Democrats get all anti-trans provisions removed from Education, Labor & HHS spending bill

What did the provisions do: The riders that were originally a part of the spending package would have banned all federal funding from supporting gender-affirming care at any age, banned colleges and universities from letting trans people participate in sports or other activities, and banned K-12 schools from taking measures to support trans kids, like letting them use the restroom of their gender.

Why this matters: Democrats in Congress pulled off a major feat by standing up for LGBTQ+ equality, especially given that they don’t control any federal branch of government.

Democrats celebrate as anti-trans provisions are removed from Health & Human Services funding bill

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A federal judge upholds a university’s drag ban

Who was the judge: Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a 2017 Trump appointee. He has a long history of extremely conservative rulings, including ruling against the Biden administration’s health care protections for LGBTQ+ people; blocking the Biden administration’s anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students under Title IX; and declaring that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act doesn’t protect LGBTQ+ people from workplace discrimination.

Why it matters: The judge ruled that the First Amendment doesn’t protect art if that art doesn’t have a clearly stated social message, which, if not overturned by higher courts, puts the freedom of expression in jeopardy.

Federal judge upholds drag ban claiming drag is the same as “blackface”

The Trump administration tried to arrest gay journalist Don Lemon but a magistrate refused

Why they wanted to arrest him: Lemon covered an anti-ICE protest in the aftermath of queer mom Renee Good’s death — the protest took place in a Minnesota church. The Department of Justice claimed that Lemon wasn’t covering the protest but was a part of it, but a magistrate recognized Lemon’s First Amendment right to conduct journalism.

Why it matters: People still have First Amendment rights, no matter what the current administration says.

Pam Bondi “enraged” after judge squashes her criminal charges against Don Lemon

Tucson Pride canceled, and the entire organization is dissolving

Why it’s dissolving: The group’s leadership didn’t explain why they decided to end it, but local activists noted that its former president was caught embezzling funds from the organization and claimed that the organization spent a lot of money on “high-end, expensive headliners” for Pride events.

Why it matters: At a time when more small towns are hosting Pride celebrations, the dissolution of a mid-sized city’s Pride organization is remarkable.

“Totally heartbreaking”: Major Pride organization abruptly announces closure

EEOC takes back its LGBTQ+-inclusive workplace harassment guidance

Why they rescinded the guidance: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas said that it’s “not harassment to acknowledge” that “Biological sex is real, and it matters. Sex is binary (male and female) and is immutable.” In other words, she objected to the argument that anti-trans harassment violates federal civil rights law.

Why it matters: The EEOC will be even less likely to help trans people facing job discrimination.

EEOC scraps job discrimination guidance after commissioner complained about trans rights

This week’s pictures

LGBTQ+ advocates, led by Equality Kansas, held an Equality Day demonstration at the state capitol in Topeka this past Tuesday.

And here are some interesting queer and trans reads

Contributor Greg Owen talked to GLAD lawyer Chris Erchull about the ins and outs of the legal arguments being presented in the trans sports ban Supreme Court cases.

The Supreme Court could end trans athletes’ rights. Here’s how.

Journalist Lindsay Eanet looked into two organizations helping spread trans joy in one of the most anti-trans states in the country, and how building community is a way to fight back against oppression.

These trans collectives are fighting hate with a lot of laughter & a little lube wrestling

Editor-in-Chief Alex Bollinger analyzed how Donald Trump’s ability to never be taken seriously is a threat to world peace.

Trump is threatening world peace with his Greenland talk. It’s time for Congress to impeach him.

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