Supreme Court rules against Colorado in conversion therapy ban case

What the decision does: The Supreme Court issued its ruling in Chiles v. Salazar this week, the conversion therapy ban case. In the 8-1 decision, the Court found that therapists’ speech is subject to First Amendment protections and that laws that curtail that speech have to be examined with strict scrutiny. The majority, in an opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, sent the case back to lower courts to reexamine it in light of this ruling, and now the bar for the conversion therapy ban to be found constitutional is much higher.

Why it matters: This decision will likely lead to conversion therapy bans in 27 states being overturned.

Supreme Court rules against conversion therapy ban in 8-1 decision

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People celebrated the Trans Day of Visibility with protests all over the country and the world

What happened: Thousands of people demonstrated across the country for trans rights, including a major event in D.C. on the National Mall. Meanwhile, House Democrats introduced a resolution to recognize the TDOV while the president issued a transphobic proclamation on that day denouncing trans rights. In Australia, activists unfurled the biggest trans Pride flag in history.

Why it matters: Trans people have been particularly under attack over the past few years, and visibility matters now more than ever to build awareness about the discrimination trans people face.

Thousands nationwide came together to fight back against widespread transphobia on TDOV

Wisconsin’s governor vetoes 5 anti-LGBTQ+ bills on the TDOV

What those bills would have done: They would have instituted an anti-trans sports bans, required schools to out trans and nonbinary kids to their parents, and impacted Wisconsin doctors’ ability to provide gender-affirming care to minors.

Why it matters: Wisconsin is a purple state with a GOP-controlled legislature but a Democratic governor. These are bills that red states all passed several years ago, but Gov. Tony Evers (D) has kept them at bay in Wisconsin.

Democratic governor says “Hell no” to five anti-trans bills on Transgender Day of Visibility

Senegal passes harsh new punishments for homosexuality

What the law does: Homosexuality was already illegal in Senegal. The new law that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye just signed doubles the maximum prison sentence from five years to 10. It also now bans people from “promoting or financing” same-sex relationships.

Why it matters: Senegal joins a wave of African countries passing harsher anti-LGBTQ+ laws, potentially as a result of influence from Western conservative Christian groups.

Senegal doubles penalties for being gay in draconian new law

Trans advocates protest as they face extreme new legislation in Idaho

What they’re protesting: The state legislature passed three anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the past two weeks, including one that creates criminal penalties for trans people using restrooms (including in private businesses), and one that bans cities from flying Pride flags. Nine people were arrested for protesting in the state Capitol this week.

Why it matters: Idaho and a couple of other states – like Kansas and Tennessee – have pushed into new frontiers of oppression for trans people this year, likely because it’s an election year.

Trans people face an existential threat in Idaho, but the resistance continues

Pictures of the week

Trans advocates protested at the Kansas Statehouse this week on TDOV, and Gov. Laura Kelly (D) attended. The state passed one of the harshest anti-trans measures in history last month, which resulted in trans Kansans being told that their driver’s licenses were invalidated if they had corrected their gender marker. Republicans in the legislature overrode Gov. Kelly’s veto to pass the bill.

S.B. 244 was also a bathroom ban. Subsequently, trans advocate and Trans Liberty founder Samantha Boucher used the women’s room at the legislature in protest. Boucher was interviewed by police but not arrested. Gov. Kelly’s office apologized to her for the law’s effects.

Some more great queer and trans reads

Editor-in-chief Alex Bollinger examines the real reasons conservatives want to overturn conversion therapy bans in March’s Cover Story.

The right knows conversion therapy bans don’t stop them. Here’s why they fought to repeal them.

Deputy editor Molly Sprayregen talked to experts about Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s nonbinding opinion that any psychotherapy affirming trans people’s gender identities is now illegal in Texas. The reality is that it’s not actually illegal, no matter his opinion, but he’ll still likely use it to pursue anti-trans measures in the future.

Ken Paxton told therapists to stop affirming trans patients. Here’s why they shouldn’t listen.

Columnist Warren Blumenfeld took down the president’s claims to divinity.

Apparently Jesus Christ spoke yet again to His earthly emissary King Donald

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