Connecticut’s child welfare division is openly declaring their acceptance of same-sex parents so that their state can be known as a welcoming place for LGBTQ people, according to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
“We just have to get this word out,” Malloy told the Associated Press. “We have to get more of our children placed with our families in our state.”
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) will work with LGBTQ organizations and community centers to encourage same-sex couples to apply to become either adoptive or foster parents. Connecticut currently has around 4,300 children being cared for by the state, half of which are unlikely to return to their original home.
DCF Commissioner Joette Katz told AP that they currently have around 100 LGBTQ families, but wish to to raise that number to 250 by the end of Malloy’s term. “There are hundreds, if not thousands of families, that have a lot of love to give,” she said.
Connecticut’s outreach to the LGBTQ community stands in staunch opposition to recent efforts in other states. Lawmakers in Kansas and Oklahoma recently passed bills that allow adoption and foster care agencies to refuse to place children with “immoral” same-sex couples.
Shannon Smith, who adopted two young boys in DCF care with his husband Ross Stencil, said that these restrictions against gay adoptions have scared off same-sex couples looking to adopt.
“I think it’s nice DCF is pulling out the stops to really let people know, ’Hey, your love is just as good as anybody else’s. Don’t listen to that other garbage that everyone is saying. If you’re a great parent, we’re going to get you a kid,” he said.
Organizers of the "MAGA Invasion" meetup at Disneyland in Anaheim, California appear to have picked a date that coincides with "Mini Gay Days," an LGBTQ fan event, setting the stage for potential confrontations.
On November 19, a Southern California conservative group called 805 Patriots -- which also operates a Facebook page under the name "SoCal Patriots" -- announced a meetup of "like-minded patriots" at Disneyland as part of an unsanctioned event planned for February 28, 2026.
One organizer said the purpose of the "Patriots in the Park" event is to "go have some fun by triggering as many liberals as possible" at Disneyland.
The sudden turn from sunny early autumn to a wintry November left us feeling more than a little light-deprived. But one sure remedy to brighten these gray days is to plan ahead for the joyful whirl of the holiday season.
Should those plans include taking in a fabulous live show here in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, or beyond, it's best to start making your list now and checking it twice. We're here to help with a LGBTQ-focused rundown of the divas, divos, and drag queens who might be jingling your bells from now through December.
Gay Men's Chorus: The Holiday Show -- The GMCW's most popular show every year brings an extravaganza of holiday carols, high-kicking reindeer, and sparkling snowflakes, which sounds like a euphemism for something festive to accompany songs like "O Holy Night," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Let It Snow," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (12/13-14, 12/20, Lincoln Theatre)
Terry Sweeney, the first openly gay cast member of Saturday Night Live, had some harsh words for actor Chevy Chase, a member of the show’s original cast who has returned to host multiple times.
"Chevy is one of those turds you flush down the toilet but it comes back up again and again," the 75-year-old Sweeney, best remembered for his exaggerated impression of First Lady Nancy Reagan, told the New York Post.
Sweeney’s comments come as a new CNN documentary, I'm Chevy Chase, and You're Not, directed by Marina Zenovich, is set to premiere on January 1 at 8 p.m.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
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