It’s been a big news week for LGBTQ folks and allies! Here are my favorite share-worthy stories and some exciting updates.

#40ToNONE AND KEY VOTES FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

On Wednesday Naomi & I shared an unselfie with people across the nation to stand in solidarity with the 40% of homeless youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning. We all can help support these young people with our voices, actions and dollars. Learn more about ending LGBTQ youth homelessness with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors United.

My Son Wears Heels stands w/ homeless #LGBTQ youth today & every day! Join us & share an unselfie for #40toNoneDay. pic.twitter.com/ej8hKNHQcl

— Julie Tarney (@MySonWearsHeels) April 29, 2015

We’re continuing to keep close tabs on the Supreme Court, but there isn’t much to report at this time. I really appreciate this comprehensive piece from Vox that outlines the past, present and potential future of marriage equality in the United States. If you’d like to listen to oral arguments check out the audio here.

DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY – IN A SAFE SPACE

Prom season is upon us! One of the most culturally noted high school experiences, the prom has inspired everything from Barbie’s “Queen of the Prom” board game to horror flick Carrie.

In the real world, prom should be an environment where everyone feels safe to express themselves and have fun.

Some of the most interesting stories about prom inclusivity have come to me via Twitter. I loved learning about students in the Gay-Straight Alliance at Saugus High School, Santa Clarita, Calif., who are raising money to attend a combined-area LGBTQIA+ prom. At least 30 students from Saugus have expressed interest in attending the event on May 30th.

“Here at Saugus High School, students can bring anyone they want to any dance,“ said Tere La Giusa, co-adviser for the Gay-Straight Alliance club at Saugus High School. “But sometimes, they feel like they can still stick out, and that people are looking at them. It’s just nice for them to feel comfortable.”

And as the big dance approaches in Nevada, a teen surprised his best friend with the invitation message of support tweeted below. Across the U.S., it’s teens like these who are leading the way to a socially happy future for all high school kids.

Guess who just got asked to prom by @JacobLescenskii pic.twitter.com/eDrTRkX7fp

— Anthony N. Martínez, MBA, MPA (@AnthonymNV) April 21, 2015

A CHAMPION SOON TO BE BACK ON THE PODIUM

I am one of nearly 17 million people who watched Diane Sawyer’s groundbreaking interview with Bruce Jenner. The 1976 gold-medal Olympian showed great bravery, heart and composure, and it’s inspiring to see many celebrities voicing their support.

Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox articulated an important point:

“I think a lot of people tuned in expecting to see a spectacle and they saw a beautiful human being – a person who’s a parent who care deeply about their family. What my visibility over the past year has taught me that is that visibility does matter…but visibility still doesn’t save a lot of trans lives, a lot of those who are still committing suicide, still being murdered at disproportionate levels, still experiencing job discrimination, housing discrimination, healthcare discrimination. There is so much more work that needs to be done to policy and structural changes.”

I hope the support Jenner has received will encourage them to continue to be a visible and active advocate for LGBTQ communities, as well as a role model for all of us.

GENDER NEUTRAL PRONOUNS HAVE IMPACT

In addition to notable headlines, “Good news!” was the enticing subject line on a recent email. I scrolled down to read that I’m a #BlogHer15: Experts Among Us Voices of the Year honoree! BlogHer is a media company that holds the world’s largest annual conference for women in social media. They sent me this #VOTY (as it’s affectionately called) badge and the note below.

“We receive thousands of Voices of the Year submissions, which are reviewed through a juried process, winnowing the list down to a mere 5% of submissions that are honored.

“We’re thrilled to inform you that your piece ‘He, Zie or They: Gender-Specific Pronouns Are Personal,’ was nominated in the Impact category and made it through three rounds and six judges to be selected as one of the top honorees.

“We are so excited to honor the outstanding creators who have pushed us to think more, feel more, share more, laugh more, and do more. We’d love for you to attend the Voices of the Year ceremony at the New York City Hilton at 4:30 pm on Friday, July 17, and of course we hope you can attend the entire conference.”

Of course, I’ll be there! I signed up in February as soon as I learned this year’s two-day event was being held in NYC. Stayed tuned for lots of tweets from #BlogHer15 this July.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST YOU’LL PROBABLY ALSO LIKE THESE:

“6 ways to be a better LGBTQ ally in 2015.”

“Gender? It’s between the ears.”

“Meet the (trans*) girl next door.”