Transgender rights

Federal judge throws out Florida law blocking treatment for transgender children

By Terry Spencer, Associated Press

Senior Judge Robert Hinkle ruled Tuesday that the state went too far when it barred transgender minors from being prescribed puberty blockers and hormonal treatments with their parents' permission.

Tennessee legislators approve criminalization of adults who help minors obtain gender-affirming care

By Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press

Tennessee's GOP-controlled Statehouse on Thursday gave their final approval to legislation criminalizing adults who help minors receive gender-affirming care without parental consent, clearing the way for the first-in-the-nation proposal to be sent to Gov. Bill Lee's desk for his signature.

California court to weigh in on fight over transgender ballot measure proposal language

By Sophie Austin, Associated Press/Report for America

Proponents of the measure say Attorney General Rob Bonta demonstrated bias in the language he released. They say this has hurt their ability to collect enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

Vatican characterizes gender-affirming surgery, surrogacy as violations of human dignity

By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press

Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God's children.

Conservatives clash with White House over Biden's recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility

By Josh Boak, Associated Press

President Joe Biden is facing criticism from Donald Trump's campaign and religious conservatives for proclaiming March 31 — which corresponds with Easter Sunday this year — as “Transgender Day of Visibility.”…

Maryland Senate approves legal protections for gender-affirming care

By Brian Witte, Associated Press

The Democrat-controlled Senate voted 33-13 on Tuesday for the measure that would provide the same legal protection offered by the state for abortions.

Federal court rules Indiana ban on gender-affirming care for minors can take effect

By Isabella Volmert, Associated Press

The ruling marks the latest decision in a legal challenge the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed against the ban, enacted last spring amid a national push by GOP-led legislatures to curb LGBTQ+ rights.

Some states seek to deny transgender and nonbinary people's rights by legally defining sex

By Andrew DeMillo, John Hanna, Associated Press

At least 13 states have proposed bills this year that seek to narrowly define sex or gender as binary.

Man found guilty of killing trans woman in 1st federal hate crime trial over gender identity

By James Pollard, Associated Press

A South Carolina man was found guilty Friday of killing a Black transgender woman in the nation’s first federal trial over a hate crime based on gender identity.

Funeral for transgender activist at St. Patrick's Cathedral drew over 1,000 mourners — and church leaders' scorn

By Brian P. D. Hannon, Associated Press

The funeral of a renowned transgender activist in a New York cathedral elicited a denunciation of the event by a senior church official, who called the Mass a scandal within one of the preeminent houses of worship in U.S. Catholicism.