Disney Shareholders Reject Anti-LGBT groups Demand to drop HRC

Disney investors voted 99%-1% to reject a proposal to stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign Equality Index where it has a 100% rating.

The far-right "National Center for Public Policy Research" proposal made issue with gender diversity, however, shareholders by their vote clearly signaled that transgender people are valued.

"This vote gives us a clear statement of values from Disney’s shareholders," HRC said in a statement. "They know what we know - that despite all the noise, commitments to inclusion pay figurative dividends and help their literal bottom line. And they’re not alone. Shareholders at companies as diverse as Costco, Apple, John Deere, and others in the past months, have resoundingly rejected efforts to roll-back DEI. We know that 93% of LGBTQ+ workers believe that scoring 100 on the Corporate Equality Index communicates support of the LGBTQ+ community – those are current and future employees and customers. Disney shareholders recognize this."

In 2022, the company’s stance against Florida’s “don’t say gay” school policy prompted a two-year legal battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who prevailed in installing three hand-picked shills to the board. However, this wasn't a vote by political appointees. It was a vote by the people who spoke loud and clear that diversity matters.

Andry, Gay Man Disappeared By Ice Under the Alien Enemies Act

Andry a gay asylum seeker / Photo Lindsay Toczylowski

The asylum seeker who was disappeared by ICE has been identified as Andry, a gay makeup artist from Venezuela. Andry entered the US legally seeking asylum but was detained by ICE for lack of any other reason because he is gay and from Venezuela.

We have learned that Andry was one of the Ice Detainees who were illegally sent to a notorious El Salvatorian prison when Trump ignored a court order halting those flights

This is our @immdef.bsky.social client, Andry, who has been disappeared by Trump admin. Tonight, he is in a Salvadoran prison notorious for human rights violations. He is also a brother & a son, a makeup artist, & like many of us, he has tattoos. Thank you @maddow.msnbc.com for lifting up his story

[image or embed]

— Lindsay Toczylowski (@l-toczylowski.bsky.social) March 20, 2025 at 11:54 PM

Lindsay Toczylowski, president of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, shares a photo of her client publicly for the first time and talks with Rachel Maddow about the difficulty of getting answers about her client who the Trump administration, through ICE, has accused without evidence of being a gang member and summarily deported to a prison in El Salvador with no due process or opportunity to defend himself.

Trump ‘deletes evidence’ of Putin's adduction of 35,000 Ukrainian children

An international effort to trace and rescue tens of thousands of children kidnapped from Ukraine to Russia and prosecute those responsible has been crippled by the US state department’s deletion of evidence.

The Trump administration cut funding to Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which was compiling a database of alleged Russian war crimes, including the abduction of an estimated 35,000 children from occupied areas of Ukraine, last month.

Using satellite imagery and other surveillance systems provided through the US government, the Yale researchers were monitoring 116 sites in Russia.

A Yale source said the US state department deleted the evidence which would have been used as part of rescue efforts to get the children home to Ukraine. It would also have been used to prosecute those behind their abductions – including Russian president Vladimir Putin.

”It is unclear whether it was by accident or intent, but it may reveal or it may cause potential criminal liability for the Trump administration, given international prohibitions against the destruction of war crimes evidence,” the Yale insider told The Independent.

Texas Legislature Hell Bent on Revoking Trans IDs and Jailing Gender Diverse

Trans Texans, there are a couple of bills in the legislature that would invalidate your birth certificate, and driver's license, and make living authentically and legally a State Felony. Yes, the state is that perverse, but wait it gets worse.

Senate bill SB406 and House HB2291 are carefully crafted to require that the sex a person is identified as at birth is the only gender indicated on birth certificates. SB406 has passed committee but hasn't yet been scheduled for a floor vote but it's possible it won't for reasons I'll disclose in a moment.

UPDATE: SB406 was placed on the Senate Intent Calander on 03-24-2025 signaling that it could come up for debate and a vote at any time.

Another bill would make it a felony for transgender individuals to identify as a gender other than what we were assigned at birth. HB3817 would also make it felony fraud to represent ourselves authentically to law enforcement.

Given that AG Paxton has already stopped the motor vehicles department from accepting court orders with just a letter, his latest opinion calling for state agencies to retroactively revert gender markers on documents shouldn't be taken lightly. It's pretty clear that once Paxton has the law behind him he will pursue us unmercifully.

