The German Parliament has voted 393-226 in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, and the bill now heads to the Bundesrat, Germany’s upper house, where it is expected to pass. A recent poll found that two-thirds of Germans support legalizing same-sex marriage.
Texas Supreme Court Undermines Marriage Equality
On Friday the Texas Supreme Court discarded a lower court’s ruling that spouses of gay and lesbian public employees are entitled to government-subsidized marriage benefits. The court argued that, although Obergefell v. Hodges requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriages, it does not mandate that states “provide the same publicly funded benefits to all married persons.”
Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Wisconsin Transgender Student
Last week the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Wisconsin school district violated Ash Whitaker’s civil rights when they prevented the transgender student from using the boys’ bathroom. The court ruled that Whitaker’s civil rights are protected under the sex discrimination ban in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Oregon Governor Signs Bill to Progress Transgender Rights
HB 2673 will make the process of making changes to birth certificates more private, an important step towards decreasing housing, medical, and employment discrimination against transgender people in Oregon by judges, employers, landlords, and others with access to public records.
Persecution of Gay Men in Chechnya Escalates
Reports are coming out of Chechnya that a large group of gay men are being held by the government in concentration camps and have been subjected to violent interrogations.
Gay Men in Chechnya Targeted by Police
The spokesperson for Kadyrov stated that the accusations made by the Novaya Gazeta were “absolute lies” and went on to claim that “you cannot detain and persecute people who simply do not exist in the republic.”
North Carolina Lawmakers Roll Back Anti-LGBTQ Repeal Bill
The new bill, while repealing the language of HB2, does little to overhaul the harmful impact of the law. The North Carolina General Assembly will still have authority to pass laws over access to multi-stall restrooms and bar local governments from putting forward nondiscrimination ordinances until 2020.
Supreme Court Sends Transgender Rights Case Back to Lower Court
On Monday the Supreme Court announced that they will no longer hear the case of transgender student Gavin Grimm, sending the case back to the appeal’s court for further consideration in light of the Trump administration’s rescinding of Title IX protections for transgender students.
Trump Rescinds Obama Administration Protections for Transgender Students
In a joint letter from the Department of Justice and Department of Education, the Trump administration claimed that the Obama administration had not sought proper legal analysis or provided appropriate explanation for why these protections were guaranteed under Title IX.
Boy Scouts Drops Ban on Admitting Transgender Boys
Moving forward, the program will base admission off of the gender listed by the child or parent on the application, rather than the sex listed on the child’s birth certificate, as was the practice previously.
LGBTQ Protections Expanded to State Services in Virginia
This past Thursday, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed off on an executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity within state services and by state contractors.
Judge Orders Minnesota to Lift Ban on Funding Gender Transition Surgery
This week a district court judge in Minnesota ruled that the state’s Medical Assistance program must lift its decade long ban on funding procedures related to gender transition, calling it a constitutionally protected aspect of transgender individuals’ fundamental right to privacy.
First Openly LGBTQ Governor Elected in Oregon
On November 8th, Kate Brown became the first ever openly LGBTQ person to be elected governor.
Gay Men in Uganda Accuse Police of Committing Torturous Examinations
Several gay men in Uganda have reported that police forced them to undergo painful anal examinations during investigations into charges of homosexuality, which is illegal in the country.
Voter ID Requirements and Transgender Americans
Five days out from the election and voter ID laws are in effect in 30 states.
Supreme Court Will Hear Case of Transgender Student Barred from School Restroom
The Supreme Court announced last week that it will hear the case of Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender student who was barred from using the boys’ restroom at his Virginia high school.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: LGBTQ Access to Shelters
A new report released this week by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs found that nearly half of LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence have been turned away from a shelter, usually because of their gender identity.
Transgender Rights under Attack in Minnesota, ACLU Seeks to Intervene
On Wednesday in Minnesota, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion to intervene in a case that was filed in an attempt to ban a transgender student from using the locker room matching her gender identity.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: LGBTQ Relationships
When picturing domestic violence, the common image features abuse between heterosexual partners, at the hands of a male perpetrator. Left out of common discourse is a comprehensive understanding of domestic violence between same-sex partners.
LGBTQ Celebratory Festival Cancelled in Haiti
An Afro-Caribbean LGBTQ festival scheduled to occur in Haiti was cancelled this past Tuesday in response to eminent terror threats involving arson and death, as well as a ban by a governmental official.