Articles by Maggie Baska

A graphic design image composed of a photo of surgeon Ioannis Ntanos in scrubs, a pile of books with a stethoscope, an outline of a body with top surgery scars and the colours of the trans flag (blue, pink and white)

Health
Oct 17 2023

Top surgery included in leading breast surgery textbook for first time ever

Russia LGBTQ+

World
Oct 13 2023

‘You left Russia, but Russia never left you’: Queer couple scarred after fleeing anti-LGBTQ+ violence

A graphic composed of an outline of the state of Florida, a trans Pride flag, the US flag and Avery Wade Kelley a trans person who left the state over gender-affirming healthcare bans

US
Oct 12 2023

‘I won’t detransition for someone who thinks I shouldn’t exist’, says trans man fleeing Florida

Australian singer Troye Sivan wears sparkly body jewellery on his bare chest and a light denim jacket

Celebrity
Oct 08 2023

Troye Sivan has a message for critics: ‘I like my body’

Pop singer Cher wears a silver corset type top with a silver, grey and black jacket and long blonde hair

Celebrity
Oct 08 2023

Cher admits she isn’t a fan of Cher and ‘almost never’ likes her own music

Layton Williams performs in a pink and black drag look for a Grease-inspired dance on Strictly Come Dancing

TV
Oct 08 2023

Strictly Come Dancing: Layton Williams serves powerful Grease number in drag

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has a history of making anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, wears a suit and tie as he holds up both his hands while speaking into a microphone

Europe
Oct 07 2023

Turkey’s Erdogan tells supporters he does not ‘recognise LGBT’ in bizarre speech

Bryan Fuller wears a white shirt, striped tie and brown jumper as he poses for a photo

Celebrity
Oct 07 2023

Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller sued for alleged sexual harassment by fellow queer horror producer

Information Technician 2nd Class Thomas James wears a Naval uniform as a medal is pinned to his chest in a ceremony honouring his brave actions on the night of the Club Q shooting in November 2022

US
Oct 07 2023

Brave sailor who helped disarm Club Q shooter honoured by Navy: ‘An unassuming hero’

Side by side images of Marina Machete, a trans woman who is wearing a glittery nude coloured dress and sash and crown as she wins the Miss Portugal beauty competition

Europe
Oct 07 2023

Flight attendant makes history as first trans woman to be crowned Miss Portugal

Sufjan Stevens wears a pink and black striped suit jacket as he plays the guitar and sings into a microphone on stage

Music
Oct 07 2023

Sufjan Stevens comes out with moving album dedication to ‘beloved’ late partner

A picture of the back of the yellow and blue high vis jacket of a Metropolitan Police officer in London amid a rise in homophobic and transphobic hate crime in the UK

Crime
Oct 07 2023

East London: Gay couple viciously assaulted, threatened with ‘wood panel with nails’ in homophobic attack

A graphic composed of a wedding image of queer, trans TikTok couple Grey and Grayson Prince kissing with blue and pink designs in the background

Activism
Oct 07 2023

Queer trans couple challenges what modern love looks like, one TikTok video at a time

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak wears a suit and tie as he makes a speech at the Conservative Party conference. The prime minister and UK government have been criticised for making anti-trans remarks and failing to tackle LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the country

UK
Oct 06 2023

UK politicians may have contributed to rise in anti-trans hate crime, government confirms

Two men, who are illustrated to be bisexual, gay or queer, are topless as one man kisses the other man's neck before engaging in sex or an intimate moment together

Health
Oct 03 2023

Antibiotic could be used as STI ‘morning after pill’ for queer men and trans women under CDC plans

Laphonza Butler

Politics
Oct 02 2023

Laphonza Butler becomes first Black lesbian to serve in Congress

A graphic composed of images of trans drag king Percy Non Grata performing in a chef outfit with designs surrounding him in the colours blue and pink

Drag
Sep 30 2023

‘I get to be this forever’: How a trans artist found ‘home’ in the drag king scene

Calvin Robinson wears a traditional deacon's garbs as he presents a segment on GB News with blue and red graphics in the background

UK
Sep 29 2023

GB News presenter Calvin Robinson ‘suspended’ after Dan Wootton and Laurence Fox row

Jennifer Petersen poses for a portrait in front of 73 children's books that she's read in the course of a year. The Virginia mum has filed challenges against dozens of books as efforts to ban certain books increased across the US

Education
Sep 29 2023

Mum responsible for countless banned books vows to keep up campaign ‘as long as it takes’

World
Sep 29 2023

Russia: Trans woman forced into conversion therapy camp for nine months ‘had to castrate a pig’

JK Rowling and her new Robert Galbraith book

Books
Sep 28 2023

We asked a non-binary person to review the new JK Rowling book. They had a lot to say

