All articles tagged with #transgender rights
The Kansas Senate, voting along party lines, overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of House Bill 244 to require bathroom use in state government buildings to align with birth sex, a move critics call a painful cultural battle that could affect business and events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup; supporters argue it protects privacy, while opponents warn it endangers transgender people and risks economic impacts for Kansas.
Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed SB 244, an anti-trans bathroom bill that would require people to use restrooms matching their birth sex and impose fines on governments and escalating penalties on individuals; she warned the measure would cause numerous consequences, like restricting visits to shared rooms in nursing homes and dorms, and criticized the rushed process that cut out public input. With Republicans holding majorities, lawmakers could override the veto, while opponents and civil-rights groups argued the bill targets transgender Kansans and could burden local governments.
Vice President JD Vance announced a sweeping expansion of the Mexico City Policy, extending the ban on U.S. non-military foreign assistance to any organization that works on abortion or promotes diversity, equity and inclusion and transgender issues abroad, effectively tripling the policy’s reach. The move, praised by anti-abortion activists and tied to the Trump administration’s effort to curb what it calls radical gender ideologies, drew criticism from humanitarian groups who warn it will limit women’s health services and civil society organizations overseas.
Most prospective 2028 Democratic contenders dodged public stances on transgender issues, signaling a balancing act between defending LGBTQ rights and appealing to a broader electorate as Republicans prep anti-trans ads; only Josh Shapiro, Rahm Emanuel, and Pete Buttigieg offered clear responses, while others declined.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously upheld a 2024 law barring minors from cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and gender-transition surgeries and prohibiting Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care for all ages, applying rational-basis review and rejecting discrimination claims; adults may still obtain care out-of-pocket, and challengers have not announced an appeal yet.
The Supreme Court appears poised to uphold state bans on transgender women and girls competing in female school sports, with a conservative 6-3 majority leaning toward affirming the bans in Idaho and West Virginia and a decision expected in June, potentially narrowing the ruling rather than ruling broadly on transgender rights in sports.
The US Supreme Court is considering state bans on transgender students competing in school sports in West Virginia and Idaho. With about 27 states having bans and 20+ maintaining pro-LGBTQ+ policies, five trans youth and their families describe how athletics has given them community and a sense of belonging, while highlighting the real-world stakes for their rights. A ruling against trans participation could set a broader national precedent affecting LGBTQ+ rights beyond sports.
The piece traces how the Supreme Court’s conservative shift since Bostock (2020) has sparked a brutal backlash against transgender rights, expanding limits in education, healthcare, and athletics; with high‑profile cases on trans youth care and trans women in women’s sports pending, the Court’s reach beyond workplace protections may be narrowed.
The Supreme Court will hear challenges to Idaho and West Virginia bans on transgender girls in girls’ sports, a ruling with potentially sweeping consequences for LGBTQ+ rights, Title IX interpretations, and access to bathrooms, pronouns, and other protections across public life depending on whether heightened scrutiny is applied.
A federal judge in San Diego ruled that parents have a constitutional right to be informed if their child is transgender and that schools cannot hide this information from parents, banning school employees from misleading or withholding gender-related information from parents without student consent. The decision, which is being appealed, emphasizes parental involvement and the rights of teachers to inform parents, while critics argue it could harm transgender students' safety and well-being.
A coalition of 19 states and D.C. sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over a declaration that labels gender-affirming treatments for youth as unsafe, alleging it is unlawful and seeks to restrict access to necessary healthcare for transgender minors, amid ongoing legal and political battles over transgender rights and healthcare policies.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with 18 states and D.C., filed a lawsuit against the U.S. HHS over a declaration that seeks to restrict access to gender-affirming care for youth, arguing it unlawfully oversteps legal authority, threatens healthcare providers, and endangers transgender youth's access to necessary medical treatment.
The Trump administration proposed cutting federal health payments to hospitals that provide transition-related care to youths, sparking legal and political opposition, with critics arguing it threatens access to essential medical services for transgender minors, while supporters claim it addresses concerns about the safety of such treatments.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a tip line to report suspected violations of Senate Bill 8, a law restricting restroom access based on sex assigned at birth, amid concerns over privacy, enforcement vagueness, and potential harassment. Critics argue the law fosters discrimination and privacy violations, while supporters claim it protects women and promotes safety.
The US Supreme Court has temporarily allowed the Trump administration to require all new passports to list an individual's biological sex at birth, reversing a lower court's order and indicating a likely upholding of this policy in the future, amidst ongoing legal and political debates over transgender rights.