Ep. 273: Budapest Pride Cleared, Drag Story Time Fights Back & 2026 Grand Marshals | June 5, 2026

Day 5 of Pride Month. Today on Listen Up Girl: Hungarian police clear the 2026 Budapest Pride march to go ahead a year after the government tried to ban it. A Michigan city council cancels a pre-approved drag story time — and the performer holds it anyway. San Ramon, California, fights to keep the Progress Pride flag flying. Chicago and LA unveil their 2026 parade themes and history-making grand marshals. We remember a small-town teacher outed in 1978. And we close with what's new to stream this weekend.

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00:00 Intro 

00:40 Budapest Pride gets the green light 

03:00 Michigan cancels drag story time — show goes on 

05:15 San Ramon fights for the Pride flag 

07:00 Chicago & LA unveil 2026 themes and grand marshals 

09:15 Remembering teacher Larry Berner (1978) 

10:30 What's new to stream this weekend 

11:30 Headlines recap

SHOW NOTES

Episode: Listen Up Girl — Friday, June 5, 2026 (Day 5 of Pride) | ~12 min | 6 stories | All stories verified new, no repeats from prior episodes

1. Budapest Pride 2026 cleared. Police found "no grounds" to ban the June 27 march, after the 2025 ban attempt that ~180,000–200,000 people defied. Orbán was voted out in April; new PM Péter Magyar supports freedom of assembly. Sources: AFP/Modern Ghana; European Greens; RFE/RL; Al Jazeera; BBC
2. Madison Heights, MI drag story time canceled. Council voted 4–3 to remove it despite Jadein Black's pre-approved book and outfit; she'll host it at Sidetrack in Ypsilanti. Sources: LGBTQ Nation; FOX 2 Detroit; Oakland County Times
3. San Ramon, CA keeps the Pride flag. New annual flag policy keeps the Progress Pride flag; raised June 1 at Central Park. Sources: Pleasanton Weekly/Danville San Ramon; Bay Area Reporter
4. Chicago & LA Pride 2026. Chicago: "Free to Be Proud," June 28, marshals incl. Tracy Baim, Mona Noriega, Alliance of Illinois Judges (pres. Jill Rose Quimm). LA: "Rise with Pride," June 14, marshals Jeff Hiller, Mia Yamamoto, the late Shirley Raines. Sources: FOX 32 Chicago; ABC7/Christopher Street West (via AOL)
5. Healdsburg, CA honors Larry Berner. Second-grade teacher outed in 1978, the year of California's Briggs Initiative (Prop 6). Source: Healdsburg Tribune
6. New queer streaming. Netflix's "Office Romance" (June 5), a Polish drama on HBO Max, new Thai BL series; critics note a thin year for queer women/trans-centered scripted content. Sources: Out.com; Autostraddle

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