Both bills are short, to the point, and could be added to any bill at the last moment, which is the Republicans' cowardly way of avoiding debate. They have done it in the past and will do it again, so we need to stay aware.

In Scathing Ruling Federal Judge Ends Trump's Transgender Military Ban

US District Judge Ana Reyes sided with the transgender plaintiffs and granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday. In deference to the Military's position, Judge Reyes put the injunction on hold until Friday, giving the Trump administration (the defendants) an opportunity to file an emergency stay with the DC Court of Appeals.

Judge Reyes, wrote that the ban “is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext. Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact.”

“Indeed, the cruel irony is that thousands of transgender servicemembers have sacrificed – some risking their lives – to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the Military Ban seeks to deny them,” she wrote:

In Executive Order No. 14183, President Donald J. Trump focuses on “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” The military’s “clear mission” is to “protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.” Id. § 1. Service by transgender persons is “inconsistent” with this mission because they lack the “requisite warrior ethos” to achieve “military excellence.”

On February 26, 2025, Secretary of Defense Peter B. Hegseth issued a policy to EO14183’s directives. (Hegseth Policy). It disqualifies “[t]ransgender troops . . . from service without an exemption.”

"The President has the power—indeed the obligation—to ensure military readiness. At times, however, leaders have used concern for military readiness to deny marginalized persons the privilege of serving. “[Fill in the blank] is not fully capable and will hinder combat effectiveness; [fill in the blank] will disrupt unit cohesion and so diminish military effectiveness; allowing [fill in the blank] to serve will undermine training, make it impossible to recruit successfully, and disrupt military order.”

"First minorities, then women in combat, then gays filled in that blank. Today, however, our military is stronger and our Nation is safer for the millions of such blanks (and all other persons) who serve."

"Plaintiffs beg to differ. And differ they can. Together they have provided over 130 years of military service. They have served in roles ranging from Senior Military Science Instructor to Artillery Platoon Commander to Intelligence Analyst to Satellite Operator to Operations Research Analyst to Naval Flight Officer to Weapons Officer. They have deployed around the globe, from Afghanistan to Poland to Korea to Iraq to Kuwait to the USS Ronald Reagan and USS George W. Bush. One is presently deployed to an active combat zone."

"They have earned more than 80 commendations including: a Bronze Star; two Global War on Terrorism Service Medals; two Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals; numerous Meritorious Service Medals; numerous Commendation Medals; Air and Space Outstanding Unit Awards; and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, among many others," Judge Reyes wrote.

"Defendants rejoin that these service records are inapposite. The Court must ignore them and instead “defer to the military’s judgment.” Yes, the Court must defer. But not blindly. The President issued EO14183 within seven days of taking office, and Secretary Hegseth issued the Policy thirty days later. There is no evidence that they consulted with uniformed military leaders before doing so. Neither document contains any analysis nor cites any data. They pronounce that transgender persons are not honorable, truthful, or disciplined—but Defense counsel concedes that these assertions are pure conjecture."

THE COURT: Is saying that transgender people or people with gender dysphoria, [that] their inherent identity is inconsistent with a commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, is that demeaning to them?

DEFENSE COUNSEL: I don’t have a characterization for that, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Okay. And if I asked you about all the other words in [the Military Ban], with respect to the characterization of transgender people or people with gender dysphoria, you would have the same answer?

DEFENSE COUNSEL: Yes, Your Honor

THE COURT: There’s nothing [supporting these assertions] in the studies; right?

DEFENSE COUNSEL: That says those same things, no, Your Honor, not that I know of.

THE COURT: [No study] says anything close to those things; correct?

DEFENSE COUNSEL: Not that I know of, Your Honor.

Paxton's Transgender Driver's license "opinion" about to be codified into law

Texas AG Ken Paxton issued an opinion on March 14, 2025 instructing state agencies to retroactively revert gender markers on drivers' licenses, state IDs and birth certificates to that of the individual's sex at birth.

The 19-page opinion was issued after DPS stopped accepting Court Ordered Gender Updates For Driver Licenses and pursuant to a letter sent by then Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw to Ken Paxton asking if the DPS had the authority to ignore court orders and revert driver licenses to the sex they were before they were changed.

