First Indian Miss Trans Global Crowned

Artist and model Sruthy Sithara made history recently, becoming the first out trans individual from India to win the Miss Trans Global pageant.

According to Indian Express, Sithara entered the competition believing winning the crown would “help me in leading and inspiring life with self-esteem, pride and dignity, not just for me, but for a crowd of people who hide their faces under the shades of the rainbow.” The pageant says it exists to raise awareness for trans, gender non-conforming and other LGBTQ communities across the globe.

Sithara, who also works in the Social Justice Department of the Kerala state government, celebrated her win in a series of Instagram posts, saying her win was for the “transglobal community” and “all those who are oppressed and marginalized.” She dedicated her crown to her mother, who passed away in 2015, and historic trans Indian government official and close friend Anannyah Kumari Alex, who took her own life earlier this year.

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California's First Trans Mayor Named

Palm Springs City Councilperson Lisa Middleton became the first out trans mayor in California state history Thursday. Her appointment to the position, which rotates between City Council members, made Middleton the third trans person to hold a mayoral position in U.S. history.

According to the Desert News, Middleton referenced notable trans figures in American history, including Marsha P. Johnson, in comments after being sworn in as Palm Springs mayor while highlighting current attacks on trans medical care and civil rights that are still progressing in multiple state legislatures.

“For every elected official blocking doorways, there are others opening doors, and across the country, there are places like Palm Springs where the welcome mat is out, ” Middleton said. “Our work in this city is far from done.”

Middleton's term as mayor will last one year, but she will be mounting a state senate campaign during that time as well. If she wins, she won't assume her position in the California senate until her term as mayor is over.

Community Rallies Around Delaware Gay Bar Following Fire

The Crimson Moon Tavern, the only LGBTQ bar in Wilmington, DE, is feeling plenty of love from the surrounding community after a fire caused significant damage to the club in November.

The tavern's second floor, which housed its regular drag performances, caught fire on November 29, wiping out all of the events planned for the holiday season. The first floor and basement suffered water damage from the efforts to put out the fire. “The whole second floor is totally trashed. I mean, it's totaled,” owner Don Bischoff told WHYY News.

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Fire investigators are still searching for the cause of the blaze, but multiple organizations and businesses have reached out with aid for the single LGBTQ bastion within the Delaware city. LGBTQ organizations from Philadelphia and the surrounding region have reached out to Bischoff, including offering to host drag events benefitting the club.

Bischoff also received offers from local Wilmington straight bars to open their spaces to him if he would like to move his planned holiday drag events to their locations as the damage continues to be assessed. “It's great to have the support of the straight community also,” Bischoff said.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has already garnered more than $5,000 in donations for the Crimson Moon Tavern. “It's a staple, a very big staple in the community because there's nowhere else to go,” said Bischoff. “It is a home. It's more than a community, more like a family than a community.”