People hold up signs reading 'Ban LGBT+ conversion therapy NOW!' and 'conversion therapy is LGBT+ abuse' as they call on the Tory government to take action

Politics
Sep 25 2023

Rishi Sunak expected to scrap Tory plans for conversion therapy ban

Pictures of trans elders Reina and Lonnie "Love" Kenebrew with graphic designs in both pink and blue behind them

Coming Out
Sep 24 2023

‘I looked in the mirror and saw the man in me’: Trans elders on the ‘hope’ in ageing authentically

People gather together in protest one year after the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in the custody of Iran's 'morality police'. Women and LGBTQ+ people have led the protests calling for their human rights in Iran

Activism
Sep 23 2023

How queer Iranians are fighting back against the country’s online LGBTQ+ crackdown

A graphic composed of an image of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who was killed in 2022; the protests that broke out across the country after her death which included LGBTQ+ folks; and a pink wash

Activism
Sep 17 2023

‘She could be my sister’: Iranian activists on why Mahsa Amini protests are an LGBTQ+ fight too

A graphic composed of a photo of Frankie Miranda, the first openly queer president of the Hispanic Federation; a sign reading 'Trans Latinx lives matter'; and Hispanic LGBTQ+ people gathered together in protest

Activism
Sep 15 2023

Hispanic Federation’s queer president condemns Don’t Say Gay laws: ‘All you’re doing is isolating children’

People hold up signs bringing awareness to the plight of LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum abroad including a sign reading 'silence is support for discrimination' and another reading 'LGBT refugees don't feel safe in the camps'

UK
Sep 12 2023

‘Inhumane’ migration bill putting LGBTQ+ people at risk as asylum claims soar

A person holds up a sign reading 'No homophobia, transphobia, hate speech' during a protest against Uganda's anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Africa
Sep 10 2023

EU’s continued funding of Uganda sparks backlash from LGBTQ+ campaigners

Spain's World Cup-winning midfielder Jenni Hermoso wears a red and yellow football uniform as she plays during a match

Sport
Sep 10 2023

World champion Jenni Hermoso welcomed back to training after Rubiales scandal

Side by side images of UFC fighters Charles Radtke and Manel Kape. Both fighters have apologised after using homophobic slurs during an UFC event in Australia

Sport
Sep 10 2023

UFC fighters Charles Radtke and Manel Kape apologise for homophobic slurs

Lil Nas X wears long black hair and a black jacket at the premiere of his documentary, which was delayed because of a bomb threat

Celebrity
Sep 10 2023

Lil Nas X premiere delayed by homophobic bomb threat

Openly gay Australian MP Alex Greenwich, who has received homophobic hate online, wears a suit and tie as he stands in front of a rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride flag

World
Sep 10 2023

Gay Australian MP Alex Greenwich opens up about ‘shocking’ homophobic tweet

Side by side pictures of Salman Mukaev, a man who fled Chechnya after he was arrested and tortured by authorities over false accusations that he's gay

Activism
Sep 10 2023

‘Nobody is safe in Chechnya’: Life of torture survivor accused of being gay at risk, activists say

Several LGBTQ+ inclusive books are seen on a library shelf in Alabama

US
Sep 10 2023

Alabama anti-porn group wants librarians to face jail for offering LGBTQ+ books to kids

Elon Musk is seen wearing a white shirt and dark suit jacket. The X owner has hit out after several groups and LGBTQ+ activists have warned of rising levels of hate speech on the platform

US
Sep 09 2023

Elon Musk’s X sues California over law meant to tackle hate speech on social media

A police photo of Steven Mooney who was handed three-year banning order for shouting homophobic and racist abuse at Aston Villa players during a football match against Everton

Sport
Sep 09 2023

Everton fan handed ban for hurling homophobic and racist abuse at Aston Villa players

California governor Gavin Newsom, who supported an anti-book ban bill, smiles as he wears a white shirt, blue tie and dark suit jacket

Politics
Sep 09 2023

California passes anti-book ban bill for schools: ‘The true freedom state’

Singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy holds a microphone as she performs onstage in a purple outfit and with a red hat

Music
Sep 09 2023

Róisín Murphy denies label is donating album proceeds to pro-trans charities

Texas drag queen Brigitte Bandit, who brought a legal case against the state's drag ban legislation, wears a pink wig and pink outfit as she reads from a book

Activism
Sep 09 2023

Texas drag ban: ‘I never dreamed I’d be in court fighting for the right to wear make-up and a wig’

Ian McKellen wears a dark shirt, blue patterned silk scarf and dark grey jacket as he stares towards the camera

Celebrity
Sep 09 2023

Ian McKellen reveals ‘worst movie-making experience’ of his career