The summary of Paxton's March 14, 2025 opinion.

As everyone knows Paxton has the authority to enforce the law but he can not make or break laws. However, a bill passed through Senate committee on March 13, 2025, would make Paxton's opinion align with law.

Senator Middleton introduced SB406 qualifying its existence with the hundreds of anti-trans bills introduced this year in Texas and Trump's genocidal intentions, while stating that the bill "is not about restricting anyone's personal expression," alluding to 120,000 transgender Texans whose lives would be utterly destroyed by SB406.

SB406 "Relating to the required inclusion of a person's sex on a birth certificate and prohibited change of sex on the birth certificate of certain persons" passed 9-0 through committee and is bound for a floor vote.
It's a well-researched, professionally written bill that creates an exemption for intersex people. And tragically it would create the essential legislative foundation for Paxton's legal war on transgender people.

One million Massachusetts Residents now Live in Transgender Sanctuary Cities

Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia

The Boston City Council voted 12-1 to pass a resolution Wednesday declaring it a Transgender Sanctuary City, making it the largest protected city in the Bay State.

Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia and District 9 Councilor Liz Breadon called on Boston to adopt the measure supporting transgender people, pointing to what they see as harmful rhetoric coming from President Donald Trump and the White House, WBTS' Matt Prichard reports

The resolution says, in part, that Boston has "a specific commitment to protecting transgender and gender-diverse individuals. Taxpayer-funded agencies shall not comply with federal efforts to strip resources that safeguard their rights. Boston will not cooperate with federal or state policies that harm transgender and gender-diverse people and remains committed to ensuring their access to healthcare, housing, education, and employment without fear or discrimination."

Mejia and Breadon acknowledged that the resolution is symbolic and nonbinding, but Mejia said it is a critical first step and an "opportunity to set the groundwork for the legislation."

Last month, the Worcester city council voted overwhelmingly to become a transgender sanctuary city. Council members hope that the legislature takes notice and enacts laws making all of Massachusetts safe for LGBTQI people. Between Cambridge, Northampton, Boston, and Worcester, just shy of a million people are now living in transgender sanctuary cities.

Judge Again Excoriates Trump Lawyers over Transgender Military Ban

Judge Reyes noted that Pete Hegseth, at the time he issued the policy ‘had been the Secretary of Defense for about 30 days and had no prior military history other than, I think, he had an early deployment before his television career?’ (AFP via Getty Images)

The Judge who is considering Trump's transgender troops ban, tells lawyers that evidence supplied by them suggests that transgender troops are as well or better suited to serve than cisgender counterparts. She then sent Trump's lawyers back for 30 minutes to partake in a trans 101 and read the DOD policy.

District Judge Ana Reyes will rule on the troop ban next week.

District Judge Ana Reyes was incredulous when told by a Trump lawyer that the policy does not include all trans people.

The judge then cited a Defense Department post on X from February 27: “Transgender troops are disqualified from service without an exemption.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also shared the post from his official account according to The Independent.

“Do you think you can say one thing in public…and say another thing in court? This wasn’t some off-the-cuff remark at a cocktail party?” Reyes asked.

The judge asked if he was using “loose language” but Manion argued Hegseth was using “shorthand.”

“I’m not going to speculate that he was just being sloppy when he said that. I’m going to take him at his word,” the judge said.

Judge Reyes asked the Attorneys if they had read any of the pertinent data supplied by the DOD. When they confessed to be totally ignorant she advised them that "The study showed a group of trans people were deployed longer than a comparison group of non-transgender service members who were diagnosed with depression," the judge said. If anything that shows that transgender troops are as well suited, if not better than other troops on long deployments.

Trump Posts Nazi Symbol Targeting Transgender Soldiers on Social Media

Anti-Trans military article shared by Trump on social media featured a Pink Triangle with a prohibited marker over it.

Meidas News reports that Trump posted an article to his Truth Social account this weekend featuring a deeply troubling image: a pink triangle—the Nazi-era symbol used to identify and persecute gay men in concentration camps—covered with a red prohibited sign.

The Washington Times opinion article by Jeremy Hunt published Wednesday, February 19, 2025, "Army recruitment ads look quite different under Trump" (archived) features that pink triangle with a red prohibited sign supported by a soldier in fatigues.

