Barney Frank: a Frank Farewell | This Way Out Radio Episode #1991

Was Barney Frank a political hero, a lightning rod—or both? Following the death of the trailblazing gay former Congressmember on May 19, Lucia Chappelle explores the triumphs, tensions, and contradictions behind one of the most influential and debated LGBTQ political figures in U.S. history. Included are recollections from Andy Humm, Ann Northrop of GayUSA and journalist Karen Ocamb (Substack: LGBTQ+ Freedom Fighters). Archive audio from This Way Out archives.

And in Rainbow Rewind, Sir Ian McKellen reflects on coming out.

This week’s NewsWrap on This Way Out reports on a rise in drug-resistant Shigella infections disproportionately affecting queer men, as health experts urge prevention without stigma. Missouri LGBTQ+ advocates celebrate the defeat of dozens of anti-queer bills during the state’s legislative session, while activists worldwide mark IDAHOBIT amid both ongoing criminalization and notable legal victories for LGBTQ+ people. In the U.S., a federal judge temporarily blocks the transfer of transgender women to men’s prisons, and the House advances a controversial “Don’t Say Trans” bill targeting transgender students and schools. We also close with a milestone from Leeds, where newly installed Lord Mayor Stephen Holroyd and his partner Simon Mapals make local LGBTQ+ history.

Credits: Associate Producer/Lucia Chappelle, Producer/Host Brian DeShazor, News writer Jeb Backe, feature producer Lucia Chappelle, NewsWrap reporters, Marcos Najera and Melanie Keller, music by the Klezmatics and Kim Wilson.

All this on the May 25, 2026 Edition of This Way Out!

Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

Watch the full interview between Karen Ocamb and Lucia Chapelle here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyxtlaJept8

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This Way Out

NewsWrap Standard Intro/Outro

Program # 1991           Distributed 05/25/26

And in NewsWrap: Drug resistant Shigella is predominately impacting queer men, 58 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were defeated in Missouri, 155 countries celebrate International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), Federal Judge Royce C. Lamberth is blocking President Trump’s Executive Order from putting transgender women inmates in men’s prisons, "Don't Say Trans" bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, Simon Mapals becomes history’s very first Lord Mayor’s Consort— and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and Joe Boehnlein (News Writer Jeb Backe, News Producers Lucia Chappelle and Brian DeShazor).

Infections are on the rise for a drug-resistant intestinal bacteria, predominately affecting queer men. The shigellosis intestinal infection is caused by the bacteria Shigella, with symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal distress to severe dysentery. Cases of shigellosis can range from mild to life-threatening.

In the past, Shigella outbreaks were more easily treated with drugs and infections primarily occurred in children. The novel XDR Shigella strain is resistant to 5 commonly used antibiotics and predominantly affects men who have sex with men. 

Director of UCLA Molecular Microbiology and Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Dr. Shangxin Yang, stated in early 2026 that a different strain is emerging related to the XDR strain that is spreading in the general population as well.

The infection is spread through fecal-oral transmission via surfaces that can harbor and transmit infectious material. Shigella typically infects individuals through contaminated food or water, person-to-person contact with a person recently sick, and sexual activity with someone who has recently been sick. Anything contaminated with infectious material can spread Shigella.

Rather than panic about the rise of Shigella or stigmatize people who have had it, experts note it's important to understand how the bacterial infection spreads to minimize transmission, get tested and get treated.

Individuals remain infectious for at least two weeks, with some being infectious for longer. Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis is the Chief Medical Officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center and was formerly chief vaccine officer at the Centers for Disease Control. He told The Advocate that prevention is best done through layering protections. Daskalakis advises handwashing with soap and water, avoiding sex with individuals experiencing symptoms, and washing hands, bodies, and intimacy products.

Missouri’s LGBTQ+ activists have something to crow about. 58 anti-queer bills and a handful more amendments were defeated during the 2026 legislative session, according to advocacy group, PROMO. Senior Director of Public Policy Shira Berkowitz declared the victory on social media:

[Audio PROMO Missouri] 

“We stopped attacks on the rights of trans kids, bans on healthcare access, bans to accurate ID access, censorship to school curriculum, criminalization of drag performers, bans on trans people using restrooms, and attempts to redefine sex, essentially erasing trans people.” 

One anti-LGBTQ+ law was passed; it is a permanent extension of Missouri’s pre-existing restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare for incarcerated people. However, the overwhelming majority of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation failed to ultimately become law. PROMO attributes these victories to months of lobbying, public testimony, and grassroots organizing.

This marks a deceleration of anti-LGBTQ+ bills for Missouri, which has become a leader in the annual onslaught of discriminatory legislation.

