Proud Voices: Steps to Liberation | This Way Out Radio Episode #1993
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
This Way Out celebrates Pride Month with a special look at the power of visibility, community, and resistance.
Then, This Way Out visits Los Angeles' historic Founders Metropolitan Community Church for the unveiling of the Rainbow Liberation Steps, a permanent public art installation honoring LGBTQ+ freedom and liberation. The dedication ceremony features community leaders, activists, faith leaders, and members of the congregation reflecting on the continuing struggle for equality and inclusion.
NewsWrap reports on Colorado's successful effort to restore its ban on conversion therapy, a federal appeals court ruling blocking the Trump administration's transgender military ban, Pride activists marching forward in Hungary despite government opposition, and Ghana's parliament approving a sweeping anti-LGBTQ law.
Finally, This Way Out takes to the streets of Los Angeles to ask a timely question: What would you say to someone who believes Pride is no longer relevant? The answers reveal why Pride continues to matter for LGBTQ+ people and their allies around the world.
Featured speakers: Nithya Raman, Phillip Ray De Blieck, Gerald Garth, Lucia Chappelle
Credits: Associate Producer/Lucia Chappelle, Producer/Host Brian DeShazor, News writer Jeb Backe, feature producer Brian DeShazor and Lucia Chappelle, NewsWrap reporters, Tanya Kane-Parry and Michael Taylor Gray, music by Maggie Szabo and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, the Porland Lesbian Choir and Kim Wilson
All this on the June 8, 2026 Edition of This Way Out!
Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.
NewsWrap
Program #1993 Distributed 06/08/26
The state of Colorado is defying the U.S. Supreme Court’s attempt to protect so-called conversion therapy. Openly gay Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the new bill on June 1st— making this the second time he has banned the debunked treatment in his state. Polis kicked off Pride month the same way seven years ago, outlawing what he dubbed a "tortuous practice."
In April of this year, the high court declared that the bill was not a “viewpoint neutral” policy, and ruled that Colorado could not bar therapists from conversion therapy.
LGBTQ+ legal groups and progressive lawyers rushed to preserve protections for queer and trans youth, and Colorado lawmakers acted quickly to counteract the Supreme Court’s decision.
In the rewritten law, mental health providers are prohibited from imposing any “predetermined outcome” regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a patient. In other words, therapists cannot steer minors toward or away from any particular orientation or identity.
With some exceptions, the legislation also removes the statute of limitations for malpractice claims tied to conversion therapy. Advocates say that this provision acknowledges the fact that conversion therapy survivors often need years, sometimes decades to recognize the trauma and subsequently pursue a claim.
Colorado now re-joins more than 20 states that ban conversion therapy.
Ghana’s parliament carried out its threat to further criminalize LGBTQ+ people and their allies, passing the dreaded “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill” on May 29th.
The new bill mandates prison sentences up to three years for individuals who identify as trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. Those found guilty of “promotion of, propagation of, advocacy for, support or funding of” LGBTQ-related activities can face up to 10 years. The public is required to report “suspected queers” to the authorities.
Ugandan LGBTQ activist Hans Senfuma recently took to the internet, responding to the Ghanaian bill and the increase of similar anti-LGBTQ laws in other African countries:
[AUDIO HANS SENFUMA]
And all African leaders are quiet in whatever is happening. Most of them are claiming that these laws are here to protect the children of Africa, which is totally wrong. These laws are not here to protect anyone. These laws are here to erase the humankind, to erase nature.
President John Mahama is making sure the bill receives extra scrutiny before he signs it into law. His predecessor, President Nana Afuk0-Addo, declined to approve a similar law in 2024 due to multiple lawsuits in the Supreme Court.
In a written memorandum, Human Rights Watch detailed the bill's violations of provisions in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international legal documents binding Ghana.
However, Mahama is expected to approve the measure, which is supported by a cross-party group of Members of Parliament.
The Trump Administration’s ban of transgender troops has been ruled illegal. A 2025 executive order declared that military personnel with what it called a “history of gender dysphoria” were unfit to serve. However, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found the banning of transgender people from the military to be illegal, calling it “arbitrary, and based on animus.”
Currently-serving transgender troops may remain in the US military. But the armed services can continue to block the enlistment of transgender individuals.
The court’s rebuke comes after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implemented the executive order last year— mandating the removal of 1000 transgender service members. Hegseth also issued a policy disqualifying trans people from enlisting.
After this recent ruling, he vowed in a social media post that an appeal to the ruling is forthcoming. The case seems likely to end up in the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court.
Hungary’s Pride parade ban is over. The ban was put in place under far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in 2025.
Last year more than 100,000 people defied the ban and participated in the Budapest Pride parade, harkening back to the protest origins of pride. The event became one of the largest protests against Orbán.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony opened the way to last year’s parade by declaring it a municipal event, untouched by the federal law. He was charged in connection with helping organize the allegedly “illegal” parade. Prosecutors backed down and dropped the charges this week. They cited the landmark ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union that Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws were in violation of EU rules.
A recent statement from Hungarian police to POLITICO announced, “The Budapest Metropolitan Police has approved the 2026 Budapest Pride Parade and also has issued restrictive orders in relation to three counter-demonstrations.”
Orban was resoundingly defeated in April. There may be a shift in Hungary’s LGBTQ+ policies under new Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
The rally is set to take place on June 27th. Budapest Pride announced on social media, “we will march freely in fresh air for our rights, for the democratic Hungary.”
Russian authorities continue to crackdown on LGBTQ groups. The global watchdog group Human Rights Watch has flagged nine bans of LGBTQ groups in the country in the past three months.
Included in the recent bans are community centers, LGBT media outlets, non-governmental rights organizations, and more. At least nine individuals have been convicted on criminal charges based on allegedly leading organizations, sharing content, organizing drag shows, conducting activism, or supporting same-sex dating. At least 25 others are facing criminal charges.
In May a 13-year-old Russian student was prosecuted for “LGBT propaganda” and displaying “extremist” symbols after sharing an unidentified video with his classmates.
The escalating repression follows the 2023 Supreme Court decision to outlaw what it described as the “international LGBT movement.” By defining that alleged movement as “extremist” they have opened the floodgates to the arbitrary prosecution of LGBTQ+ people and their allies.
Hugh Williamson is the Europe and Central Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. He warns, “Russian authorities are intensifying their criminalization of those who provide critical support to the very LGBT people they have systematically persecuted.”
Russia’s criminal code states that participation in organizations banned as “extremist” carries penalties of up to six years in prison, while leading such an organization carries up to 12 years. Donations to such organizations are punishable with up to eight years in prison. Repeatedly display a rainbow flag or other such “extremist” symbols and you might find yourself in jail for up to four years.
Human Rights Watch urges other governments to support Russian LGBTQ groups and activists, while also enabling them to continue their work from abroad.
New York City politicians are once again flying fiercely in the face of the Trump Administration’s anti-queer attacks, this time with City Hall’s first-ever Pride Ball. The ballroom culture of the city was honored in a battle of the boroughs hosted by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus on June second. The event also featured three honorees: Hari Nef, Asha Lyons, and Rickke Mananzala — each applauded for their advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Ballroom scene led by black and Latino LGBTQ communities continues to be a space for creative expression and belonging– and the New York City Pride Ball appears to be no exception. In the People’s Chamber, the patterned red carpet became a runway for Ballroom performers representing the five boroughs of New York City. Judging positions were held by council members and cultural leaders.
Ballroom is a descendent of the vibrant black LGBTQ cultural force of the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem is considered to be the birthplace of voguing. However, on June second it was the Bronx that took the crown.
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