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This week’s edition of the Trans News Tracker is the 10th one so far. It’s also the first one where news of resistance efforts made by trans people, queer people, and their allies actually outweighs new efforts being made by the far right, anti-trans Democrats, and other institutions trying to limit our rights and push us out of the public eye entirely. This certainly doesn’t mean we’re winning, but I think it’s important to recognize that resistance is expanding, taking new shapes, and happening in almost every place where trans rights are continually imperiled.
Trump Administration Orders States To Remove All References to ‘Gender Ideology’ From Sex Ed
Although there is a lot of good news here, I do think it’s important to highlight the latest attempt by the Trump administration to erase trans people from public consciousness since we’ll likely see a string of backlash soon from state governments across the country.
Last week, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with the rest of the administration released notices through its Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to 40 states and six U.S. occupied territories “demanding” they remove “remove all references to gender ideology in their federally-funded Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) educational materials within 60 days.” The PREP program was/is a federal initiative aimed at providing evidence-based sexual education programs to young people aged 10-19 in public educational institutions. In a statement following the release of all 46 letters, Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison said, “Accountability is coming. Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas. The Trump Administration will ensure that PREP reflects the intent of Congress, not the priorities of the left.”
To save you from reading through the entirety of these letters, I’ll just tell you here what has been flagged for removal from this program: all definitions of gender identity and gender expressions, references to gender-affirming pronoun usage and guidance on allowing young people to express the pronouns they’d like to use, and any information about gender-affirming care or procedures. In what has become one of the far right’s favorite tactics, they’ve adopted the language/mores of progressive movements by claiming in these letters that these state institutions must cease providing this education as a way to “demonstrate acceptance and respect for all participants, regardless of personal characteristics, including race, cultural background, religion, social class, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Since the funding for PREP programs helps states educate young people about safe sex and how to protect themselves from youth pregnancy and the transmissions of sexually transmitted infections, any cuts in funding to this program would impact these states’ and territories’ ability to actually provide that education, as well. It’s hard to say right now exactly how many of these places will comply or fight. Aside from this being yet another hostile and violent attempt to push trans people out of public life, this represents a particularly dangerous new development for both young trans and cis people going to school in public institutions. And it serves as a deeply horrifying reminder of how low the far right is willing to go in their crusade to make trans people’s lives unlivable in this nation.
Some Good Trans News For Once
Trans Texans face yet another attempt to ban them from bathrooms. In response to the possible passing of Texas’s Senate Bill 8, a group of trans people and their allies took over both the House State Affairs Committee to testify against the bill and the Texas State Capitol for a bathroom sit-in protest. Since Texas Governor Gregg Abbott vowed to sign the bill if/when it makes it to his desk, the urgency of these actions and plans to continue pushing back against this bill cannot be understated.
Illinois launches LGBTQ+ legal hotline amid Trump-led onslaught. Some great news coming from a Democratic politician, finally. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced last week that the state has launched its own hotline for queer and trans people called IL Pride Connect. According to Pritzker, “IL Pride Connect will inform individuals of their rights and connect them to health and social services support – making us the only state in the nation to provide free legal advice and advocacy tools to protect the LGBTQ community.”
Judge dismisses lawsuit to remove transgender sister from UW sorority. This is one of my favorite news stories this week. In 2023, a lawsuit was filed by members of the University of Wyoming’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority against their national organization seeking to remove an already sworn in trans sorority sister. After not one but two court hearings over this issue, U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson finally dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice — meaning it can never be brought to the courts again — stating, “Nothing in the Bylaws or the Standing Rules requires Kappa to narrowly define the words ‘women’ or ‘woman’ to include only those individuals born with a certain set of reproductive organs, particularly when even the dictionary cited by Plaintiffs offers a more expansive definition. Nor has Kappa or the Fraternity Council concealed this definition from its members: in fact, it has published and distributed multiple texts clarifying the issue.” I think it’s cool he basically told the plaintiffs to “eat shit” and get over it.