PROMO’s Berkowitz told The Advocate, “[d]espite state leaders fixating on restricting LGBTQ+ rights as their core priority year after year, Missourians have continued to make it clear that LGBTQ+ people will not be scapegoated to win political popularity.”

Sunday, May 27th marked the 22nd year of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia, and Transphobia or IDAHOBIT— “a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities”. The coordinated grassroots mobilization is currently observed in 155 countries and territories, including 35 where consensual same-sex acts are still criminalized. This year’s theme was “At the heart of democracy.”

At least 67 countries by Human Rights Watch’s count have national laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults. The organization also notes that at least 9 countries criminalize forms of gender expression that target transgender and gender nonconforming people. The IDAHOBIT Advisory Group notes that the number of countries outlawing queer sex increased in 2025. 

IDAHOBIT 2026 has been a chance to recognize some victories since last year. Botswana recently repealed a provision of its penal code that criminalized homosexuality. The European Union Court of Justice ruled that EU countries must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other member states. The Court also found that EU states must provide transgender citizens with their proper name and gender on identification documents.

An IDAHOBIT Advisory Group press release declared, “Time and again, LGBTQIA+ people have resisted, rolled up their sleeves together with all the good people caring about their communities, and sowed the seeds of change.”

A renewed preliminary injunction will still keep transgender women inmates out of men’s prisons – for now. Washington DC federal Judge Royce C. Lamberth is blocking federal officials from enforcing portions of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order from May 21st through June 8th

In the case Jane Doe v. Todd Blanche, multiple transgender women sued for the abuse, violence, and psychological harm that would be incurred from their transfer to men’s prisons. Reporting from The Marshall Project, nonprofit newsroom covering criminal justice and immigration, found that although transgender people are a tiny fraction of the federal prison population, they are disproportionately targeted for abuse and assault.

The Bureau of Prisons must continue housing the plaintiffs in women’s facilities and maintain their gender-affirming treatment as it was before the Executive Order. Existing protections will remain while litigation proceeds.

[AUDIO TAKANO] 

“This bill is not about protecting children. It is yet another backdoor way to manipulate federal funds to force ideological compliance.“ 

Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Representative Mark Takano did his best to defeat HR2616, but the U.S. House of Representatives passed it anyway on Wednesday, May 20th. The title of the bill is “The Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act.” The House Equality Caucus calls it the "Don't Say Trans" bill.

HR2616 would force teachers to out transgender students to their parents. It would remove federal funding from schools that do not require parental consent before updating a student's pronouns, gender markers, or preferred name on records. The bill would also require parental permission for students to access a locker room or bathroom consistent with their gender identity. Schools that even recognize the existence of transgender people in classroom materials would risk losing federal funding.

Fewer than 1 in 3 transgender and nonbinary youth found their home to be gender-affirming, according to a survey from the Trevor Project. Their research goes on to find that LGBTQ youth who reported having at least one LGBTQ-affirming space were 35% less likely to attempt suicide in the previous year.

Representative Bobby Scott criticized the measure saying it would “impose a rigid federal mandate that ignores context, disregards students’ safety and prioritizes politics over people.” Scott noted that the bill “takes away state and local control of curriculum on education — the very thing that the current administration claims they’re giving back to states by illegally dismantling the Department of Education.”

The bill passed by a vote of 217 to 198. All 209 Republicans voted in support of the measure, joined by 8 Democrats.

The bill now moves on to a vote in the Republican-dominated Senate.

Councillor Stephen Holroyd is now the 132nd Lord Mayor of the British City of Leeds — making his partner Simon Mapals history’s very first Lord Mayor’s Consort.

Holroyd was elected to the City Council in 2023 to represent the Ardsley and Robin Hood ward. His career before politics was in customer service and hospitality, as was Mapals. The new mayor has also been serving as governor of a primary school and as a fundraiser for various community projects. Mapals is the manager of one of the city’s leading LGBTQ+ venues.

The Lord Mayor is not elected and holds no political or policy-making authority. Holroyd’s role will be more ceremonial, acting as an ambassador for the city. A Leeds-based charity is chosen by the Lord Mayor to champion during their year in office. Holroyd has selected MESMAC, a community wellness center for marginalized groups that specializes in sexual health and HIV services. He’s also supporting St. Gemma’s Hospice.

Holroyd calls Leeds “an incredibly diverse city,” and says he’s “looking forward to getting out into our communities and meeting as many people as possible, making new friends and drawing people together through celebrating our differences while embracing what binds us together.” Mapals is “very honoured to become the Lord Mayor’s Consort and to support Stephen in his mayoral duties.”

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