Typical of fascists, had Hunt taken the time to research Nazi-era iconography he would have known to feature a black triangle. It's also possible that the pink triangle is appropriate as Trump is planning to rid the military of the entire LGBTQI community eventually.

Hunt wrote "For most presidents, major cultural change in our nation’s armed forces doesn’t happen overnight. It usually takes years for a commander in chief to leave a mark on the military. But President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are accomplishing what often takes years in a matter of weeks."

That is untrue as Trump's Trans Military Ban has been blocked by multiple courts that have issued preliminary injunctions. Unless overturned by his minions on the Supreme Court, those injunctions will likely stand.

Translash: Pink Triangle Legacy Origins: Berlin, Germany

Berlin opened The Institute for Sexual Science in Germany in 1919, the place where the word “transsexual” was coined, and where people could receive gender-affirming counseling and other services. Its lead doctor, Magnus Hirschfeld, also consulted on “the Lili Elbe sex change“, the world’s first documented “sex reassignment” surgery. In the 1920s, Berlin had nearly 100 gay and lesbian bars or cafes, and other affirming spaces for queer & gender non-conforming people.

But even though the process to decriminalize homosexuality had already begun in Germany in 1929, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany successfully brought in penal reform of Paragraph 175, making homosexuality a felony. On May 6, 1933, the Nazis violently looted and closed The Institute for Sexual Science, burning its extensive collection on the streets – a direct attempt to erase the existence of LGBTQIA people.

From 1933–1945, an estimated 50K gay men and gender non-conforming people were sent to police prisons and concentration camps, where they were tortured and often murdered.

In Nazi concentration camps, LGBTQIA prisoners were required to wear a downward-pointing, triangular cloth badge on their chest, the color identifying the reason for their imprisonment. Early on, homosexual male prisoners were identified with a green triangle (indicating criminals) or red triangle (political prisoners), the number 175 (referring to Paragraph 175, the section of the German penal code criminalizing homosexual activity), or the letter A (which stood for Arschficker, literally “arse fucker”).

The use of a pink triangle was later established for prisoners identified as homosexual men, which also included bisexual men and transgender women. Lesbian and bisexual women and trans men who were imprisoned sometimes wore a black triangle, or a pink triangle. The pink triangle was also assigned to others considered sexual deviants. If a prisoner was also identified as Jewish, the pink triangle was superimposed over a second yellow triangle pointing the opposite way, to resemble the Star of David like the yellow badge identifying other Jews.

When Adolph Hitler needed to justify arresting and murdering former political allies in 1934, he often accused them of being gay.

Mr. Bannon, Mr. Musk and assorted MAGAt low lifes might want to take notice of the final paragraph in this article as Trump has shown over and over how he delights in crushing former allies.

Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr's Powerful appeal against an Anti LGBTQI Bill

Montana State Representative Zoey Zephyr (D) and Representative Sherry Essman (R) both rose as mothers to speak against this draconian anti-LGBT bill

State Representative Zoey Zephyr's speech against an anti-LGBT bill was so powerful that republicans overwhelmingly voted against it! HB675 stated intent was to criminalize drag shows, but it was much more far-reaching.

Yes, this is the same Zooey Zephyr who was silenced last session by the republican dominated legislature for dramaticaly standing up for transgender children!

"I'm a proud mother," wrote Rep.Zephyr. "Whether I'm walking my son to school or reading him a bedtime story, I do everything to make sure he grows up loved and cared for."

"And for the sponsor of the drag ban to say that my existence is a fetish is false and cruel."

"I'm glad we were able to defeat this hateful bill today."

"I'm also really grateful for my friend and colleague, Representative Sherry Essman (R - Billings), who stood up and said it's time to "stop these crazy bills."

"May her courage be contagious, and may it lead to more Republicans standing up against these bills," Zephyr wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erin Reed (@erininthemorning)

 

Photos of the Transgender Military Members That Trump Wants Erased

The Pentagon is deleting over 26,000 images and history of women and minorities, warriors that have served meritoriously in the armed forces. Absurdly, photos of the Enola Gay, a superfortress named after the pilot's mother, were removed, because her middle name.

And tragically an estimated 15,000 transgender military members have been given notice that they are to be discharged.

