National
Alabama, Tennessee governors sign anti-LGBT bills
Measures target families, trans residents
Governors in Alabama and Tennessee have signed into law a pair of measures that could allow discrimination against LGBT families seeking to adopt a child or jeopardize their ability to obtain state benefits.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law on Wednesday House Bill 24, which is titled the āChild Placing Agency Inclusion Act,ā but instead of encouraging child placement it would permit agencies to deny placement of children into LGBT households.
The new law allows child placement agencies, which often are religious-affiliated groups, such as Catholic adoption agencies, to deny placement in LGBT-headed homes.
According to AL.com, Ivey said she signed HB24 into law to ensure faith-adoption agencies can continue to work in the state.
“I ultimately signed House Bill 24 because it ensures hundreds of children can continue to find ‘forever homes’ through religiously affiliated adoption agencies,” Ivey reportedly said. “This bill is not about discrimination, but instead protects the ability of religious agencies to place vulnerable children in a permanent home.”
The bill was approved by the Senate on Wednesday by a 23-9 vote and by the House in March by a 60-14 vote. After Senate passage of HB24, the House gave final approval of the measure by a vote of 87-0, with six abstentions, to concur with a change made by the upper chamber of the legislature.
Ivey’s signature was expected. Eileen Jones, an Ivey spokesperson, told the Washington Blade last month her boss āplans to sign it pending a legal review.ā
Kasey Suffredini, chief programs officer for Freedom for All Americans, was among those who criticized Ivey for signing the bill in a statement.
āThe first priority of lawmakers should be the safety and wellbeing of children, especially those who are in need of safe and loving homes,” Suffredini said. “It is shameful that Gov. Ivey and lawmakers in Alabama would jeopardize those chances in order to advance discrimination against LGBT people.”
Also criticizing Ivey was Alex Smith, board chair of Equality Alabama, who said in a statement the governor was breaking her promise to usher inĀ a new style of government after succeeding former Gov. Robert Bentley following his resignation amid scandal.
āWhen she was sworn in as governor, Kay Ivey promised her administration would be a breath of a fresh air from the scandals of the Bentley era, and we hoped she wouldnāt start her administration by approving shameful discriminatory legislation that ultimately does the most harm to children looking for loving homes,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, Gov. Ivey put special interests ahead of the welfare of Alabama children.”
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law on Friday House Bill 1111, which requires undefined words in Tennessee state law, such as gender pronouns, be enforced under their “natural” meaning. That could set up the state for conflict with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide if Tennessee implements aĀ new law to deny benefits to same-sex couples.
In a statement defending his decision to sign the law, Haslam was consistent with principles on which the judiciary rely, denying the measure would conflict with the Obergefell decision.
“The language of this bill is for a general definitions section of the Tennessee code, which defines ‘road’ and ‘sheriff,’ among other common terms,” Haslam said. “For at least 150 years, courts including the Tennessee Supreme Court and United States Supreme Court have looked to a wordās natural and ordinary meaning when deciding cases. In reviewing this bill, I do not believe the legislation accomplishes anything that isnāt already relied upon by the courts, even after the U.S. Supreme Courtās Obergefell decision in 2015.”
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon) and Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville), was passed in the House by a vote of 70-23 and the Senate by a vote of 23-6.
Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, said despite Haslam’s assurance the new law would have a negative impact on LGBT families in Tennessee.
āGov. Haslam has chosen to put pure politics ahead of Tennesseeās women and LGBTQ people,ā Warbelow said. āThis draconian measure will open the state up to many expensive legal challenges and divert state resources to defending an unnecessary, unconstitutional measure. The Governor should be ready to answer for the fallout signing this bill will cause.ā
It’s not the first time Haslam has signed into law an anti-LGBT measure. Last year, the governor signed Senate Bill 1556, which provides immunity under state law to counselors who object to care based on āsincerely held principles,ā including refusal to treat patients based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Zeke Stokes, vice president of programs for GLAAD, said in a statement Haslam opened up the floodgates for discrimination by signing HB 1111 into law.
