LGBT+ News and Discussions

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Gov. Stitt axes PBS funding over shows with LGBT+ content
Source: KTUL ABC Tulsa

Governor Kevin Stitt receives questions after denying OETA funding.

“OETA is the most-watched PBS station in the country,” Friends of OETA board member Ken Busby asserted. “Over 650,000 viewers a week are watching PBS in Oklahoma.”

Those impressive numbers haven’t fazed Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who said the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority should lose its funding because its programming features the LGBT+ community.

H.B. 2820 was one of more than 20 bills vetoed by the governor late Wednesday evening. It would have secured OETA’s funding through 2026 if signed into law.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... b27a2&ei=9

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Montana trans lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues state over censure
Source: ABC News

Montana state legislator Zooey Zephyr is suing the state, House Speaker Matt Regier and Sergeant at Arms for the Montana House of Representatives Bradley Murfitt after being censured by House Republicans.

"The recent actions violate my 1st amendment rights, as well as the rights of my 11,000 constituents to representation," Zephyr said in a tweet Monday. "Montana's State House is the people's House, not Speaker Regier's, and I'm determined to defend the right of the people to have their voices heard."

Zephyr is petitioning for her legislative privileges and duties to be reinstated. Zephyr's calls to vote against a gender-affirming care ban for transgender youth on bill SB99 were ignored for days by Republican leaders on the House floor in April.

Some legislators, including Regier, argued she had broken House rules of decorum when she said legislators would have "blood on your hands" if they passed the transgender youth care ban.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/montana ... d=98985747

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Judge blocks Missouri rule that would limit transgender care
A Missouri judge has blocked a unique rule that would restrict access to gender-affirming health care to children and adults
https://www.komu.com/news/state/judge-b ... 77a15.html
By SUMMER BALLENTINE - Associated Press May 1, 2023 Updated 2 hrs ago

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge on Monday temporarily blocked a unique rule that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill several other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency rule until May 15 unless she extends it. She also scheduled a May 11 hearing over the lawsuit challenging the rule.

In her ruling, Ribaudo wrote that those suing to block the ruling would “be subjected to immediate and irreparable loss, damage or injury if the Attorney General is permitted to enforce the Emergency Rule, and its broad, sweeping provisions were implemented without further fact-finding or evidence.”

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Awesome news!!! Onto the Senate!

Oregon House passes controversial reproductive rights bill after GOP delays, long debate
https://nbc16.com/news/local/oregon-hou ... ights-bill
by Christina Giardinelli and KATU StaffMon, May 1st 2023, 5:33 PM PDT

The Oregon House passed a controversial reproductive rights bill Monday after Republicans tried to delay the vote and a long and at times emotional debate.

House Bill 2002 passed 36-23 shortly after 7 p.m. The session convened at 9 a.m.

The bill expands access to abortion regardless of age and without the need for parental consent, which has been one of the biggest points of contention.

It also requires insurance companies to cover gender-affirming care

Oregon House passes sweeping bill to guarantee access to abortion, gender-affirming care
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023 ... ming-care/
The bill stands in opposition to legislation in Republican-led states blocking access and criminalizing care
By: Julia Shumway - May 1, 2023 7:19 pm

Democrats in the Oregon House passed a sweeping bill intended to guarantee access to abortion and gender-affirming care Monday evening after a grueling day of debate and parliamentary motions from Republicans who adamantly oppose the measure.

House Bill 2002, a top priority for Democrats in the legislative majority, represents the state’s response to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade and ending the national right to abortion. Abortion remains legal in Oregon and must be provided at no cost to the patient because of a 2017 law.

But legislators and others who met in private last summer feared that laws in other states criminalizing abortion would affect Oregon providers. The 46-page bill that resulted focuses on protecting gender-affirming care as well as reproductive rights, both personal medical decisions under attack in Republican-led states.

“A series of basic rights in our country came into question that had decades of precedent behind them,” said Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, as he introduced the measure.

Nosse decried criticism from Republicans, who have focused on tales of young girls obtaining abortions and the regret or medical complications experienced by some people who obtain abortions or gender-affirming care, as “misleading and provocative.” House Speaker Dan Rayfield, a Corvallis Democrat, repeatedly urged Republicans to mind their language and stick to talking about the bill’s provisions. The Oregon measure would protect doctors and other health care providers from losing their licenses or facing other repercussions for providing abortions or gender-affirming care, and it would bar state courts from issuing subpoenas or otherwise helping other states prosecute people who provided care that complies with Oregon laws.

