Organizing the Lesbian Herstory Archives | This Way Out Radio Episode #2006
This Way Out’s Abigail DeRoberts visits the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, New York and speaks to coordinators Maxine Wolfe and Rachel Corbman about how the archives got started, why it matters, and how to meet the challenge of preserving it for future generations. In Newswrap Poland begins recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere in the European Union, while Bulgaria’s top court opens the door for transgender people to change their legal names and gender markers. In the U.S., a new EEOC settlement gives thousands of Christian employers greater latitude to discriminate against trans workers. A fatal shooting at a Tucson gay bar is being investigated as a possible hate crime, prompting a call for action on gun violence from Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva. And New Orleans’ Southern Decadence celebrates LGBTQ+ diversity — with a special push to bring more queer women and lesbians into the spotlight.
Featured speakers: U.S. House from Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva, Lily Tomlin, archives coordinators Maxine Wolfe and Rachel Corbman.
Credits: Associate Producer Lucia Chappelle, Producer/
Host Brian DeShazor, News writer Jeb Backe, the feature was produced by Abigail DeRoberts NewsWrap reporters Michael LeBeau and Tanya Kane-Parry music: Isis
All this on the September 7, 2026 Edition of This Way Out!
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This Way Out
NewsWrap
Program 2006 Distributed 09/07/26
Poland is beginning to recognize same-sex marriages from other European Union nations. Back in May, the Supreme Administrative Court had ruled in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages registered abroad. However, the process was nearly derailed by the intervention of the contentious Constitutional Tribunal.
The EU Court of Justice ruled in 2025 that the bloc must allow for recognition of marriages in fellow member states. It was first put to the test by a couple who moved from Germany to Poland. Their marriage was recognized by Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court, but the right-wing Law and Justice party challenged the decision at the Constitutional Tribunal and successfully overturned the regulation. In July, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed legislation that would have extended some legal recognition to same-sex couples in the form of “cohabitation contracts,” according to Reuters.
In spite of the Constitutional Tribunal’s veto, government officials said that the regulation would enter into force as planned. In late August, Digital Affairs minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said, “The illegal Constitutional Tribunal is once again attempting to obstruct a state that is enforcing the law in force and the rulings of European courts. [...] The transcription of foreign same-sex marriage certificates is and will remain legal.”
The judicial back and forth is symptomatic of the larger rule-of-law crisis in Poland that has spanned the past decade. The Law and Justice government’s controversial takeover of the Constitutional Tribunal and overhaul of the court system has opened Poland to accusations of failing to comply with European and Polish constitutional law.
The Polish international news network TVP World reports that the new regulations have indeed gone through. The couple who had moved from Germany to Poland and other queer migrants will have their marriages recognized. Even so, the country still outlaws same-sex marriage. Polish couples will still need to go outside their homeland for a legal union to be recognized.
Bulgaria’s top court has struck down a ban on transgender citizens legally changing their name and gender on ID documents. The July 22nd ruling found that European Union law takes precedence over a 2023 Bulgarian Supreme Court ruling.
A trans woman identified as K.M.H. began trying to change her name and gender on Bulgarian ID documents almost ten years ago, but courts denied her requests. She has been living in Italy, and her old Bulgarian documents have repeatedly outed her and made it harder to find work. K.M.H. was given the pseudonym “Shipova” in the landmark case in the European Union Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The EU’s highest court ruled in March that member states must allow transgender individuals to legally change their name and gender on ID documents.
The Bulgarian Supreme Court of Cassation concurred with the “Shipova” ruling in July. K.M.H. was among three other applicants who may now change their government IDs to match who they are.
The Bulgarian judges declared that every person’s right to determine their own gender identity “cannot be questioned.” In their words, “the rule of law in Bulgaria implies a universal equality of the dignity of all human beings, including transgender people.”
However, trans-rights group, Transgender Europe noted that “while lower courts are expected to follow this ruling directly, a court decision is not a substitute for law.” Transgender Europe is among many advocacy groups calling on the Bulgarian government to codify legal gender recognition procedure with legislation, rather than leaving it to case-by-case court precedent.
