Advocate NL 8/12/26

Hello and Happy Wednesday! Audience Editor Edgar Ramirez here, back in your inbox with another exclusive from The Advocate's Christopher Wiggins.Rep. Eugene Vindman went to a predominantly Republican Virginia county Tuesday night expecting to tell local Democrats why they needed to help him win reelection and put their party back in control of Congress. Instead, Christopher reports, the first-term Democrat spent much of his visit defending himself to transgender members of his own party before leaving after a profane confrontation with a constituent.At least two transgender women and one transgender man challenged Vindman over his May vote for GOP-backed legislation affecting transgender students (see Christopher's reporting on the vote here.)“Congressman, you need to shut up and listen,” one cisgender Democratic committee member told him during a hallway confrontation.Vindman said he was listening and had stayed despite “you all attacking me.”“Shut the f*ck up,” the committee member responded.The situation only got worse, as Christopher reports.Folks, exclusives like these are made possible with your help. Please consider becoming an Advocate supporter! Every day at The Advocate, we’re reporting about the issues that are important to you — whether we’re celebrating queer joy or holding powerful people accountable when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, regardless of party affiliation. Your support means a lot!Thanks, and we'll be back in your inbox tomorrow!Pete Hegseth wants a testosterone-fueled military. The science doesn’t back the macho fantasySeattle considers $300K boost for groups serving LGBTQ+ people displaced by red-state bigotryTop House Democrat presses Marco Rubio over Trump’s gutting of successful global HIV programVirginia congressman's meeting with transgender Democrats erupts into profanity. Then he walked outColorado man shot in head during antigay road rage confrontation, police sayThe 21 most sexually liberal cities in the world f