feature image photo by Jory Mundy / Contributor via Getty Images

This is Trans News Tracker, a biweekly Autostraddle roundup and analysis of the biggest trans news stories.

Between the escalations in attacks on Gaza by the Israeli military, the Trump administration’s response to protests against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement happening in Los Angeles, and all of the backlash that has come with the beginning of Pride Month, you might be tempted to think everything here is bad news this week. But much like anti-trans action, trans resistance is raging on like it always has, and I can’t think of a better time than Pride Month to celebrate our triumphs and rededicate ourselves to standing up for the liberation of everyone everywhere.

First-Ever National Report on Effects of Anti-Trans Bills and Rhetoric on Trans Kids Confirms What We Know: It’s Bad!

Last Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a first-of-its-kind national analysis of the effects of anti-trans legislation and rhetoric on trans children, their families, their healthcare providers, and other trans advocates in their lives like teachers and caretakers. The report — titled “‘They’re Ruining People’s Lives’: Bans on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth in the US” — was created in response to the ever-increasing amount of anti-trans legislation passed in various U.S. states since 2021.

According to HRW, the findings published in the report are “based on 51 interviews with transgender youth, parents, healthcare providers, and advocates across 19 states” and it “examines the far-reaching impacts of legislative bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the United States, documenting the cascading effects on individuals, families, healthcare systems, and communities.” These narratives highlight the harm caused to young trans people through anti-trans legislation and the increased threat of losing their much-needed healthcare. The findings also serve as a vital and impactful addition to current public debates over the efficacy of gender-affirming care for trans youth. In an interview with S. Baum, Yasemin Smallens, an officer in the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch and the report’s principal author, stressed the importance of listening directly to the people who have been forced to contend with these laws and said: “People are talking about the ontology of sex as opposed to the people that these policies are harming. But these histories and these stories will remain.”

The report documents the lengths these young trans people and their families have had to go through — from completely relocating their families, to navigating a continuously shifting healthcare landscape causing doctors to stop care for their children, to paying without the help of health insurance — in order to get the gender-affirming care they need. At the same time, the report situates these violations of trans rights within the broad scope of international human rights and proves, through one scientific study after another, that healthcare for trans youth is not only necessary but life-saving.

The HRW concludes the report by reiterating something trans people and their advocates have known for a long time: “For transgender youth, access to gender-affirming care during adolescence can be crucial for healthy development and the realization of their right to personal autonomy.” Although the HRW likely won’t be able to convince the Trump administration to reverse course on their attack on trans rights, the report is an urgent and imperative addition to the historical record of our times and provides a perspective we otherwise don’t see as often as we should: that of the young trans people who are directly targeted by these attacks.

Some Good Trans News For Once

U.S. judge rules prisons must provide gender-affirming care for trans people. As I’ve said many times on this website before, presidential executive orders aren’t laws, but that never seems to stop people from complying early to them. In response to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ early compliance with the Trump executive order calling for a stop to gender-affirming care for incarcerated people, a group of 2,000 incarcerated trans people sued the Bureau and the Trump administration for not providing the gender-affirming care they need in a class action lawsuit — and they won.

Ninth circuit court rules a spa’s anti-trans ban is not protected by the First Amendment. The owners of a spa refused the patronage of a trans woman over “religious reasons,” and Washington’s Human Rights Commission told the spa owners they weren’t allowed to discriminate against trans customers per the Washington Law Against Discrimination. In response, the spa owners took the matter to court citing their rights under the First Amendment, and they were shot down by Judge M. Margaret McKeown, who said the spa owners were in violation of the state’s anti-discrimination laws.

A trans teacher in Southeast LA was fired. Then 2,000 people fought to save their job — and won. The headline here kind of says it all, but I encourage you to read this story, because the community effort involved in getting this teacher’s position reinstated is truly incredible.

In Duluth, MN, Trans Joy Fest builds community, connections and joy. A free event run by a Minnesota organization called Trans Northland that provides “resources, support and connection to the transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, two spirit, genderqueer, gender diverse and gender expansive communities, along with friends, family and allies with music and drag performances, a free clothing swap, speed friending, and a lot of informational booths” broke attendance records in its fourth celebration this year.

Some Good Broader LGBTQ+ News

Missoula, MT adopts Pride flag as “official flag,” legally defying ban on flying it. In this week’s episode of “People in Montana Are Defeating Anti-Trans Laws,” the city of Missoula found a loophole in Montana’s HB819, which bans the use of Pride flags on city property and in public schools. The law makes some exceptions for “historically significant flags,” so the Missoula city council designated the Pride flag as an “official flag” in order to legally maintain people’s rights to display them.

