York City's annual LGBTQ Pride parade was held virtually for the second year in a row Sunday due to the pandemic, but that didn't stop thousands from marching, celebrating and making their presence felt at a series of events around the city.The main New York City Pride parade, which usually draws throngs of participants and spectators, was presented as a television broadcast special, since now-lifted pandemic restrictions were still in effect at the time it was being planned.In a pre-recorded video aired during the event, actor Wilson Cruz, one of the parade's grand marshals, said, "Pride for me is about how we work in earnest to truly include all of us across the spectrum of identities in our struggle for freedom and liberation."On a day marked with high temperatures and brilliant sunshine, throngs gathered around the city, at PrideFest, a street fair with vendors, food and entertainment in Manhattan; at Herald Square where a dance party was planned, and at Washington Square Park, where videos posted online showed a raucous party in progress. Fireworks, music and food were prepared for Pier 45 in Hudson River Park.Sean Gannon from Maplewood, New Jersey, attended with his husband and two 3-year-old sons."It’s such an important thing for them to see that they have two dads and that there are other people that have two moms, two dads, single dads, single moms," Gannon told WCBS Radio. "There are all different ways that families are made up, so it’s really awesome to be able to share this experience with them today."For people looking to march for LGBTQ rights, the Reclaim Pride Coalition held its third Queer Liberation March from Bryant Park to the Stonewall National Monument and into Washington Square Park. The liberation march event does not allow police or corporate participation.New York City's gay pride parades began in 1970 to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprising, which started after a police raid on a Manhattan gay bar.The Stonewall Inn is still there, now under different owners.

The month of June is Pride month, dedicated to the members of the LGBTQ+ community. As you celebrate this year, don't forget about your transgender friends, family and community members.Pink, blue and white are the colors that make up the Transgender Pride flag. Read on to hear about the history of the now iconic flag and what the colors on it actually mean.What is the history of the flag? Navy veteran and transgender woman, Monica Helms created the Transgender Pride flag in 1999. She told the Daily Beast in 2017 that the idea for the flag just "came to " one morning as she woke up. "Not a dream," she clarified, calling it more of a "divine intervention." "When you wake up and you’re still sort of groggy and everything but you’re starting to think and your mind is starting to fill with images — that’s when it came to me."Monica brought the flag with her to the 2000 Phoenix Pride parade, where she flew it for the first time. That original flag was acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2014.How did it gain popularity?When Monica brought the flag to Phoenix Pride in 2000, many were immediately interested in the design. "This was for me and if nobody had embraced it, it still would have been OK for me. It would have been my flag," she told the Daily Beast. "But then, people started seeing it and they thought the pattern was great and they liked the reason for the colors and it just took off." Monica continued to take the flag to various parades and events and eventually, the design caught on. "The speed with which the flag’s usage spared never fails to surprise me, and every time I see it, or a photo of it, flying above a historic town hall or building I am filled with pride," she said in her 2019 memoir "More Than Just A Flag."What do the colors mean? Monica purposefully designed the flag so that, no matter how you hold it, it looks the same. "This symbolizes us trying to find correctness in our own lives," she said, according to Pride.As for the colors, those have a lot of meaning as well. "The light blue is the traditional color for baby boys, pink is for girls, and the white in the middle is for those who are transitioning, those who feel they have a neutral gender or no gender, and those who are intersexed," Monica explained.