āBy the stroke of a pen, Gov. Haslam has now placed the future of the stateās economy and the well-being of the LGBTQ community in jeopardy,” Stokes said. “HB 1111 has the potential to undermine marriages between LGBTQ couples, nullify a transgender personās true identity under law, and put LGBTQ families at risk. This sets a dangerous precedent for how the LGBTQ community is treated in Tennessee moving forward.”
Oklahoma
Medical examine releases final autopsy on Nex Benedict’s death
Okla. high school student died by suicide in February
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office released the full report Wednesday on the results of its investigation into the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old transgender teen whose death has become a hot button topic in ongoing national discourse over transphobic and homophobic bullying in public school settings.
Earlier this month the medical examiner’s office released the first page of the report stating that Benedictās death was caused by an overdose of Benadryl and Prozac, and ruled the death a suicide.
Owasso Police Department Lt. Nick Boatman said in a statement to the media at the time of the release of the initial finding: āFrom the beginning of this investigation, Owasso Police observed many indications that this death was the result of suicide. However, investigators did not wish to confirm that information without the final results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office.ā
The Owasso Police Department released body cam footage from the interview conducted by the Owasso High School resource officer taken at the emergency room, investigating the attack on Benedict by three other female juveniles earlier that day in a school bathroom.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler released a statement last week that said no criminal charges will be filed in the death of the 16-year-old Owasso High School trans student.
In part the district attorney said because the finding by the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner precluded the possibility that the death was caused directly from the physical altercation at the school the day prior to the teen’s dying.
According to the district attorney, Benedict had written notes talking about suicide but did not reference the fight or incidents at school. Kunzweiler stated that the notes are personal to Benedictās family and will not be released.
The report also detailed injuries sustained in the fight from the day before, including several small cuts and bruises on their face and body. Benedict also had a 4×3 inch bruise on his chest from resuscitation efforts. The medical examiner also found yellowing bruises on Benedict’s arms, legs and torso that were healing before the time of the fight. The medical examiner’s office also found evidence of self-inflicted wounds on the arm.
Several Oklahoma-based LGBTQ organizations responded to the release of the full autopsy report along with national LGBTQ advocacy groups GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign and the Rainbow Youth Project.
āAs our community continues to grieve and remember Nex, itās clearer than ever that everyone from Oklahomaās State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters to Owasso High School staff members to the Owasso Police Department, Tulsa District Attorney, and unaccredited-since-2009 state medical examinerās office failed to deliver justice for Nex Benedict and Nexās loved ones,” said Nicole McAfree, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma.
“A harm doubled by the continued lack of respect for the tribal law enforcement who should be involved in a case that involves the death of an Indigenous person on reservation land. As we approach the end of the Oklahoma legislative session, lawmakers should take the opportunity to send a message of adamant opposition to anti-2SLGBTQ+ legislation and policies; and support for measures that enable more empathy, kindness and compassion, not less. Nex should be alive, and the very least we can do in Nexās memory is demonstrate our commitment to building a better world that makes it impossible for this heartbreaking tragedy to happen again,ā McAfree added.
Oklahoma Pride Alliance President Kylan L. Durant said; āTodayās news is the latest disappointing development in Nex Benedictās tragic story. The best way to honor Nexās memory now is by taking tangible steps to secure meaningful policies and platforms that make life better for all LGBTQ and 2STGNC+ youth. All Oklahomans deserve to live in a world that treats us with full dignity and respect, and where we can access spaces that allow us to live as our honest, authentic selves. We will never stop advocating for equality and justice in honor of Nex and too many others who left us too soon.ā
The Rainbow Youth Project reported an uptick in crisis calls from Oklahoma since Benedictās death:
- 1,097 calls from Oklahoma in February.
- 824 calls from Oklahoma in March so far.
- Note that the average for the state is 357 per month.
- Oklahoma youth reaching out to Rainbow Youth Project reported experiencing anti-LGBTQ bullying and specifically called out Walters:
- 82 percent reported bullying.
- 62 percent cited anti-LGBTQ rhetoric from Walters.
