Texas allows judges to refuse to perform marriages for same-sex couples

What happened: After years of lawsuits, the state supreme court adjusted its code of conduct for local judges. Bias is OK now if a judge cites a “sincerely held religious belief.”

Why it matters: In rural parts of the state, there could be as few as one judge in the county who performs marriages at all, adding to the burden LGBTQ+ people have to carry in order to access their rights.

Texas will now let judges refuse to marry same-sex couples if it goes against their religion

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Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services is trying to get all hospitals to stop providing gender affirming care to trans kids

Key quote: “This would be a de facto national ban. There would still be providers in blue states that don’t take federal funding but the large interdisciplinary teams of just a few years ago would be nearly impossible to maintain. The result is that the care that remains would largely be underground with worse support and likely outcomes,” said civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo.

Why it matters: Kids won’t be able to get life-saving health care if this becomes a rule.

Trump seeks to kill all medical care for trans youth by defunding hospitals that provide it

Gov. Gavin Newsom brings up his legislative record and trans godson to fight transphobia charges

His record? Newsom said that he had “signed more bills protecting trans folks than anyone you’ve ever had on this air” in a radio interview this week, which could be true: the California Legislature regularly sends pro-LGBTQ+ and pro-trans bills to the governor. He was responding to criticism of his opposition to letting trans kids participate in school sports and said that his objection rests specifically on that issue.

Why it matters: Newsom is a likely 2028 presidential candidate, and this is the third time this year he has specifically said that he does not support trans people participating in girls’ or women’s sports. And he’s not the only Democrat to have strayed from the party line on this issue.

Gavin Newsom: I’m not transphobic, my godson is trans & I signed pro-trans bills

Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines trades barbs with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

What happened: Gaines challenged Ocasio-Cortez to a debate, and AOC challenged Gaines to “get a real job.” That is, Gaines got into an argument with just one other person and still managed to somehow tie for fifth place (just as she did against a trans competitor in a college swimming championship, when she decided to become an anti-trans activist).

Why it matters: While this might seem like just some online insults, the reaction AOC got showed that people are willing to treat Gaines like a joke for making her entire life about hating trans people.

Riley Gaines tried to insult AOC. The congresswoman had the last laugh.

The Trump administration blames trans people for SNAP benefits ending on November 1

What happened: Due to the shutdown – which has nothing to do with LGBTQ+ issues – SNAP benefits (aka food stamps) are set to run out on November 1. There are emergency funds that the president could spend to keep the program funded, but he is refusing to do so. Instead, the USDA posted a message on its website blaming the situation on Democrats demanding “gender mutilation surgery.”

Why it matters: Republicans are going out of their way to blame everything on trans people, whether there is any logical reason to do so or not. This could lead to discrimination and violence.

Trump administration blames trans healthcare for SNAP benefit lapse

This week’s photos

Pride was celebrated in Savannah, Georgia, last weekend, and it looks like participants had a great time.

And here are some interesting queer and trans reads

LGBTQ Nation editor-in-chief Alex Bollinger talked to Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA) about the role of LGBTQ+ issues in the current shutdown.

Mark Takano blasts Republicans for cruelly blaming shutdown on trans people

LGBTQ Nation columnist Faefyx Collington explained how Donald Trump is just one part of a global ethno-nationalist movement that has been particularly powerful in the U.K.

The Trump Virus is spreading around the globe. Especially in the UK.

LGBTQ Nation contributor Matt Keeley ended the October Issue of LGBTQ Nation with an interview about how queer immigration activists are fighting back against the Trump administration.

Related

How the nation’s largest queer immigrant group is fighting Trump’s war on LGBTQ+ refugees

LGBTQ Nation contributor Chaaz Quigley told the story of Hong Kong pop star Leslie Cheung, who was out at a difficult time and place.

Leslie Cheung: The 1970s pop star who lived a queer life in plain site

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