On January 20, draft dodging Trump rescinded Biden-era policies that cleared the way for transgender people to serve openly in the military. A week later, he instructed the Department of Defense to update its guidance on transgender military service, effectively barring transgender people from service.

The administration is now facing a federal lawsuit, and U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, signaling that she would block the ban, accused the Department of Justice of “unadulterated animus” or prejudice, hostility, and spiteful malevolent ill will toward transgender service members.

For prosperity's sake, here are some of the service members that Trump has ordered discharged. Thank you for you're service.

Photos are courtesy of Bree Fram a colonel and astronautical engineer in the U.S. Space Force. She is stationed at the Pentagon leading requirements integration and is one of the highest-ranking transgender service members in the military.

Trump firing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., and replacing him with a white three-star general, is the very definition of racial prejudice.

Trump Lied: January Littlejohn Asked Teachers Allow Her Child To Transition

January Littlejohn (center) SOU Address

For lack of an actual instance of a school secretly forcing gender transition on a child, Trump during the State of the Union address used January Littlejohn, who now works for an anti-trans group as a prop.

Littlejohn in 2020 asked that her child be allowed to transition in emails obtained by CNN to her child's school and that they "take the lead" in the process.

January Littlejohn was confused and understandably misgendered her child while asking that teachers support their transition.

In an August 27, 2020, email to a teacher, Littlejohn stated, in part, “This has been an incredibly difficult situation for our family and her father and I are trying to be as supportive as we can, according to CNN. She is currently identifying as non-binary. She would like to go by the new name [redacted] and prefers the pronouns they/them. We have not changed her name at home yet, but I told her if she wants to go by the name [redacted] with her teachers, I won’t stop her.”

The teacher thanked Littlejohn and asked if she should share with other teachers.

Littlejohn explained it was difficult and confusing, and went on to write, “Whatever you think is best or [redacted] can handle it herself.”

In another email the same day, Littlejohn told the teacher, “This gender situation has thrown us for a loop. I sincerely appreciate your support. I’m going to let her take the lead on this.”

“Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” is a dangerously hypocritical executive order that pushes a false narrative about power and privilege. It seeks to intimidate school officials away from caring for the students at the highest risk of bullying and other forms of violence while preventing students from learning about why they have different experiences from their peers. However, state attorneys general are not yet obligated to enforce this order; multiple existing laws preclude the federal government from influencing state and local decisions about teaching and learning, and trans rights are civil rights, no matter what one executive order says.

Senate Democrats Block GOP Bill Stripping Trans people of Civil Rights

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), left; Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), center, voted with republicans. Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) voted present, not voting essentially giving his vote to the Republicans..

Senate Democrats Monday unanimously defeated a GOP bill stripping transgender people of Title IV protections. If passed, it would have faced lawsuits eventually reaching the Supreme Court allowing Trump's appointees to reverse Bostock v. Clayton-Fayette County.

Earlier, the Republican dominated House of Representatives passed an accompanying bill. Democrats voted against it except for quislings Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who voted with the republicans, and Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) who voted present, not voting.

Title IX prohibits, with certain exceptions, any entity that receives "federal financial assistance" from discriminating against individuals on the basis of sex in education programs or activities. HR28 would have redefined sex "solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth"

In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton-Fayette County that Title VII's prohibition of sex discrimination applies to sexual orientation and gender identity. This ruling means that employers cannot discriminate against employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The ruling also applied to the interpretation of Title IX.

March 4th Protest For Transgender Rights. Here's the Deets.

Protests are happening in 50 states and DC on March 4th, 2025. Find yours at r/50501. All of the protests have a common theme, to save democracy. I challenge the transgender community to show up, wave our flag, grab a mic, or do whatever you feel, and make it known Trans Rights Are Human Rights!

People from Robert De Niro to EMINEM have grabed the mic to say one thing.

No longer down with Trump Fuck Trump Robert De Niro
byu/atxcomputer in50501

I live in (insert name of bluest of blue state) why should I take time off from work to protest?

• There have been anti trans bills filed in all but one state. So, no Veronica, your state doesn't have a magical protective bubble surrounding it.
• Protests as massive as this have historically petered out. We are only human.
• Trump is just itching to declare a national emergency, call out the military on American civilians, and he will if the protesters get violent.
•  We can view every protest as our last chance to raise our voices.