It also would require the state’s Medicaid program and private insurers to cover a range of reproductive and gender-related services, including laser hair removal, tracheal shaves and facial feminization surgery for transgender women.

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Challenge to Kentucky's anti-trans law filed in federal court

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius are suing to block part of a law they’ve called the worst anti-trans bill in the United States.

This suit comes more than a month after the legislature passed controversial Senate Bill 150, which bans gender-affirming care for minors, allows teachers to misgender trans kids, regulates which bathrooms kids can use and limits the sex education students can receive.

“Under the Constitution, trans youth in Kentucky have the right to medically necessary care,” Corey Shapiro, ACLU of Kentucky’s legal director, said.

The lawsuit, he said, is “to protect against this imminent threat to their well-being and make certain they can thrive by continuing to receive medical care.”

https://kentuckylantern.com/2023/05/03/ ... ral-court/

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Wes Moore signs transgender rights law

Trans Health Equity Act will require Medicaid to cover gender-affirming treatment
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2023/05 ... ights-law/
Published 12 hours ago

on May 3, 2023

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Wednesday signed a bill that requires the state’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatment.

The Trans Health Equity Act is one of the more than 100 measures that Moore signed during a ceremony that took place at the State Capitol. Some of the other bills the governor signed focused on reproductive rights and marijuana.

“Another successful bill signing from (Gov. Wes Moore), (Lieutenant Gov. Aruna Miller), (Senate President Bill Ferguson) and (House Speaker Adrienne Jones),” tweeted state Sen. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City), who introduced the Trans Health Equity Act in the Maryland Senate. “Today, the Trans Health Equity Act (SB460) was signed into law, protecting the rights of trans Marylanders and offering them equal opportunities.”

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Judge Extends Suspension of Missouri AG's Transgender Rule
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states ... ender-rule
A judge has extended her order barring enforcement of a unique rule pushed by Missouri’s Republican attorney general that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery
By Associated Press
David A. Lieb

A judge has extended her order barring enforcement of a unique rule pushed by Missouri's Republican attorney general that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey initially sought to implement the rule effective April 27, prompting a lawsuit on behalf of transgender people. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo on Monday granted a temporary restraining order and originally scheduled a May 11 hearing on the lawsuit.

A posting Thursday on Missouri's online court system shows that Ribaudo pushed back the hearing to July 20, following a joint request from both sides. The posting said the order will remain in effect until July 24 or until the judge rules on whether to grant a preliminary injunction.

A spokeswoman for Bailey confirmed the date change, saying the July hearing date was the one that worked best for all parties in the case.

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Illinois Moves Toward Gender Inclusivity as Others Move Away

Illinois lawmakers passed a trio of bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages
By Associated Press
https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles ... -move-away

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages are ready for action by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he will sign them.

The trio of state bills passed last week are meant to move the state in the “opposite direction” of those restricting LGBTQ youth, said Sen. Mike Simmons, the bills’ sponsor and the first and only current “out” LGBTQ lawmaker in the Illinois Senate.

Illinois is one of several U.S. states that have moved to counteract a surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in mostly Republican-led states.

On the same day just a few hours away, Indiana’s governor signed a bill that will require schools to notify a parent if a student requests a name or pronoun change at school, one of several bills this legislative session targeting LGBTQ people in the state.

Illinois’ neighbors to the west, Missouri and Iowa, have gone in a similar direction by restricting gender-affirming care and the bathrooms transgender students can use.

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Unanimous Supreme Court gives transgender woman from Guatemala new chance to fight deportation
Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of a transgender Guatemalan woman who is fighting deportation on the grounds that she would face persecution if returned to her native country.

The court’s unanimous decision in favor of Estrella Santos-Zacaria gives her another chance to argue that immigration officials were wrong to reject her bid to remain in the United States.

Lawyers for Santos-Zacaria, now in her mid-30s, said she first fled to the United States after being raped as a young teenager and threatened with death because of her gender identity in a country that has targeted the LGBTQ community.

But a U.S. immigration judge found that she did not make a strong enough case that she would face persecution if sent back to Guatemala.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-cour ... 49731e13a5

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Kansas City becomes sanctuary city for gender-affirming care after City Council vote
Source: KCTV

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — City officials voted Thursday on a resolution to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults.

