Jo Yurcaba

nbcnews.comIdaho pushed anti-trans laws for years. Then a teen died.The life and death of May Pollard, 16, provides a window into the tragic effect that legislation and political rhetoric have had on trans people in America.

Content warning: suicide After May Pollard died on a late-January morning, a detective asked her parents a question: Had anyone wanted to hurt her? “A lot of America,” her mother answered. 1/ www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

nbcnews.comBogus trans youth brochure rattles Texas votersThe brochures are just the latest twist in a campaign where Republican candidates have sought to capitalize on anti-trans sentiment in a state with two competitive, high-profile races.

Bogus brochures are just the latest twist in a campaign where Republican candidates have sought to capitalize on anti-trans sentiment in a state with two competitive, high-profile races. With @joekottke.bsky.social & @janelytv.bsky.social for @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinfo...

nbcnews.comHow trans choruses are offering safe havens for singersTransgender choruses have spread across the country, providing community for singers when state and federal policies have increasingly restricted their rights.

A few months ago, I saw a video of a new all-trans masculine choir in NYC. As a former a cappella fan boy in college, I ended up in a clickhole on trans choirs and choruses and then talked to groups across the country. For @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

nbcnews.comTrump’s catchphrase ‘transgender for everybody’ becomes an LGBTQ rallying cryLGBTQ activists have a long tradition of taking slights and slurs — like the word “queer” — and using them as a form of protest and celebration.

I spoke to LGBTQ+ artists and activists who have reclaimed Trump's catchphrase "transgender for everybody" and turned it into a rallying cry. With Eleanor Skelly, who tallied how many times Trump has said the phrase, for @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

“I think he means it as some sort of threatening proliferation of the ‘transgender contagion,’" Rio Sofia, executive director of Queer Art, said. "So I was like, if you’re making it a threat, we can make it a promise.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

nbcnews.com‘My darlin’ Dolly’: LGBTQ community mourns the loss of a dedicated allyDolly Parton supported LGBTQ rights as early as the 1980s and never backed down, saying in many interviews, “I do not judge.”

27 Aug

I talked to LGBTQ people about what Dolly Parton meant to them. Jason Larimore listened to "Eagle When She Flies" when he was 14, and came out that same week. A decade later, when no one would hire him in his small town, he went to work at Dollywood. @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

27 Aug

Larimore got to meet Dolly in 2004. “Whenever she leaned over, she put them big old Smoky Mountains on my shoulder, and she held me close,” Larimore said. “It was as if I was the only person in the world.”

@byadamrhodes.bsky.social

25 Aug

LGBTQ+ Dolly Parton fans: Would love to talk to you if you've seen her in concert and/or met her. DM me or email Jo.Yurcaba@nbcuni.com

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Adam Rhodes

20 July

If you read anything right now, I need you to read this devastating piece by my incredible friend about the toll anti-trans laws and rhetoric take on children, namely one young girl named May. @joyurcaba.bsky.social. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

19 July

A father in Idaho, speaking to police after his child died by suicide: “There is a huge amount of animosity, every single day, thrown at trans kids. The whole fucking country. The whole fucking administration, every single fucking day.” Please read this important story by @joyurcaba.bsky.social

But, as many people in Boise told me, May lived under the shadow of the state capitol, which had enacted 15 laws targeting LGBTQ people in just the last few years of her life. She poured her emotions into poetry, some of which you can read in the article. 4/

“You worry about that hatred being internalized, and that’s what happened to my kid,” Elyse Thorpe, May's mother, told NBC News. “It got inside.” Read May's story: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

In May, Idaho's AG declared victory when a suit against a state law banning transgender students from using the bathrooms and locker rooms of their gender identities was dismissed. One plaintiff graduated and the other died by suicide. 2/

19thnews.orgOne year later, 988 still doesn’t have a hotline for LGBTQ+ youthCongress granted funds to restore this critical service months ago. But it may not be back until the end of 2026.

The 16-year-old who died was May Pollard. She went by Jane Doe in the lawsuit, because she didn't want to be an activist. She just wanted to be a teen girl who played Terraria with her friends and ran a Discord dedicated to the streamer Jerma985. 3/ www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Orion Rummler

@oriion.bsky.social

17 July

Replying to @oriion.bsky.social

Read my full story here; the chart is more interactive

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Orion Rummler

@oriion.bsky.social

17 July

Congress granted funds to restore 988 services for LGBTQ+ youth months ago. But it's still gone. Here's what it looks like when a service like this is ended; almost 70,000 people reaching out for help, then a cliff.

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Tyler Kingkade

@tktk.bsky.social

2 July

“I wasn’t playing girls’ soccer because I couldn’t handle it on the boys team — I was playing girls’ soccer because that’s where my friends were and that’s where I felt comfortable, and that’s where I belong.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup... via @joyurcaba.bsky.social

nbcnews.comFor trans student-athletes, the Supreme Court’s ruling is just the latest blowAmid a drumbeat of state and federal policies restricting transgender rights, the court’s decision left some trans athletes and their advocates angry and afraid.