So far this year, there have been 656 anti trans bills introduced in 49 states of which 13 have passed, 621 are still active, and 22 have failed. And on top of that 12 anti trans bills have been filed on the federal level and Felon47's 10 executive orders targeting transgender lives on every level.

Eminem gets crowd to chant F*** Trump at concert
byu/RealAmbassador4081 in50501

656 bills in 49 states taking away the rights and criminalizing 1% of the population for existing!

A few of the worst anti trans legislation that are still active:

Maryland HB1399 punishes doctors with life imprisonment that administer gender affirming care to minors. West Virginia HR6 "Recognizing Transgenderism as a mental disorder." Illinois SB2474 Healthcare ban for minors.

We the People—March Fourth for Democracy
byu/transcendent167 in50501

Texas Legislator sponsors bill to criminalize all age transgender healthcare

Texas Representative Brent Money [R] introduced HB 3399 February 26, 2025, prohibiting adults from receiving gender affirming care. Money, a first-year lawmaker's campaign was funded by a PAC with connections to white supremacist Nicholas Fuentes.

HB 3399 is identical to the law banning minor trans affirming health care with the exception that Child has been crossed out, making it an all age healthcare ban.

The bill would also prohibit gender nonconforming people from using online resources to acquire medication and from traveling out of state for gender affirming surgeries.

Activist Debi Jackson noted that it targets both hormones and surgery. Individuals who have already started hormones and have done the twelve required mental health sessions will still be forced to "wean" themselves off the medication. It's not just a cut to state insurance funding for these procedures, it makes them completely illegal.

This line —> Provide, prescribe, administer, or dispense…” is scary. It is currentmy defined as an act by a “healthcare provider”, but because folks in the UK used that as a way to get telehealth services that allowed them to travel to get medications, they redefined it to include anyone — doctors, pharmacists, NPs, parents. Anyone who picks up a medication, delivers it, injects it, hands a person a patch or pill. This is how they criminalize traveling for care and coming back with prescriptions. This is something to watch closely for changes as the bill moves.

There is an accompanying bill filed in the Senate. If the facists are sucessfull in passing these bills it will go into affect September 1, 2025.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Order to Move Trans women Inmates to Male Jails

geralt/Pixabay

A Federal Judge has blocked Trump from transferring trans women to male prisons citing the 8th Amendment which prohibits cruel and unusual treatment of prisoners.

As first reported by the Advocate, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction Monday, halting the implementation of Trump’s Executive Order 14168, which mandates that federal agencies recognize only two sexes—male and female—and requires the Bureau of Prisons to house inmates based solely on their sex assigned at birth. Lamberth had previously issued a temporary restraining order to protect three incarcerated transgender women from imminent transfer. The latest ruling expands that protection to nine additional plaintiffs who, according to court filings, were “rounded up by BOP officials” and told they would be immediately transferred to men’s prisons and have their gender-affirming healthcare terminated.

In his order, Lamberth said that the government had failed to justify its actions. “Summarily removing the possibility of housing the plaintiffs in a women’s facility, when that was determined to be the appropriate facility under the existing constitutional and statutory regime, demonstrates a likelihood of success on the merits of the plaintiffs’ Eighth Amendment claim,” he wrote.

The government argued that placing the women in low-security men’s facilities would ensure their safety. But Lamberth rejected that claim, noting that federal reports and prison data confirm that transgender women face “a significantly elevated risk of physical and sexual violence” when housed in men’s facilities. The government’s attempt to use general statistics to justify the transfers, he wrote, “do not disaggregate assaults against transgender inmates from overall rates of assault.”

Hundreds Protest Iowa Bill Stripping Trans People of their Rights

Hundreds of Transgender, Queer, and allies amassed at the Capitol to protest a bill that would remove rights guaranteed by the Iowa Bill of Rights.

Iowa GOP introduced House Study Bill 242 on Thursday, and it had already passed through committee by Monday. The GOP had hoped that the speed at which the bill moved would blindside the LGBTQI community and preclude large demonstrations. However, they were wrong.

If the GOP is successful it would be the first time in the history of our nation that rights had been stripped from a protected class.