GOP Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign the measure into law, joining at least 16 other states that have enacted similar laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Kansas City’s proposal came from a Democratic-leaning city in a state with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature. Similar action has been taken in places like Austin, Texas.

The resolution also comes as a judge considers a proposed emergency rule from Republican state Attorney General Andrew Bailey that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy — and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatment.

Read more: https://www.kctv5.com/2023/05/11/kansas ... ncil-vote/

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Adidas Hires Male Model To Showcase Women’s Swimsuit Created To Celebrate LGBT Pride

May 17, 2023

Adidas raised eyebrows on Wednesday when an advertisement of a male model wearing the company’s new women’s swimwear line circulated around social media.

The unidentified model was wearing a bathing suit reportedly created for Adidas’ “Pride 2023” swimwear collection. The bathing suit was categorized for women, although the model appears to be biologically male with a bulge in the crotch area and chest hair.

It was not specified if the model identifies as a transgender female or a male.

The new swimwear line named “Let Love Be Your Legacy,” was created by South African designer Rich Mnisi and released in celebration of LGBT Pride Month in June, according to Adidas’ description of the swimsuit. The swimsuit is a reflection of the values Mnisi allegedly wrote in a “letter to his younger queer self.”

Adidas’ website calls the collection, “a celebration of self-expression, imagination and the unwavering belief that love unites.” The brand also claims the line is, “part of our effort to honor the LGBTQIA+ community”

https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/17/adid ... suit-line/

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Adidas Hires Male Model To Showcase Women’s Swimsuit Created To Celebrate LGBT Pride

May 17, 2023

Adidas raised eyebrows on Wednesday when an advertisement of a male model wearing the company’s new women’s swimwear line circulated around social media.

The unidentified model was wearing a bathing suit reportedly created for Adidas’ “Pride 2023” swimwear collection. The bathing suit was categorized for women, although the model appears to be biologically male with a bulge in the crotch area and chest hair.

It was not specified if the model identifies as a transgender female or a male.

The new swimwear line named “Let Love Be Your Legacy,” was created by South African designer Rich Mnisi and released in celebration of LGBT Pride Month in June, according to Adidas’ description of the swimsuit. The swimsuit is a reflection of the values Mnisi allegedly wrote in a “letter to his younger queer self.”

Adidas’ website calls the collection, “a celebration of self-expression, imagination and the unwavering belief that love unites.” The brand also claims the line is, “part of our effort to honor the LGBTQIA+ community”

https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/17/adid ... suit-line/

News Ass?

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Gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces psychological distress in transgender people: Systematic review
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05- ... tress.html
by Louise Vennells, University of Exeter

Gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces depressive symptoms and psychological distress in transgender people, according to a groundbreaking systematic review of research in the field.

The new study, led by Amsterdam University Medical Centers and the University of Exeter, reviewed 46 relevant journal articles. The research reviewed included a mix of studies based on interviews, comparisons of people who had taken hormones and those who had not, and analysis of data over time from groups of people who were undertaking hormone therapy.

Participants involved in the studies came from a broad range of age groups, but the review focused only on gender-affirming hormone therapy via cross-sex hormones, not the possible effects of puberty blockers or other interventions.

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Trans youth healthcare ban killed in Louisiana, giving LGBTQ+ community a rare win

A Louisiana Senate committee killed a proposed ban on gender affirming healthcare for transgender youth Wednesday, giving a rare victory to LGBTQ+ activists combating care restrictions throughout the southeast.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted 5-4 to involuntarily defer House Bill 648 by Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, killing the bill for the year. Committee Chair Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, bucked his party to break the tie between Republicans and Democrats on the committee.

“Always in my heart of hearts have I believed that a decision should be made by a patient and a physician. I believe in the physicians in Louisiana,” Mills, a pharmacist, said. “I believe in the scope of practice. I believe in the standard of care.”

Firment’s proposal, which would have banned all gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors, is similar to proposals filed in at least 17 other states, including every state on the Gulf Coast. An AP analysis found most of these bills have strong similarities to model legislation right-wing organizations have put forward.

Louisiana has bucked the trend of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being approved around the country — at least temporarily. If reelected, Firment is likely to bring the bill back next year, after Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has said anti-LGBTQ+ legislation will lead to more suicides among trans youth, has left office.

https://lailluminator.com/2023/05/24/tr ... -rare-win/