[Virginia] school board sues Trump administration to defend transgender student policy. I know I’m biased, but can I get a “Hell yeah, teachers!!” in the chat, please???
Trans news from across the pond:
UK’s LGBTQ+ literary prize cancelled after controversy over ‘gender critical’ author John Boyne. Following the inclusion of TERF author and JK Rowling supporter John Boyne’s new novel on the Polari Prize longlist, 10 other longlisted authors pulled their novels from consideration in protest, which forced the Prize to put a pause on its competition for 2025. It’s always amazing to see writers — a group who, financially, has a lot to lose — doing this kind of work in defense of trans people.
Nottingham Against Transphobia hold die-in in city centre. An activist group called Nottingham Against Transphobia held a die-in in the center of Nottingham last week in protest against the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) new guidance urging service providers to “ban trans people from all single-sex facilities and services including changing rooms, wards and sporting competitions.” According to reports from the protest, “The demonstration in Nottingham saw dozens of participants carry out a die-in where they lay silently on the ground as the sound of a steady heartbeat played from a loud speaker. One attendee was dressed as the Grim Reaper and wore a mask plastered with the face of prime minister Keir Starmer, standing ominously amongst the participants on the floor.” As the fight for trans rights gets just as dire in England as it is here, we’ll likely see more and more of these actions in the coming months.
International trans news:
Transgender people in Kenya just won a major court victory. Shieys Chepkosgei sued the Kenyan government over her arrest and indictment in 2019 for “impersonation” (despite the fact that she had legal documents matching her gender identity), and the judge not only ordered the government to give her financial restitution but he also ordered Parliament to pass a law protecting trans people’s rights in Kenya: “The judge went a step further, directing the Kenyan government to initiate legislation in Parliament addressing the rights of transgender Kenyans, either with new protections or by amending current legislation on the rights of intersex people currently moving through Parliament.” Judges here and abroad are really putting in the work to protect trans people lately, and it’s incredible to see.
Trans News I Wish I Didn’t Have to Report
Alaska medical board moves to restrict gender-affirming care for minors in the state. Yet another blow to trans youth, but this time in a state where literally less than a million people live. That’s how you know this is simply retaliatory politics masquerading as “care.”
Trump’s widening war on gender-affirming care. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration is moving to prevent federal workers and their dependents from receiving gender-affirming care, even if the care is available where they live and through their healthcare providers.
University of Michigan ends gender-affirming care for minors, citing federal pressure. Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan became the newest compiler, kowtowing to the Trump administration’s pressures on institutions that receive federal funding to stop providing gender-affirming care to trans youth. I’ve reported on this several times in this column, and the list grows longer by the week despite the fact that many institutions are pushing back legally.
South Carolina asks Supreme Court to let it enforce trans bathroom ban. I don’t know how we’re not constantly pointing out how obsessed with this shit these people are. All emotional reactions aside, if this does make it to the Supreme Court, we could be looking at the enshrinement of a legal definition of “woman” and “man” in the same way the UK is experiencing that right now. This is something to keep our eyes on for sure.
Last Bits of Trans News
Sam Nicoresti becomes first trans comedian to win best comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Please join me in congratulating Sam on this huge honor: CONGRATULATIONS, SAM!
Learn why activist Jae Douglas is so dedicated to helping other LGBTQ+ Floridians. This is a truly wonderful profile on a young person doing some of the hardest work in my home state. As someone who has been organizing in South Florida for the last 20 years of my life, I can tell you that what Jae is doing is no small feat. I hope you’ll read it and listen to what Jae has to say.
Charlize Theron’s adopted daughters – Jackson and August – are officially living their best lives. Charlize Theron joins the growing list of celebrities who are loving and supporting the hell out of their trans children in public and in front of all the anti-trans losers. It’s nice to see the list is getting longer, not shorter.
This is Trans News Tracker, a biweekly Autostraddle roundup and analysis of the biggest trans news stories. To support this vital work we do, consider becoming a member.