More than 350 organizations signed a letter one month agoĀ calling for the Walters’ removal following his long history of leadership failures and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
āSince Nexās death, the crisis lines at the Rainbow Youth Project continue to increase in calls and outreach from young people who feel discouraged and hopeless. Itās incumbent upon all of us to secure safety and well-being for young people, especially those who are most at risk of being bullied and singled out,” said Christopher Sederburg, leader of the Rainbow Youth Project’s Transgender Action Committee. “Itās hard enough to be a young person in the world today without worrying about doing something as simple as attending school safely. Nexās death is a tremendous loss and we must do everything in our power to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma Department of Education must enact change and do right by all students.ā
GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement released after the report was made public said:
“This report cannot be seen as a conclusion of the investigation into the death of a teenager who should still be here today. Oklahoma’s supposed leaders must still provide answers to the public about the state-sponsored bullying by legislation, the inadequate response to violence in a school bathroom, and all the failures to keep Nex safe that continue to endanger LGBTQ and 2STGNC+ people in Oklahoma. GLAAD continues to call for an independent investigation to resolve the systemic failures that led to Nexās death. Our hearts remain with Nexās family, with Oklahomaās incredible 2STGNC+ and equality advocates and all LGBTQ youth who deserve to grow up in peace and safety.ā
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, released the following statement:
āThe full report does little to fill in the gaps in information about that day or the more than a year of bullying and harassment that led up to it. It does not answer the questions of so many in Oklahoma and across the country. We continue to support the calls from Nexās family for an independent investigation.
Young people in Oklahoma and across the country deserve to be safe and respected in school. This includes young people who may dress differently, speak differently, or identify differently from you. Whatās clear from Nexās death, and from what weāve heard from so many students and parents in Owasso and across the state, is that this is not the case. Instead, we have seen the very adults who should be working to protect Oklahomaās kids actively foster the hostile environment that makes students unsafe.
The release of todayās report does not change the fact that LGTBQ+ students in Oklahoma are not safe at school. And it does not change our continued calls for justice and accountability. We reiterate our call for a full and complete investigation into the district, state Supt. Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and into their response after Nex was attacked.ā
On March 1, the U.S. Department of Education informed Robinson that the department will open an investigation in response to HRCās letter regarding Owasso Public Schools and its failure to respond appropriately to sex-based harassment that may have contributed to the tragic death of Benedict.
This investigation was triggered by a formal complaint made last week by Robinson, who wrote to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and asked his department to use the enforcement mechanisms at its disposal to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future and to help hold accountable those responsible for Benedictās tragic death.
Rainbow Youth Project USA Executive Director Lance Preston echoed his fellow non-profit CEOs at GLAAD and HRC, telling the Washington Blade:
“In a unified effort with Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, Rainbow Youth Project USA is calling for an independent autopsy to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the youth’s death.
Rainbow Youth Project USA, demands that educational institutions in Oklahoma and across the country take immediate action to address the pervasive issue of bullying and harassment faced by LGBTQ+ students.
Statistics reveal that 58 percent of LGBTQ+ youth in Oklahoma feel unsafe at school, painting a grim picture of the challenges these individuals face on a daily basis. “Schools must be safe and inclusive environments for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It is unacceptable that a significant number of LGBTQ+ students are experiencing bullying and harassment.”
Rainbow Youth Project USA, based on recent data, received 1,097 crisis calls from Oklahoma in February alone. Nearly 86 percent of these callers reported instances of being bullied within the state’s schools, highlighting the urgent need for improved support and protection for LGBTQ youth.
In a conversation with the Blade on Wednesday, investigative journalist T.J. Payne reflected on the report:
“I canāt help but feel a sickness around all of it. As a trans person, reading a trans childās autopsy is really fucked. Referring to their various insides as normal, intact, not usual. If only we described trans people the same way externally. Just like everybody else in the world trying to survive.”
Federal Government
National Security Council meets with Ugandan LGBTQ activist
Frank Mugisha met with the NSC on Monday
The U.S. National Security Council met with Ugandan LGBTQ rights activist Frank Mugisha on Monday, according to a spokesperson who reaffirmed America’s opposition to civil rights abuses against LGBTQ people in the East African country.