Amber Williams who works for Inspired Life, a hard-right Christian organization, recounted seeing a transgender woman in a women’s restroom two weeks ago. This made her so uncomfortable, she said, that she left the restroom without using it giving that reason as to why she was testifying for the removal of transgender people from housing, workplace, credit, public accommodations, and education all covered for the past two decades by the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

“This isn't about hatred or exclusion," she told lawmakers. It's about a white Christian woman's comfort level.

JLo To Headline at DC 2025 World Pride Music Festival

Proud mom and Emme Maribel Muñiz

Jennifer Lopez posted on TicToc about her excitement at performing at World Pride 2025 in Washington DC.

"I am beyond excited to perform at the World Pride Music Festival in our nation’s capital," JLo wrote.

"Pride began as a protest—a fight for love, equality, and visibility. I know how important it is to create a world where everyone feels safe, seen, and celebrated for exactly who they are."

@jlo

I am beyond excited to perform at the World Pride Music Festival in our nation’s capital! 🌈✨ Pride began as a protest—a fight for love, equality, and visibility. I know how important it is to create a world where everyone feels safe, seen, and celebrated for exactly who they are. This is bigger than music. It’s about standing together, lifting each other up, and showing the world the power of love. I can’t wait to share this unforgettable night with you all. 💜 📍See you in D.C. on June 6th!🔗 Register now for first access to tickets: WorldPride25.com

♬ On The Floor - Jennifer Lopez

"This is bigger than music. It’s about standing together, lifting each other up, and showing the world the power of love."

"I can’t wait to share this unforgettable night with you all," wrote JLo.

Some folks were surprised when World Pride revealed that JLo would be performing. But perhaps we shouldn't be.

"Jennifer Lopez introduced her 14-year-old child Emme Maribel Muñiz with gender neutral pronouns as they performed together at the Los Angeles Dodgers Blue Diamond Gala on Thursday, according to Them. Though the performance happened last week, the news gained steam as a clip of the touching moment went viral after being shared by TikTok user @christinathesupermom over the weekend. In the video, Lopez uses “they” and “them” to refer to Muñiz."

@christinathesupermom Jennifer Lopez JLO surprises audience at at the Blue Diamond Gala by the Dodgers foundation. Excuse shaky camera at end I was in shock myself.#jlo #jenniferlopez #jloandemme #dodgersfoundation #bluediamondball #jlosurpriseguest #tmz #jloperformance ♬ original sound - ChristinaTheSupermom

Trump wants to take over DC. Why this Must not Happen.

Trump first thought of a takeover of DC while cowering in the White House bunker during Black Lives Matter protests. He just brought that up again.

Trump said Wednesday that city leaders are not doing enough to reduce crime, clean up graffiti, and remove homeless encampments according to Jeff Bezos's Washington Post. If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.

Trump intends to extend the Whitehouse permitter to miles instead of feet. He would take over the Metropolitan Police and order them to checkpoints so only a chosen few would be allowed in or to leave. He would make a military fortress out of the White House and Congress so that he could rule unimpeded and terrorize citizens outside of the walls.

Congress would first have to repeal the Wahington DC Home Rule Act in response to an emergency.

However homeless encampments and graffiti are not cause to declare a state of emergency.

Violent protests could be. That is why protests must be kept peaceful. We can't give Trump a legitimate reason to crush democracy.

Mother of Sam Norquist Called Police Before His Murder. Police Said She didn't.

The five charged with the murder of transman Sam Norquist

The mother of Sam Nordquist says that his murder could have been prevented if police had done their job. She said that she called the Canandaigua Police Department twice after not hearing from her son and they performed wellness checks. They told her that everything appeared to be fine.

RED FLAG: No evidence of hate crime in the killing of transgender man Sam Norquist, police said, pointing out that the five charged with murder are also LGBTQI.

Update: 2 more arrested in connection with death of Sam Nordquist, transgender man tortured and killed in New York.

The Canandaigua Police Department's chief of police, Mathew Nielsen, said in a phone call with NBC that none of his roughly 30 officers spoke with the family prior to Sam's death. He suggested that the family is confused about which law enforcement agency they called to perform the wellness checks.

The phone number that the family called matched the number of CPD's office and matched the number in a screenshot of their call log shared with NBC News.

Read Transgender Veteran Elisa Rae Shupe Suicide Note. She wanted you to.