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Joe Murphy

@joemurph.com

1 July

This special report on how Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ changed America ( by @spettypi.bsky.social and @mikehixenbaugh.com ) has a lot of #dataViz in it, is deeply reported and is *not* behind the NBC News paywall (though that will change soon). [no paywall for now] www.nbcnews.com/specials/tru...

nbcnews.comHow Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ changed AmericaPresident Donald Trump signed his “big, beautiful bill” a year ago. It unleashed the biggest ever rollback of federal programs serving the poor, while extending trillions of dollars in tax breaks disp...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

1 July

One year after Trump signed his “big, beautiful bill,” it has begun reshaping the country. At least 4 million people have lost food stamps. Millions more will lose healthcare. Refugees and other legal immigrants are getting kicked off the safety net. And the wealthiest Americans have gotten richer.

19thnews.orgRoller derby was already queer-friendly. Then it got more inclusive.Years before trans athletes in sports embroiled national politics, roller derby — the five-player high-contact sport with punk rock nicknames — tackled the question of who could play.

9 June

A very cool story by Kate Sosin at @19thnews.org. Also, go Rose City! 19thnews.org/2026/06/roll...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Julia Serano

@juliaserano.bsky.social

2 June

NEW ESSAY: Origins of the Anti-Trans “Groomer” Slur. it provides historical context, a timeline of how it spread, & how it shapes anti-trans/LGBTQ legislation. pls share! on Medium (friend link): juliaserano.medium.com/origins-of-t... & Substack (no paywall): juliaserano.substack.com/p/origins-of...

juliaserano.medium.comOrigins of the Anti-Trans “Groomer” Slura timeline, plus historical context and future implications

nbcnews.comThe book fueling a movement against screens in schools“The Digital Delusion” connects the collapse in standardized test scores to the rise of education technology in public schools. It’s drawing a heated debate.

4 June

Not for a story, but for me: Folks in the Portland, OR, area who are open to sharing, about how long did you have to wait for a top surgery consult and then for surgery? Just got some tough news about my wait times and looking at other options. DMs open if you don't want to respond publicly.

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Tyler Kingkade

@tktk.bsky.social

31 May

NEW: I wrote about the self-published book that is fueling a movement of parents demanding less screen time in schools -- and becoming a major headache for school administrators www.nbcnews.com/news/educati...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Tyler Kingkade

@tktk.bsky.social

nbcnews.comIt’s not just kids: Trump’s crackdown on trans healthcare extends into adulthoodConservatives have long argued they want to end transition care for minors, but federal policies have increasingly limited adult access. More restrictions are on the way.

Transgender adults are losing health care under the Trump administration, @joyurcaba.bsky.social reports They asked the Heritage Foundation what its staff think of this, and their reply was, essentially, it's nbd www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Here's how the Trump administration is chipping away at transgender health care access for adults With more than 30 interviews with trans adults, treatment providers, conservative activists and trans rights activists over the last two months. For @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

NBC News

@nbcnews.com

nbcnews.toIt’s not just kids: Trump’s crackdown on trans healthcare extends into adulthoodConservatives have long argued they want to end transition care for minors, but federal policies have increasingly limited adult access. More restrictions are on the way.

It’s not just kids: Trump’s crackdown on trans healthcare extends into adulthood.

Of the policies discussed here, there's one that's been covered very little: In 2027, the Trump admin will eliminate coverage for transition care, or what they call "sex rejection treatments," for federal employees and postal service employees — with no exceptions. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

@byadamrhodes.bsky.social

22 May

Looking to connect with USPS employees and federal employees who are trans. DM me, email Jo.Yurcaba@nbcuni.com or Signal joyurcaba.91

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Adam Rhodes

21 May

For an article about the SAVE Act, I’m looking to speak with trans people about your experiences voting with identification that doesn’t match your gender expression. What issues have you faced? I’d also like to talk to folks who can’t update their birth certificates due to state law. DM me plz!

21 May

Talk to Adam about voting/birth certificate issues!

