Trans News Now 1/15/24
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Bree Fram
Colonel Bree Fram is one of the first officers of the U.S. Space Force. She is also a transgender woman, and her gender identity has attracted attention, both for and against her. She is profiled by The Advocate.
It has taken almost three years into President Biden’s administration, but the Department of Health and Human Services has finally replaced a rule from the Trump administration which said that health care professionals were allowed to opt out of any procedure, even an emergency, if they refused due to “deeply-held religious beliefs.” The new rule goes into effect on March 11, and while it still gives health care professionals some right to refuse treatment, it also provides the patients with more protection. The new rule does not cover some tangential people, such as those in charge of scheduling rooms. The Advocate has this story.
This week, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals refused to issue a stay to prevent the state of Alabama from putting its ban on gender-affirming care into effect while the trial is being held. This story comes from The Hill.
A bill introduced in the West Virginia legislature defines transgender people as “obscene matter.” If this bill passes, transgender people would not be allowed within 2500 feet of a public school. The New Republic has this story.
Anti-transgender legislation has been introduced in Utah, including a bathroom bill. The Salt Lake Tribune has a look at this legislation.
Many of these states which already have passed bans on gender-affirming care for minors are introducing additional anti-transgender legislation. In Missouri, for example, some legislators want to remove the clause which allows patients already receiving gender-affirming care to continue with their treatments. This story comes from the Associated Press.
Gisele Byrd
Gisele Byrd, a Black transgender woman, is the executive director of the Theatre Offensive, one of the nation’s oldest and most decorated queer hubs of performing arts. She is only 31 years old. She talked to Them about being in theatre.
In Ohio, the state House of Representatives has voted along party lines to overturn a veto of a combined ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors and ban on transgender athletes in school sports. The state Senate will take up the matter on January 24. The Hill has this story.
While Governor Mike DeWine vetoed the combined bill on transgender rights in Ohio, he issued his own executive orders, which implement many of the same provisions and even seem to cover adults more often than the original legislation did, according to Them.
The Keystone Conference coming March 20-24 has announced their Saturday Gala speaker, Gabbi Tuft. Ms. Tuft was a professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) prior to her transition. Now she works to empower women to break free from cyclical behaviors and embrace sustainable fitness and nutrition habits. Learn more on the Keystone Conference website.
In Louisiana, the families of two transgender youths have filed suit to prevent that state’s ban on gender-affirming medical care from going into effect. The AP has this story.
Going in the opposite direction, Maryland has expanded the gender-affirming procedures which the state will cover under Medicaid. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
Arienne Childrey
Last week, we reported that a transgender woman was refused a spot on the ballot for the Ohio state legislature because she did not list her dead name on her nominating petitions. It turns out that a second transgender woman, Arienne Childrey, has had her nominating petitions rejected for the same reason. This story comes from NBC News.
In Oklahoma, the only way a transgender student can get the gender marker changed on his or her permanent record is to get a court order. However, the state Board of Education also passed a rule that allows them to determine if a court order is binding on them. NBC News has a profile of state superintendent of schools Ryan Walters, whom they call the state’s “top culture warrior.”
The family of a transgender student who played volleyball at Monarch High School in Florida is suing the Broward School District, saying that the way that the school district handled the matter has left them concerned for their safety. The lawsuit also challenges the legality of legislation to ban transgender athletes on girls’ sports teams. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has this story.
RuPaul
RuPaul’s Drag Race is back on MTV, and it is attracting more viewers than ever before. Out.com has this story.
Seventeen Republican state attorneys general have asked the Supreme Court to take a case involving a school district’s policy on outing transgender students to their parents. The case in question comes from a district in Maryland, which requires teachers to “ascertain the level of support the student either receives or anticipates receiving from home,” prior to determining whether to speak to the parents. While this may seem like common sense, the Republican attorneys general feel that the district is going too far in protecting the transgender student. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation has this story.
The suspect in the shooting death of transgender DoorDash driver Meghan Lewis was released without bail. The local community organized a rally in memory of the slain transgender woman. The Advocate has this story.
The NCAA had its annual conference in Phoenix this week, and the usual suspects organized a protest of transgender athletes to be held outside the event. Riley Gaines was there. This story comes from Them.
The University of Lynchburg has begun giving out clothing and food to transgender students. The University of Lynchburg is located in the same Virginia city that is the home of Liberty University. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
A new study shows that family acceptance, including extended and chosen families, is important to the mental health of LGBTQ+ youths. This story comes from Them.
Gaya Medeiros
A short film about transgender joy, titled An Avocado Pit, is shortlisted for an Academy Award. The film was directed by Ary Zara and stars Gaya Medeiros, with Elliot Page as executive producer. The Advocate has this story.
Mexican President Manuel Lopez Obrador apologized to a transgender woman whom he misgendered and mocked. Why can’t other politicians take a lesson from him? This story comes from The Advocate.
Slovakia is still requiring surgery before that nation will change someone’s legal gender. Deutsche Welle has this story.
A woman in India has been arrested for hiring two assassins to kill her trans spouse. That may sound like the plot of a Bollywood movie, but it really happened, according to LGBTQ Nation.
The United Nations’ rapporteur on violence against women and girls has denounced the WHO guidelines on transgender medicine as “one-sided,”favouring” medical treatment, and claims that the committee has “significant unmanaged conflicts of interest.” She also noted that the committee contained no experts on adolescent health, although adolescents are seeking help for gender dysphoria in increasing numbers. The Guardian has this story.
Trans News Now is assembled by Cecilia Barzyk with additional content and editing by Angela Gardner. Care to make a comment on this post? Login here and use the comment area below.
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Category: Transgender Community News
