We won’t be sending out Policy Matters next week. From all of us at PFLAG National, we hope you enjoy the President’s Day holiday!

Take Action

Floridians: 

  • HB901 would restrict free speech by banning Pride flags from public buildings. Tell your state rep. to vote NO!
  • The “Trans Erasure bill” (HB 1639) is a sweeping new assault on the rights and dignity of transgender Floridians that seeks to further disenfranchise the community, create new barriers to accessing lifesaving care, and increases Floridians' insurance premiums, LGBTQ or not. Tell your lawmakers to vote NO on HB1639! 

Georgians: 

Kentuckians:

South Carolinians:

Tennesseans: 

  • Help our friends at the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Take action with TEP!

West Virginians: 

Court Matters

Department of Justice sues Tennessee over HIV-criminalization law. Tennessee is the only state that imposes a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” if someone is convicted of engaging in sex work while living with HIV, regardless of whether the person knew their HIV status. The Justice Department argues this law violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by subjecting HIV-positive individuals to tougher penalties.

Federal Matters

Vice President Harris reconnects with same-sex couple whose marriage she officiated. The Vice President FaceTimed with California couple Bradley Witherspoon and Raymond Cabone on February 14th, the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary. Harris performed Witherspoon and Cabone’s wedding on Feb. 14, 2004, during a 29-day period when then-Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom permitted same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses, defying federal and state regulations. 

Foreign aid bill passes the Senate. The $95 billion aid package passed the Senate on February 13th by a vote of 70-29. The bill includes funds for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid for Palestinians and other groups.

Congressional Equality Caucus releases report on federal legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. In the report, released February 12th, the Equality Caucus highlights over 55 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in 2023, as well as over 95 anti-LGBTQ+ amendments to other legislation.

State Matters

Self-care note: While some of the following stories celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ people, many cover legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and nonbinary youth. Please be kind to yourself and use your discretion while reading this section. 

Advisory: State news is representative but not exhaustive due to space constraints; feel free to forward news about your state to advocacy@pflag.org to consider for inclusion.

Arizona - Bill introduced to force ballot referendum on anti-trans policies. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1013 would create a ballot question for voters asking whether the state should require that teachers forcibly out their LGBTQ+ students to their parents and whether trans students should be required to use school facilities according to their sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity. These policies were included in bills Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed last year, however, should the concurrent resolution pass through the legislature, it would go directly to voters in November, bypassing the governor entirely.

District of Columbia - British Ambassador dedicates mural outside of local gay bar. The February 13th ceremony was led by the British ambassador to the United States to dedicate a mural sponsored by the British government painted on the outside wall of the Little Gay Pub. The mural, entitled “Great Love is for Everyone,” spotlights the United Kingdom’s “GREAT LOVE” international campaign, which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community.

Georgia - “Don’t Say Gay” bill advances in State Senate. SB88 would require forced outing of LGBTQ+ students to their parents as well as directing public school boards to create policies regarding parental involvement on issues of gender identity. The bill passed out of committee on a 6-3 party line vote on February 13th.

Kansas - Attorney General Kobach informs school districts that they are mandated to out trans students to their parents. Kobach made the statement on February 8th, and follows a letter he sent early in 2023 to six school districts to inform them that their policies which protected transgender or gender-nonconforming students from being outed to their parents violated parental rights. The statement and the letters that preceded it were released despite the fact that there is no state law explicitly requiring forced outing for trans, non-binary, or gender non-conforming students. 

Michigan - LGBT Detroit celebrates 30 years. The organization is North America's largest Black-founded and led LGBTQ+ non-profit. 

Pennsylvania - School district repeals anti-trans school facilities policy. The Perkiomen Valley School Board in Montgomery County voted 6-3 on February 12th to repeal a policy enacted in October which required that students use bathroom and locker rooms according to their sex assigned at birth. 

Tennessee - Murfreesboro ordered to pay $500,000 in damages to Pride group after attempted Pride ban. Murfreesboro cited an ordinance banning “indecent behavior” to deny BoroPride a permit for a Pride celebration, prompting a federal lawsuit. Murfreesboro agreed to settle the suit by paying BoroPride $500,000 and repealing the ordinance which was used to ban the Pride celebration.

Anti-LGBTQ+ marriage bill heads to governor’s desk. SB596 passed the Senate in a party-line vote on February 12th. Should the bill become law, it would allow marriage officiants to refuse to perform same-sex weddings if they have moral objections to them. 

Utah - State school board member falsely accuses basketball player of being trans. State school board member Natalie Cline falsely accused a cis girl on a high school basketball team of being trans in a Facebook post. As a result, the girl received threats and harassment online. Governor Spencer Cox, the family of the girl who Cline targeted, and others have all called on Cline to resign her seat. 

Virginia - All anti-trans bills defeated. On February 8th, the Senate Education and Health Committee voted to table SB37, a forced outing bill, and SB68, an anti-trans athlete ban. All other anti-LGBTQ+ bills actively under consideration have also been defeated in committee or withdrawn by their sponsors.

Global Matters

Greece - Parliament votes to legalize same-sex marriage. The Greek parliament voted 176-76 to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples on February 15th. Greece is the first Christian Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage.

Media Matters

 

Play based on the life of PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford to be staged at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “Everybody’s Favorite Mothers” by playwright James Sill runs at the UCSB Hatlen Theater February 22–March 2.  

Jennifer Lopez criticized for Dubai performance. Lopez has been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, winning a GLAAD award in 2014. However, her performance in Dubai the weekend of February 10th has drawn criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates due to the United Arab Emirates’ harsh anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

Actress and activist Cecilia Gentili dies at 52. Gentili, who was openly trans, was known for her work advocating for trans people, sex workers, immigrants, and incarcerated people. Her funeral service was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on February 15th. 

Steve Ostrow, founder of New York City’s Continental Baths, dies at 91. Mr. Ostrow, an opera singer, opened the Continental Baths in 1968, making him a legend of the gay nightlife scene. The bathhouse hosted Djs and live performances from Bette Midler, Patti LaBelle, Barry Manilow, and others before its closure in 1976. 

Dear Abby publishes apology for December 2023 letter. The popular advice column published a piece on December 6th which was criticized by many in the bisexual community and their allies. In a new column published February 13th, Dear Abby apologized and wrote about the importance of educating oneself about bisexuality and being a “safe, loving and affirming presence” for LGBTQ+ people.

 

PFLAG National
(202) 467-8180 | love@pflag.org

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