Adam Rhodes@byadamrhodes.bsky.social

I haven't been sharing much on here lately, and that is in part because I've been working on a big feature that should be out soon. But it's also because in February I started competing in gay rodeo. 🤠 1/

There have been some complicated parts. I am one of few out nonbinary competitors. I chose to compete with the cowboys and have received only enthusiastic support from fellow competitors. Gay rodeo is contending with the same complex conversations about gender that all other sports are. 9/

Anyway, there's so much more to this story. I might start writing about it publicly, and this is one of the ways I'm gauging interest. I post live updates during rodeos on Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyurcaba/ I've got five rodeos left and then finals in October. 🤠 10/10

I'm currently ranked 9th in two of the speed events on horseback: pole bending and flag race. Here's me and Silver (one of the many amazing horses other competitors have let me borrow) doing flag race in Denton, Texas, in April: 7/

Gay rodeo has made me feel more alive than I've felt in a long time. Competing is fun, but the best part has been the friends and mentors I've found. Some of these people have fought to keep the rodeo around for 40+ years — they are LGBTQ+ leaders and activists. 8/

Fast forward to now: I've competed in five rodeos, and I'm leading in points for rookie of the year in the cowboys. And, to my surprise, I'm currently ranked first in the rodeo's world rankings in chute dogging, which is steer wrestling. Here's me in Denton pre-wrestling: 5/

I'm also ranked third in goat dressing, which is an event where you and a teammate put underwear on a goat as fast as possible (this is one of the events where you can make the most money, hilariously). Here’s video of that event: 6/

I promised myself that I would start competing in 2026. But I'm someone who has to jump in with both feet when I do something 😅 At finals at the end of the year, the gay rodeo awards rookie belt buckles to the new cowboy and cowgirl with the most points, so I decided to go after that buckle. 3/

In November, started riding three times a week to get back in riding shape. I reached out to the people I interviewed for that article to ask how I could borrow horses to compete in some of the horse events. Here's Rylie, the horse I leased: 4/

nbcnews.comNot their first gay rodeo: Celebrating 50 years of queer cowfolksContestants and line dancers traveled from across the country to the World Gay Rodeo Finals in Reno, Nevada, to celebrate a half-century of gay rodeo.

In October, I wrote about the gay rodeo celebrating 50 years at their World Finals. It was a homecoming for me, as someone who grew up as a Horse Girl and then came out and felt like I could never go back to the historically conservative rodeo world. 2/ www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...

nbcnews.comTexas Children’s will create ‘detransition clinic’ to settle DOJ and state investigationThe agreement ends a three-year battle over transgender healthcare at the country’s largest children’s hospital. Advocates for trans rights raised concerns about politics shaping medicine.

18 May

ICYMI: Texas Children’s will create ‘detransition clinic’ to settle DOJ and state investigation Advocates and doctors who treat trans youth are concerned about the precedent this sets as the DOJ continues investigating hospitals nationwide. For @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

16 May

Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, who moved to California to continue practicing due to Alabama’s felony trans care ban for minors, worries about the precedent set by this clinic, which was "created by legal intimidation on terms set by politicians.” For @nbcnews.com: www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

16 May

For whatever reason @bsky.app won’t let me post the link with the full image and headline, or even a screenshot from my phone. Sorry about that y’all, and hope they get it fixed.

chron.comSo many LGBTQ Texans are moving to this city, it may declare an 'emergency'Seattle is one of the many places that transgender Texans are resettling after fleeing their home state.

16 May

@support.bsky.team

Jo Yurcaba reposted

gwen howerton

@kissphoria.bsky.social

14 May

NEW: Seattle might declare a civil emergency to help LGBTQ (mostly trans) people fleeing red states, so I looked for a Texas angle. An organizer told me that Texas is #1 among trans people looking to relocate: "The baseline hostility to their existence is unbearable." www.chron.com/culture/arti...

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Julia B. Chan

@juliachanb.bsky.social

1 Apr

@19thnews.org is hiring a contract climate reporter! We're looking for a reporter to spend three months covering climate's impact on women and LGBTQ+ people, including how it intersects with housing, child care and health. Share or apply here: 19thnews.org/2026/04/cont...

19thnews.orgWe're hiring a contract climate reporterThe 19th is seeking a full-time contract reporter to report, write and produce climate coverage, focusing on how politics and policies impact women and LGBTQ+ people.

Jo Yurcaba reposted

Christopher Wiggins

@cwnewser.bsky.social

26 Mar

NEWS: The Idaho Senate vote could be as soon as this evening. At a committee hearing on Monday, senators allotted just 22 minutes for public testimony and heard from five speakers, three opposed to the bill and two in favor, despite far broader interest. www.advocate.com/politics/sta...

advocate.comIdaho Senate Republicans rush toward passing transgender bathroom criminalization billThe House-passed measure advanced to a full vote after a brief hearing in which lawmakers limited public committee testimony despite broad opposition.

Jo Yurcaba reposted

nbcnews.comNonverbal 5-year-old who met Ms. Rachel over Zoom is released from ICE detentionHis parents, asylum-seekers from Colombia, said their son’s physical and emotional health deteriorated during the weeks they were held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas.

25 Mar

“No child should be here, regardless of their condition,” Gael’s dad told me from Dilley last week. “Even for us as adults, it’s hard.” Now they’re on their way back to El Paso. Ms. Rachel had called for their release after meeting the family over zoom this month.

Jo Yurcaba reposted