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McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

Former NBA player Jaden Ivey has publicly spoken on his stance on the LGBTQ+  community, facing backlash and being removed from the team.

Opinion | Poison Ivey

Mason Sites, Sports Editor April 17, 2026

On March 30, former Detroit Pistons Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey was released from the Bulls roster amid a series of social media livestreams, in which Ivey spoke out against the NBA celebrating LGBTQ+...

Leveling the Field | Pride in sports

Leveling the Field | Pride in sports

Berenice Santiago, Digital Editor March 3, 2026

Professional sports leagues across the country have expanded Pride Nights, launched rainbow merchandise and posted statements of support for LGBTQ+ communities. But as conversations grow louder, especially...

People gather for a memorial and vigil for Nex Benedict, the Oklahoma teenager who died following a fight in a high school bathroom on Feb. 26, 2024, in New York City. | Photo by:

Opinion | Bullying bounds minds

Alexis Januk, Staff Writer April 23, 2024

A child spends 12 years of their life at school minimum. Schools are supposed to be a haven for creativity and learning, but kids can be cruel. Adults can be even crueler when allowing it. Precautions...

At the Indiana State Capitol building, state lawmakers have proposed Indiana House Bill 1291, which defines a person’s gender based on their biological gender assigned at birth rather than the one with which they choose to identify.

Indiana bill limits LGBTQ+ identities

Paulina Borowski, Marketing Director January 30, 2024

Lawmakers in Indiana have proposed House Bill 1291, which replaces the term “gender” with “biological sex” in a certain law, defining a person’s gender based on their biological gender assigned...

A person holds a sign reading "Protect Trans People" as LGBTQ activists protest on March 17, 2023, in front of the US Consulate in Montreal, Canada, calling for transgender and non-binary people be admitted into Canada. - According to police services, some 200 people gathered in the rain to show support for the trans community in the United States.

The campaign against identity

Alayna Majkrzak, Features Editor May 1, 2023

Law after law gets the stamp of approval. From Florida to Tennessee to Utah, bills are being passed that harm the LGBTQ+ community in one way or another. Some of the bills target all LGBTQ+ people, but...

"Heratstopper" has quickly become a beacon of LGBTQ+ representation in the media, and has drawn in plenty of teenage fans.

Review: Say ‘Hi’ to ‘Heartstopper’

Alayna Majkrzak, Opinions Editor May 20, 2022

"Heartstopper" came out on April 22, 2022 after people had been waiting since it had been announced. It’s wildly popular due to the iconic comics that center around teenagers finding who they are and...

Senior Reese Vincent, GSA's president, says that recent bills aimed at restricting discussion of gender and sexual orientation in Florida classrooms are a reaction to society becoming more accepting of LGBTQ+ people.

To say or not say gay

Vanessa Moreno, News Editor April 14, 2022

As word about Florida and Texas' LGBTQ+ discriminatory bills spreads, so does anger and disappointment. Teenagers and adults alike worry about their future, knowing that states are attempting to erase...

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