Elisa Rae Shupe / zerodoesntsleep’s Substack

Elisa Rae Shupe ended her life wrapped in her transgender flag on January 27, 2025. Passerbys reported seeing her body hanging from the top floor of the Syracuse VA parking garage.

Ms. Shupe committed suicide just seven days after Trump began signing a raft of toxic anti-trans executive orders cumulating in an EO stating that a trans service member's sexuality “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life” and is harmful to military readiness. It requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to issue a revised policy.

Elisa, the first person to legally identify as non-binary later detransitioned and was used as a pawn by the likes of Cathy Brennan, a TERF known for outing transgender minors, and other anti-transgender activists. In 2022, she published a statement reclaiming her trans identity and condemning the anti-trans movement due to her story being used to push conversion therapy.

Elisa emailed her suicide note to several mainstream media outlets hoping her story would be told. None of them did. As first reported on substack she wanted her note to be read.

This is the message from Elisa Rae Shupe, the first person to obtain a non-binary gender transition, to the Trump Administration:

Fuck You America!

I don’t want your hatred.

I don’t want the military decorations and medals you awarded me.

I don’t want your pension money for my distinguished military service and service-connected disabilities.

I don’t want your health care to treat the mental illnesses you caused.

I don’t want more psychiatric ward commitments to keep me alive in a nation that I despise.

I don’t want to be buried in any of your state or national cemetery’s for veterans and military retirees.

I don’t want to be buried anywhere on American soil.

I don’t want any military honors or ceremonies to mark my death.

I don’t want my ashes to be stored on American soil.

I want my ashes or remains to be spread or buried in international waters.

I don’t want your flag anywhere near my body, remains, or ashes.

I don’t want any members of my family other than my spouse to be on the vessel that disposes of my ashes or remains.

My death is not a surrender.

My death as a member of the third gender and transgender population does not mean you won.

It solely marks the end of our association.

You are not the land of the free.

You are not a country getting made great again.

Too much demonstrated hatred throughout your existence extinguishes any claim to previous greatness.

You are a cesspool of zealots that worship a god that does not and has not ever existed

Enjoy your new royal family and third world dictator.

I refuse to participate any further.

Have that Nazi piece of shit Elon Musk and his DOGE henchmen deduct the savings from my $93,000 of federal pensions from your bankrupt coffers.

The white man decimated and massacred the indigenous populations of the third gender on the lands now called America. It was only fitting that a white person restored it.

You cannot erase non-binary and transgender people because you give birth to more of us each day.

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Canadian LGBTQ+ Group won't attend UN Forum for "fear around entry to the U.S."

Egale Canada Executive Director Helen Kennedy center

Egale Canada the leading Canadian LGBTQ+ advocacy group said in a statement that it wouldn't attend the UN Women's Forum over concerns of how its Transgender and non-binary members would be treated at the US Border.

"Egale Canada was registered to attend the upcoming Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations Headquarters in New York next month. As a regular attendee of this commission, we had looked forward to engaging in important and essential conversations relevant to 2SLGBTQI inclusion on a national and global level."

"After deep consideration, we have decided not to engage in-person in this year’s Commission on the Status of Women or any other UN, OAS or global convenings, including World Pride, taking place in the United States in the foreseeable future."

"This decision is foremost based on the need to safeguard our trans and non-binary staff who would face questionable treatment at land and aviation borders to attend such convenings, and to stand in solidarity with global colleagues who are experiencing similar fear around entry to the U.S.

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Egale Canada Executive Director Helen Kennedy said she worries about anyone who identifies as non-binary, transgender or intersex and travels with a Canadian passport bearing an 'X' gender marker.

She said "the risks are too high" for people whose documents don't match how they identify or present to others.

Kemmedy's fears are justified. Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from sports that included an ambiguous directive banning trans athletes from entering the US. It's entirely feasible that this could be interpreted by overzealous US Border agents to mean any trans or non-binary person.

@alice.in.winterland #egalecanada is a queer organization in #canada that fights for equality in this country. They’ve officially pulled out of going in-person to the US due to the threat against queet people in the US. And given the uncertainty with the removal of #gendermarker changes, and the anti-#trans efforts by the administration, it’s understandable. A #travelban ♬ original sound - Alice Winterland