Christian employers in the U.S. can legally discriminate against transgender people under a new settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. EEOC’s workplace protections for transgender employees were challenged by the Christian Employers Alliance, or CEA.
The EEOC agreed in the settlement that they will not pursue certain gender-identity-related claims against the CEA – that includes pronoun use, sex-specific dress codes, and access to facilities assigned by gender.
The EEOC previously provided all employees with free investigations and/or legal support for their complaints of gender-identity based discrimination in the workplace. That guidance was issued following a 2020 Supreme Court ruling finding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects against gender identity discrimination. However, this assistance will no longer be available to those who work for companies that are members of the Christian Employers Alliance.
The CEA currently has more than 20,000 members. The settlement applies to them and all future members. It’s become a bragging point on its signup page that members are “protected the moment you’re in.” Former EEOC General Counsel Karla Gilbride is “concerned about the incentive that that creates for employers.” She told The Intercept, “It’s like they’re selling an insurance policy against EEOC investigations.”
According to Gilbride, “What makes this settlement unusual, is that, in exchange for agreeing to dismiss certain claims in this case, the EEOC is committing to these terms for what seems to be an indefinite amount of time.” Since the EEOC sets the standard for workplace discrimination claims in the U.S., workers for CEA members are now left with fewer practical options for legal protections.
Although the agreement allows CEA employers to practice various kinds of workplace discrimination, the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 2020 Bostock decision still prohibits the firing of employees on the basis of their sexuality and/or gender identity.
[AUDIO - GRIJALVA]
“This type of targeted violence does not happen in a vacuum. It is cultivated by anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, laws, policies, and executive orders, and it is a direct consequence of this body's failure to act on gun violence. Cameron and Vincent should still be alive today.”
A shooting at a Tucson gay bar prompted a passionate rebuke on the floor of the U.S. House from Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva. Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara were shot in the parking lot of Venture-N late on August 31st and died at the scene, according to police. The alleged gunman died later that night in a local hospital from a gunshot wound. Tucson Police Department spokesman Officer James Horton says all of the shell casings came from the same weapon. The suspect was carrying a note that listed several LGBTQIA+ associated businesses, so the murders are being investigated as a hate crime.
Mourners have been stopping by Venture-N to add to the growing memorial next to the front door since early September 1st, and a candlelight vigil was held Wednesday.
Before asking for a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting in her home town, Representative Grijalva called upon Congress and National Rifle Association-endorsed, House Speaker Mike Johnson to take action.
[AUDIO - GRIJALVA]
“Mr. Speaker, how many more parents need to bury their children before Congress takes action to address the gun violence epidemic? How many more people need to die before this chamber stands up to the gun lobby? Our communities are sick and tired of hearing our thoughts and prayers. We should be acting today to pass common-sense gun safety laws and to combat hate and violence targeting our LGBTQ folks.”
Finally… Southern Decadence took over New Orleans for the U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend. What began as a small party over 50 years ago, the annual LGBTQ+ event is now a five day extravaganza with more than 275,000 revelers from across the globe gathering in the French Quarter for concerts, parties, and a parade.
Parade captain Jimmy Gale says the group is making it a point to emphasize “more queer women and lesbians.” Married grand marshals Romy and Rachel Thompson reached out to lesbian bars across the country to bring in more queer women for the festivities that have historically “been for the boys,” according to Gale. Romy told the Gambit newspaper, “it's the first time [all letters of] LGBTQ [have] been covered.” This year's record high diverse assortment of six grand marshals chose the theme, “Phoenix Rising: Together We Rise.” Attendees arrived bedecked in turquoise, red, black, royal blue, and gold — this year’s colors.
The grand marshals have additionally chosen to donate the leftover fundraiser money to Black Pride NOLA, Transcending Women, Big Easy Animal Rescue, STEM NOLA, and Women with a Vision.
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