A new wave of LGBTQ+ organizations in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are filling the gap left by shuttered venues and building spaces that are more inclusive than ever.

Since 1990, Rosie's Tavern in Covington's MainStrasse neighborhood has been a queer-owned safe space for LGBTQ+ communities across Greater Cincinnati. Through AIDS losses, neighborhood harassment, and two ownership transitions, it has endured as an anchor of Northern Kentucky's growing gayborhood.

Poet Melissa Helton found her queerness, her voice, and her found home in Appalachia, and she's using all three to challenge stereotypes and turn rage into art.

The Supreme Court is upholding state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams, in another setback for transgender people. The court’s conservative majority has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year.

Henderson KY Pride is heading into its third year with record sponsorships, 85+ vendors, 30+ performers, and Jaida Essence Hall headlining Pride '26 on June 27 in downtown Henderson.

Sandra Carpenter came out in college at EKU and spent her career building toward a role like this one. Now, as Executive Director of Louisville Youth Group, Kentucky's oldest queer QTBIPOC youth organization, she's focused on bridging the urban-rural divide for LGBTQ+ young people across the state.

Seven Counties Services is welcoming the LGBTQ+ community to "Rooted for Wellness," a free annual open house at their La Grange location on June 27. Drop in for music, arts and crafts, light refreshments, and a chance to learn about mental health and behavioral health services in a safe, affirming space.

After death threats, hacked accounts, and rumors of white nationalist interference, Corbin Pride organizer Rebecca Chastain almost called it quits. What brought her back was the thing she's been building all along: community.

Trans Kentuckians are fighting to keep their healthcare as anti-trans laws hit record highs. Providers and patients speak out, and refuse to back down.

A community is finding ways to honor Murry Foust, the transgender Northern Kentucky University art student who went missing and was later found dead in Wilder, Kentucky, almost a month later. Foust was a 22-year-old artist from Crescent Springs, Kentucky. In the weeks since they were found, the outpouring of love from the Cincinnati and […]

J.P. Davis, co-founder of Louisville's LGBT Chamber of Commerce, writes that the One Louisville board's lack of openly LGBTQ+ representation isn't an oversight but a choice, and a pattern this city needs to break.

A Louisville Safe Haven ordinance meant to protect trans people is headed to a Metro Council committee hearing, but the community it aims to protect has serious concerns. LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates say the five-page draft has critical gaps, could invite retaliation from Frankfort, and wasn't written with enough community input.

The 2026 LGBTQ Kentucky survey is live through June, building on data from more than 4,000 previous respondents. Add your voice to one of the most comprehensive studies of queer Kentuckians ever conducted.

A Kentucky middle schooler honors Freida Belinfante — Jewish lesbian, Nazi resistance fighter, and orchestra conductor — with a stunning art competition dress.

Discover Cinema Systers in Paducah, America's only lesbian film festival, celebrating queer women's voices and stories in Kentucky.

Doug Ullrich, the Covington Police Department's LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer, faces nine federal lawsuits since 2021. Local LGBTQ+ community members say the city's silence has eroded trust and they're demanding answers.

Louisville’s Kentuckiana Pride announced late Tuesday night that it would no longer have gay celebrity DJ Eliad Cohen of Miami Beach perform during its annual event on June 20 as part of its entertainment lineup that also included Drag Race superstar Alaska and other acts. Cohen served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the country’s […]

In a time of political backsliding, artists are at the forefront fighting against white patriarchal ideals with acts of rebellious queerness and authenticity. One singer in particular, Cain Culto, blends unapologetic queerness and witchy aesthetic—long fingernails, grills with tusks, and jockstraps—with music that takes on themes of sexuality, battling colonialism, and healing his inner child. […]

When Kentucky lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 legislative session earlier this month, they gaveled out and went home without passing a single anti-LGBTQ+ bill. It is a reprieve from a heavy onslaught of high-profile, targeted laws coming out of Frankfort over the last few years — years that saw measures limiting access to gender-affirming care, […]

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced Monday she will run for governor in 2027, making her the first major candidate to enter the race to succeed Gov. Andy Beshear.