Last year, Uganda passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, a law that criminalizes, with prison sentences, identifying as gay or lesbian and imposes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.”
The Biden-Harris administration has repeatedly denounced the legislation and called for its repeal.
“There have been increased reports of evictions, vigilante attacks, and police harassment, abuse, and detainment of individuals who are or are perceived to be LGBTQI+, including reports of the Ugandan police subjecting individuals to forced anal examinations ā an abusive, degrading practice that serves no investigative or public health purpose,” the White House wrote in a December 2023 fact sheet.
In a post on X about the meeting with Mugisha, Adrienne Watson, special assistant to the president and National Security Council senior director for press and spokesperson, wrote that the “United States continues to have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harmful activities.”
The United States continues to have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harmful activities, including the horrific practice of forced anal examinations and the criminalization of LGBTQI+ persons. pic.twitter.com/umr4rXBr8a
— Adrienne Watson (@NSC_Spox) March 26, 2024
Mugisha, who is gay, is one of the most prominent LGBTQ advocates in Uganda, winning the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award and Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize for his work in 2011. He was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
District of Columbia
D.C. events to commemorate International Transgender Day of Visibility
Monica Beverly-Hillz to attend Blossom Gala at Hook Hall
Trans USA National Pageantry and the National Center for Transgender Equality will hold a series of events in D.C. on Sunday in commemoration of the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
The TRANSform the Vote rally will take place on the National Mall.
Organized by the Queer Equity Institute and NCTE, the event aims to celebrate trans liberation, combat violence and promote civic engagement. Elected officials, activists and artists are expected to participate.
Queer Equity Institute Executive Director Leigh Finke and NCTE Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen discussed the rally and how it will empower the trans community and promote advocacy.
āFrom restricting access to medically necessary healthcare to denying trans students the opportunity to participate in sports, we have seen nationwide efforts to exclude trans people from society,ā said Heng-Lehtinen. āTRANSform the Vote presents a historical moment for us to empower our community ā casting our votes and participating in democracy is just one of many ways our community can advocate for the issues that matter to us.ā
Finke, Minnesotaās first openly trans lawmaker who wrote the stateās groundbreaking trans refuge bill, echoed Heng-Lehtinen.
“Over the past few years, weāve watched again and again as ‘jokes’ became hate speech, hate speech became bills, bills became laws; and all the jokes, hate speech and laws created an environment where transgender people are assaulted, beaten and murdered,” said Finke. “Some of the most important tools we have to fight back against these attacks is to change the culture through voting, running for office and creating art and music that shift society. This rally is meant to highlight and encourage folks to use those tools in their communities.”
Confirmed speakers and participants aside from Finke and Heng-Lehtinen include:
- Minnesota state Rep. Alicia āLiishā Kozlowski, who is one of the countryās foremost activists for Indigenous trans and two-spirit people.
- Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins.
- Angelica Ross, a Buddhist artist and human rights activist.
- Visual artist Cassils
The first annual Blossom Gala will take place at Hook Hall (3400 Georgia Ave., N.W.) and will feature keynote speakers, a Q&A panel discussion featuring national leaders in the trans rights movement and drag performances. Cherry Bomb, which will cap off the event, is an all-trans drag showcase.
Mr. Trans USA 2020 Eddie Broadway; Miss Trans USA 2020 Bianca Nicole and Candi Stratton, a world-renowned Cher illusionist, are among those who are expected to perform. Other participants will include Miss Trans USA 2023 Anya Marino, Mr. Trans USA 2023 Trey C. Michaels and NCTE National Organizer Sybastian Smith.
Monica Beverly-Hillz from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will also participate.
-
Florida4 days ago
Professor at Baptist university in Virginia found dead in Florida gay saunaĀ
-
Maryland2 days ago
Maryland’s Joe Vogel would make history if elected to Congress
-
Opinions20 hours ago
Attacking Jews is latest Trump outrage
-
California5 days ago
First lady highlights attacks on LGBTQ rights at HRCās Los Angeles dinner