Defying DeSantis, Florida Pride marchers light up Jacksonville bridge with rainbow colors. According to a 2024 ban created by Ron DeSantis and his cronies, cities in Florida are no longer allowed to display Pride colors on their bridges to celebrate Pride Month. Despite this, a group of activists from Pride in Our Freedoms took to Jacksonville’s Acosta Bridge with colored flashlights to light it up in rainbow colors.

Trans News I Wish I Didn’t Have to Report

‘Who can I talk to that has a human heart?’: New York Times doubles down on harming trans people. As if we didn’t have enough reasons to hate the New York Times, the publication’s new podcast, The Protocol, takes aim at young trans people once again by attempting to delegitimize the necessity of gender-affirming care.

Nebraska is the latest state to ban transgender students from girls sports. Ultimately, it’s not shocking this is happening all over the country right now given our current climate, but you begin to feel the absurdity of the times we’re living in when reports like this tell you only 10 trans students have competed in Nebraska middle and high school athletics. Once again, the optics of the pictures here — featuring Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signing the bill into law surrounded by women — are as unsettling as ever.

Nevada governor vetoes trans protections bills. Even though Nevada Republican Governor Joe Lombardo has been supportive of the state’s LGBTQ community in the past, he vetoed a law that would have “enshrined a shield for health care providers who offer gender-affirming care” and another law that would have “ensured protections for transgender people incarcerated at local jails” last week. Luckily, according to the article, LGBTQ Nevadans aren’t letting his sudden change of heart discourage them from fighting the state however they can.

A judge tells federal agencies they can’t enforce anti-trans bias policies against Catholic groups. Although the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services imposed a rule in 2024 that made it impossible for any healthcare providers — even religious-based providers — from discriminating against transgender people, a U.S. District judge in North Dakota ruled that two Catholic healthcare providers do not have to comply with the rule and cannot be punished in federal court for their non-compliance.

New Hampshire Senate passes restrictions on transgender health care for minors. If you’re wondering what is going on in some of these supposedly socially “liberal” states lately, I’m right there with you. Last week, the NH Senate passed two bills that ban doctors from administering puberty blockers or hormone treatments to patients under 18. Since the bills already passed the state’s House last year, they’re going to the governor’s desk. And she’s a Republican, so you can imagine how that’s going to go.

Trump administration threatens California with legal action over transgender athletes. While Governor Gavin Newsom does everything in his power to bend to Trump’s will over trans athletes, the state’s high school sports governing organizations don’t legally have to change what they’re doing yet, and they haven’t. As a result of their inclusivity practices, the Trump administration is attempting to go after the state as a whole if they don’t reverse their rules on trans youth participation in sports. A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta said they “remain committed to defending and upholding California laws and all additional laws which ensure the rights of students — including transgender students — to be free from discrimination and harassment.” We’ll be monitoring this one to see where it goes.

Stockton hate incidents toward LGBTQ community under investigation, police say. Last week in Stockton, CA, witnesses saw a person throw a brick through the window of the Central Valley Gender Health and Wellness Center that was displaying a Trans Pride flag. The following day, it was reported that witnesses in another part of town witnessed someone remove a Pride flag from someone else’s home.

These families say they’re leaving the U.S. because of its anti-transgender climate. These short profiles are truly devastating to read, but I think it’s important to witness both their stories regardless.

Trans people, local governments and educators face rising anti-LGBTQ hate, GLAAD report finds. The statistics on this report are hard to read but aren’t shocking considering the extreme backlash we’re facing here. It’s wild to see that educators are the second highest victims of anti-LGBTQ attacks right now.

Democrats, divided on trans issues, struggle to speak in one voice. Wow, no way, the Democrats are once again confused about how to address their constituents and people who are still hopeful this party can do anything aside from the nothing they’ve been doing.

Last Bits

We published quite a few pieces by and about trans people here on Autostraddle since the last Trans News Tracker, such as Drew’s interviews with Nava Mau and Kristiene Clarke and Jaye Hudson, as well as personal essays by Lydi Conklin, Vera Blossom, and Lisa Laman.

Simone Biles Calls Out ‘Sore Loser’ Riley Gaines for Anti-Trans Sports Comments: ‘You’re Truly Sick’. Simone Biles might be known for her gymnastics skills, but she sure knows how to post, too!

Wanda Sykes urges protection of trans community amid political attacks: “That’s our fight”. A lot of celebrities have been keeping it real over the last couple of months, and I have to say that even if it amounts to barely anything important, seeing it happen over and over again never gets old.

Say it with me now: Cole Escola is a Tony Award Winner!

A young trans woman’s journey, and her latest destination: World Pride in Washington. This story and photo essay on Bella Bautista — the first ever trans contestant in the Miss Supranational USA pageant — is worth reading and viewing if you’re looking for a little brightness today.

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!