This story will be updated throughout the day. Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session is officially — finally — coming to a close. Lawmakers will spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Frankfort, overriding any vetoes from Gov. Andy Beshear, passing any last-second bills and wrapping things up before heading home for the year.  Things will kick off at […]

Editor’s Note (June 16, 2026): Proposal submissions for Creating Change 2027 are now open. Here’s the full timeline to mark on your calendar: Call for Proposals: June 15 – September 15, 2026 — Submit here CC27 Kick-off Reception: August 25, 2026, Louisville Registration & Host Hotel Booking Opens: July 15, 2026 Proposal Accept/Decline Notices: November […]

FRANKFORT — As anticipated, a last-second attempt to keep transgender people from teaching in Kentucky has failed. Kentucky lawmakers wrapped up the bulk of their 2026 legislative session late Wednesday night, going home without bringing up House Bill 759 — a previously uncontroversial bill around alternative teaching certifications that got a late floor amendment that […]

As Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session winds down, Queer Kentucky will be keeping y’all updated throughout all of it.  Lawmakers will meet Tuesday and Wednesday to pass any final legislation before the veto period begins Thursday — a two-week-ish period where Gov. Andy Beshear will be able to sort through all of the bills on his […]

No, Kentucky is not set to quickly and quietly declare transgender people “mentally ill” this week.  And no, Kentucky’s GOP-dominated legislature is also not about to silently kick trans people out of teaching in the last seconds of the 2026 legislative session. Y’all, I am once again respectfully begging you to get your Kentucky politics […]

(Louisville, KY March 25, 2026) It’s that time of year again for one of the best Drag Illusions shows you have ever witnessed. Grab those dollars and come out & join Kentuckiana Pride Foundation and Play Louisville on Saturday, March 28th at Play Louisville as we bring the community together for a fun-filled night of […]

Friends, the time is near: Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session has mere days left.  Lawmakers are scheduled to meet four days over the next week to hammer out the details of the next two-year state budget, along with passing any other bills they think Gov. Andy Beshear could veto, by 11:59 p.m. on April 1.  They’ll […]

Let’s imagine something. Imagine walking into a reproductive health clinic in Kentucky and not having to brace yourself. Imagine reproductive healthcare that was designed with LGBTQ+ people in mind from the beginning. Reproductive health is too often reduced to “pro-choice” versus “pro-life.” But for many people in queer and trans communities, reproductive justice is even […]

What is a shell bill? Kentucky’s legislative process follows a set of rules, but there are several common ways lawmakers can reshape or fast-track bills. Fun fact: Kentucky lawmakers can’t just go around filing new legislation throughout the entire legislative session.  They have a deadline to file new bills each year, weeks before the end […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Queer Kentucky Announces Divya Karthikeyan as Editorial Manager   Louisville, KY — Queer Kentucky has named award-winning journalist Divya Karthikeyan as its new Editorial Manager, ushering in the next chapter for Kentucky’s only LGBTQ newsroom. Karthikeyan will oversee the editorial direction and daily operations of Queer Kentucky’s newsroom, guiding coverage of LGBTQ […]

Skylar Davis grows Period Y’all to fight period poverty across Kentucky communities.

Kentucky lawmakers file immigration bills tied to ICE enforcement in 2026 session.

Kentucky Rep. Bill Wesley files HB 867 requiring bathroom use based on birth sex.

Kentucky Sen. Gex Williams files SB 351, targeting transgender teachers’ licenses..

Midwestern Lesbian expands after Sapphic Sips anniversary draws 200+

Gov. Andy Beshear, Silas House headline Kentucky Fairness Rally as key bills advance.

Author David Dominé discusses HBO’s Murder in Glitter Ball City and the Old Louisville case that inspired it.

Kentucky SB 72 advances allowing health care refusals on conscience grounds.

National Queer Theater opens applications for global queer playwriting program.

Dr. Bobbie Glass appears on Trevor Project series on LGBTQ mental health.

Kentucky artist John Brooks explores memory, queerness, and time in his evolving artwork.

Kentucky lawmakers propose a House Bill 553 expanding limits on gender-affirming health care coverage.

Legislative Process: A clear, step-by-step guide to how a bill becomes law in Kentucky and what happens at each stage.

Kentucky’s Mia Kopp and Mulanie Flowers, both transgender, will compete at Miss International Queen USA 2026.

TikTok comedian Heather Shaw marries attorney Lilly Jean Coiner in Louisville wedding.

Lexington’s Last WednesGays creates a safe, welcoming space for queer community and connection.

GLAAD - A Black gay couple reflects on faith, coming out, love, and marriage during and after COVID.

A Kentucky Republican lawmaker has filed House Bill 360, which would criminalize drag performances in public or where minors may be present.

Lexington panel examines restoring voting rights for people with felony convictions in Kentucky.

Queer Kentucky earns a GLAAD nomination for outstanding independent LGBTQ journalism.

See who’s running for United States House and Senate on Kentucky’s 2026 federal ballot.

Track key LGBTQ bills and legislative changes during Kentucky’s 2026 General Assembly with our Bill Tracker.

Explore Kentucky House and Senate candidates for 2026 and see who’s running statewide.