Tag Archives: trans issues

From the Family Research Council’s daily prayer: Heavenly Father, it is time for you to act, for your law is being broken! This policy must be rejected: it brazenly defies You, God our Creator, and Your fixed, eternal moral laws. We defied your definition of marriage, now we defy the very apex of your created order, mankind created in your …

The Texas Tribune reports: On the opening day of the special session of the Texas Legislature on Tuesday, over the cries of Senate Democrats, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick took a step to fast-track two bills reauthorizing the Texas Medical Board and four other state agencies jeopardized by inaction during the regular session. The Senate must first pass those bills before …

The Associated Press reports: A transgender Texan has posted an all-smiles photo with Gov. Greg Abbott to protest a “bathroom bill” that state lawmakers will again consider during a special legislative session beginning Tuesday. Ashley Smith posed with Abbott after he announced his re-election campaign Friday in San Antonio. She later identified herself in the photo as “trans-woman” and posted …

The Dallas Morning News reports: IBM is upping the ante in its fight against Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill,” dispatching top executives to Austin and waging an ad war against what it calls the “discriminatory legislation.” Before state lawmakers reconvene Tuesday for a special legislative session, the technology giant is taking out full-page advertisements in The Dallas Morning News, San Antonio …

The Hill reports: Olympic gold medalist and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner is the latest celebrity to reveal she has considered launching a run for Senate, telling radio host John Catsimatidis she is in the process of determining her future in activism and politics. “I have considered it. I like the political side of it,” Jenner, who is a Republican, told …

The Washington Post reports: First, Caitlyn Jenner claimed she wanted to be a “trans ambassador” to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) during his presidential campaign. Then she cast her ballot for President Trump in the November election. And now, Jenner — the famed transgender icon and one of the few high-profile celebrities to throw staunch support behind the Republican commander in …

From the Catholic news site Tablet: The Church of England has passed a motion on welcoming transgender people at their General Synod. Members of Synod, meeting in York from 7 – 10 July, supported a call for the House of Bishops to consider preparing nationally commended liturgical materials to mark a person’s gender transition. The motion also recognises the “need …

Via email from Washington Won’t Discriminate: Pop the champagne bottles, we just defeated I-1552! Backers of this dangerous initiative needed to submit 260,000 valid petition signatures to the Secretary of State by 3PM today to qualify for the ballot. They didn’t even show up to hand over their petitions. No signatures = automatic disqualification. I-1552 will NOT be on Washington’s …

Reuters reports: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Friday approved a six-month delay in allowing transgender recruits to join the U.S. armed forces, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement that Mattis accepted a recommendation to defer transgender applicants until Jan. 1. The Pentagon ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S. military …

Another unexpected move from Sessions. Via Politico: Attorney General Jeff Sessions is vowing to aggressively enforce federal hate crime laws, countering concerns among civil rights groups and some of his former Senate colleagues that he might put such prosecutions on the back burner. “I know the responsibility that we have, and we have a responsibility to protect people’s freedom, their …

The Associated Press reports: Military chiefs will seek a six-month delay before letting transgender people enlist in their services, officials said Friday. After meetings this week, the service leaders hammered out an agreement that rejected Army and Air Force requests for a two-year wait and reflected broader concerns that a longer delay would trigger criticism on Capitol Hill, officials familiar …

I believe this is a first. Via press release: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed the spire of One World Trade Center and the Kosciuszko Bridge to be lit this weekend in honor of LGBT pride. The iconic landmarks will be lit the colors of the transgender flag for Trans Day of Action today, June 23rd and the colors of …

Mic reports: June 22 is now officially Laverne Cox Day in New York City. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, made the surprise announcement on Thursday when the actress made an appearance at his official residence, Gracie Mansion. “Can you believe that a black transgender woman from Mobile, Alabama, raised by a single mother has a day in New …

The Sacramento Bee reports: California is restricting publicly funded travel to four more states because of recent laws that leaders here view as discriminatory against gay and transgender people. All totaled, California now bans most state-funded travel to eight states. The new additions to California’s restricted travel list are Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and South Dakota. They join Kansas, Mississippi, North …

THIS was expected. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: A day after an LGBT employee group at the Justice Department announced plans to honor lawyers and a student seeking to advance transgender rights at a pride month program next week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke positively to staff Thursday about the upcoming event. “We are going to have a pride group, …

The Texas Tribune reports: The “bathroom bill” that preoccupied the Texas Legislature for the first half of the year is important to only 44 percent of the state’s voters — and “very important” to only 26 percent, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. During the regular session, lawmakers considered but did not pass legislation that would regulate …

The Washington Blade reports: A transgender former journalist pulled off a surprise victory in a Virginia primary on Tuesday, winning the Democratic nomination to face off against anti-LGBT Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William) in the general election. Danica Roem, who was seeking the Democratic nomination to run for the 13th District seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates, beat out Steve …

That this clip comes today is likely not just an ordinary corporate LGBT Pride Month celebration as Southwest is headquartered in Texas, where yesterday Gov. Greg Abbott called a special legislative session, in part, to make another attempt to pass an anti-transgender bill. From the airline’s Facebook page: “Southwest Airlines University is a place where Employees come to learn and …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday called a special session of the Texas Legislature starting July 18. Abbott asked lawmakers to first pass key legislation that would keep some state agencies from shuttering. That “will be the only legislation on the special session [call] until they pass out of the Senate in full,” Abbott said. Abbott laid …

The Associated Press reports: The Michigan appeals court has ruled in favor of a Midland health club in a lawsuit filed by a woman who said her rights were violated when she encountered a transgender person in the locker room. The court found no evidence of sexual harassment, noting that Yvette Cormier and a transgender woman were both wearing clothes …