LGBTQ
Federal judge strikes down Arkansas ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender youth
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — A federal judge struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth Tuesday, nearly two years after blocking it from going into effect. Act 626 of 2021, known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, prohibited physicians from providing “gender transition” treatments like hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries […]
Anxiety rises for Georgia’s trans minors as state law barring hormone treatment starts July 1
ATLANTA — At midnight on June 30, transgender minors in Georgia who are not already receiving hormone treatments will be barred from starting due to a controversial law passed by the state Legislature along party lines this March. One transgender teacher at an organization that works with queer youth, said the kids she works with […]
Louisiana governor undecided on bill restricting minors’ access to certain library materials
Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters Wednesday he has not yet decided whether he will veto or sign a controversial bill that seeks to restrict Louisiana minors’ access to material it defines as sexually explicit, but still said he felt the bill is unnecessary. “I don’t think the bill is necessary,” Edwards said. “The biggest […]
Who took the Ws and Ls in the Louisiana legislative session
For a fiscal-oriented session, the Louisiana Legislature sure managed to fit in a multitude of bills this year that had nothing to do with the state’s spending plan. Debate over whether the state’s annual spending cap should be lifted dragged on for so long, the budget-making process ended with a cram session in the final […]
School districts struggle to implement new laws on sexually explicit books
RICHMOND, Va. — Although a new Virginia law requires schools to inform parents when sexually explicit materials are used in the classroom, some districts are using that law as the basis to go further and remove certain books from schools altogether. Book ban requests across the state often have cited the Virginia law, which was signed last year by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. […]
U.S. House Republicans spar with HHS secretary over transgender youth, child labor
WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Tuesday defended access to health care for transgender people, as well as his agency’s actions in connection with unaccompanied migrant children. Republicans at a U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing grilled Becerra about gender-affirming care for transgender minors, including puberty […]
Louisiana health officials warn mpox could resurge, offer vaccines at Pride events
Louisiana health officials are warning that mpox could resurge in the summer months. To combat the spread, they’re offering free vaccinations at Pride events in New Orleans this weekend. Vaccinations will be offered at Pride Fest in New Orleans from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Saturday, at 941 Elysian Fields Ave. The vaccine center will be […]
A teacher’s open letter urging Gov. Edwards to veto anti-transgender legislation
I am writing to you as a Louisiana teacher and concerned citizen to urge you to veto House Bill 466 and House Bill 81, both of which target educators and pose a significant threat to the safety, privacy, and dignity of transgender youth. These bills, if signed into law, would have far-reaching consequences for both […]
Louisiana governor to veto bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth
Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, will veto three anti-LGBTQ+ bills passed by the Republican-dominated Louisiana Legislature. When asked Thursday at his annual end-of-session press conference, Edwards said it is his “expectation” to veto the bills. While Edwards had previously declined to commit to reject the proposals, he raised concerns last month that the recent […]
Bill restricting minors’ access to certain library materials could soon be law in Louisiana
A controversial bill that seeks to restrict Louisiana minors’ access to material it defines as sexually explicit received final approval Thursday in the final hours of the legislative session. Senate Bill 7, by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, would require libraries to create a card system so parents could prevent their children from checking out […]
White House to name coordinator to push back against book bans, among new LGBTQ protections
WASHINGTON — As part of the celebration of Pride month, the Biden administration on Thursday announced several new protections for LGBTQ+ youth and families, including the position of a federal coordinator to counter the massive wave of book bans across the country. President Joe Biden was scheduled later Thursday to host a Pride event at […]
‘Don’t Say Gay,’ pronoun restriction bills one step away from governor’s desk
The Louisiana Senate gave final passage to two anti-LGBTQ+ bills Monday that target young transgender and queer students. House Bill 466 by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, prohibits discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools. House Bill 81 by Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Bossier City, would prohibit school employees from using transgender students’ preferred […]