Trans News Now 2/5/24
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We start off with an update on a story. Last week, we reported on a bill in Iowa aimed at removing protections from discrimination on the basis of gender identity. This week, that bill died in a sub-committee. A crowd of protestors cheered the news, LGBTQ Nation reports.
The Biden administration has asked the Supreme Court to rule on the question of whether state bans on gender-affirming care is constitutional. The Supreme Court is not obligated to take the case, and it does not help that a primary legal argument, the reliance on guidance from federal agencies, is likely to be reduced by another Supreme Court ruling. SCOTUS blog has this story.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to put a hold on an injunction on Idaho’s law banning gender-affirming care for minors. The law was stopped by order of Judge B. Lynn Winmill in December, and the appeals court has upheld his decision. This story comes from The Advocate.
Will Ferrell and Harper Steele
We told you last week about Will Ferrell’s documentary about a road trip with his best friend, who he had just found out is transgender. The documentary, Will & Harper, had its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, after which, it was purchased by Netflix. This story comes from The Advocate.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed into law an anti-trans restroom and locker room bill which had been passed by the state’s legislature. Governor Cox said, “We want public facilities that are safe and accommodating for everyone,” ignoring the fact that there have been no incidents of a transgender person causing a problem in a public restroom. This story comes from KSL-TV News.
The Texas Supreme Court held a hearing on the legality of that state’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Since this is the same Texas Supreme Court which ruled that the state had a right to prevent a woman from aborting a non-viable fetus, the odds are that they will side with the state legislature and the governor. This story comes from the Texas Tribune.
A new policy in Florida holds that transgender people will no longer be allowed to change the gender on their driver’s licenses or state ID cards. This reinforces a law which says that the gender on the driver’s license or state ID card must match the sex assigned at birth. Politico has this story.
Alberta is the first Canadian province to ban gender-affirming surgery for minors. The new regulations also ban hormone blockers or HRT for those under 16 years of age. The new policy appears to be the work of Premier Danielle Smith. CBC News has this story.
Although the Ohio legislature overturned Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of the bill that combined a ban on transgender athletes with a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, the rules for gathering data on gender-affirming care for adults are still in place. Public comment is allowed through February 5, and Ohio Capital Journal reports that thousands of comments have already been received.
Richie Shazam, a nonbinary model, walked the runway for Mx. Wiederhoeft’s Fashion Week show in a dramatic, Victorian-inspired wedding dress. Credit…Don Ashby/firstVIEW
While conservative legislators attempt to rid their states of gender different citizens the business world, more and more, offers services and merchandise to the trans and nonbinary. The New York Times ran a story about wedding attire that is gender neutral, ranging from simple jumpsuits to gowns made to fit all bodies.
An Ohio man who firebombed a church which had held a drag show received a sentence of nearly 20 years in prison. The Advocate has this story.
Colorado will soon have a prison just for transgender women. This comes after a court demanded that the transgender women be housed separate from either male or female prisoners. This story comes from Them.
The Human Rights Campaign released a new report on LGBTQ rights, and it found that there is a great divide among the states, with some states doing very little to promote LGBTQ equality, while other states do much more. The Advocate has this story.
Last week, we gave a Twit Award to people spreading false stories about what was included in Maine’s proposed legislation aimed at making it a sanctuary state for trans people and their families. This week, the state’s Judiciary Committee voted to not advance the bill to the House. This story comes from The Advocate.
Some Anglo-Saxon warriors during the Dark Ages may have been trans men. Re-examining historical figures using modern gender categories has revealed that many of the graves from the Dark Ages held bones that indicated they were female but were buried with male trappings. Learn more from The Telegraph.
A study published in the Lancet finds that transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse people have an above-average probability of having an underlying mental health condition. The mental health conditions include depression and anxiety. Medical Xpress has this story.
Brianna Ghey
Two British teenagers were sentenced to life in prison, in connection with the murder of Brianna Ghey. The court found that the victim’s gender identity was the reason for their “brutal, planned, and sadistic” attack on her. BBC News has this story.
A British court has ruled that a man had no right to call drag queen Crystal a “pedophile.” There was no evidence of Crystal doing anything with children, only being a drag queen, This story comes from Out.com.
Germany’s far-right has been releasing misinformation about transgender people and the policy to self-determine one’s legal gender. The Advocate has this story.
While medical groups such as the AMA and the American Academy of Pediatricians as well as doctors who care for transgender youth groups continue to say that bans on gender-affirming care for minors do a great deal of damage, yet politicians keep promoting and implementing such bans. The Advocate examines that in a story.
Dahron Johnson is a Church of Christ chaplain. She delivered the opening prayer to the Tennessee House of Representatives on Tuesday, becoming the first trans person to address that body. LGBTQ Nation has this story.
Ten Republican state senators refused to attend sessions of the Oregon legislature for six weeks last year, in an effort to stall bills they oppose, including legislation on transgender healthcare. Because they had more than 10 unexcused absences, the state Supreme Court has ruled that they are not allowed to run for re-election this year. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.
“More Jobs, Less Government” is a Republican super-PAC with a name the seems like George Orwell’s new-speak. It recently put out a survey which asked respondents to list their gender, and it gave three options. However, “non-binary” was not one of the options, nor was “decline to answer” an option. The options were “male,” “female, homemaker,” and “female, working woman.” So, a woman changes gender when she gets a job? The 19th has this story.
The Advocate has an article titled, “8 Gender Transition Tips To Help Embrace Euphoria And Live Your Best Trans Life.”
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
