ICYMI

PFLAG National wins temporary restraining order against the Texas Attorney General’s Office. On March 1st, the Travis County District Court temporarily blocked efforts by the Office of Attorney General Paxton to seek documents, communications, and other information related to our work with Texas families while we continue to fight those demands in court. PFLAG National will be back in court later this month to seek further injunctive relief so that we and our chapters can continue supporting Texas members with transgender youth in doing what all loving parents do: caring for and supporting their children. 

For more information, please read our press release and our FAQ page regarding this case. Also, if you haven’t already, watch PFLAG National CEO Brian Bond’s video message regarding our efforts to provide support and education for families of transgender youth who are navigating a hostile climate. 

We thank our legal team—Lambda Legal, ACLU National, ACLU of Texas, and Transgender Law Center, along with pro bono counsel from Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLC—for their continued efforts to support our families.

Take Action

In the wake of the death of Nex Benedict, many are wondering what they can do to help. Freedom Oklahoma’s Love Letters campaign is a great way to show your support for the trans community in Oklahoma in this difficult time. And, if you haven’t already, read PFLAG National’s statement from Board President Susan Thronson and Vice President Edith Guffey.

Floridians: 

• Join Equality Florida, PFLAG National, and Florida's Kaleidoscope PTA for the next Parenting With Pride webinar: Florida Legislative Session Debrief: Celebrating Resilience on Tuesday, March 19th at 6-7pm ET. This informative debrief of the 2024 Florida Legislative Session will include: 
  • Breakdown of the recent legislative sessions and its impacts on LGBTQ+ youth and families
  • Hear firsthand accounts of triumphs and victories from youth, parents, and educators
  • Learn practical methods to navigating these laws in schools and communities

Ohioans:

• Decision makers are preparing to reconvene to discuss the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OHMAS) and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) rules concerning gender-affirming care. These regulations represent unwanted, unnecessary, and unconstitutional interference in transgender people’s lives. They constitute extreme government overreach and contradict ethical principles, standards of care, and established medical practices. Among our concerns are:
  • Extensive data collection, which includes adults, and
  • The legacy clause for current care, which seemingly applies only to initiating physicians before a specified date.
  • Moreover, the restrictions on inpatient care and the potential for forced detransition are alarming and unacceptable.
• It is imperative that we rally together to assert our voices with unwavering strength. Over 4,000 comments have been submitted in the last month - let’s keep the pressure up!
  • OHMAS Proposed Rules PUBLIC HEARING: March 18th, 10:00 am IN PERSON at Rhodes Tower
    • Emailed comments must be received by 5 pm on March 18th, 2024
    • Email comments to Lisa Musielewicz at MH-SOT-GTC2-rules@mha.ohio.gov 
    • In-person and written comments are also accepted 
  • ODH Proposed Rules PUBLIC HEARING: March 21st, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm: via Teams Virtual Platform
    • Virtual or written testimony (no in-person)
    • Meeting ID: 249 987 672 891 Passcode: CodQw9
    • Email testimony and intent to testify (virtually or  written-only) to Alicyn.Carrel@odh.ohio.gov ; Subject line: TESTIFYING IN PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 21

South Carolinians:

• H 4624 was amended in committee - and now it’s even worse. Not only would it ban medical care for trans youth under 18, it would also block Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for ALL South Carolinians and force teachers to out their trans students. Contact your legislator TODAY and tell them to VOTE NO on this harmful bill!

Tennesseans: 

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

Court Matters

Federal Judge rules Christian business group does not need to cover gender-affirming care for trans employees. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits health insurance companies’ plans from engaging in sex discrimination, and, as a result, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have held that employer-based health insurance plans cannot exclude coverage for gender-affirming care since 2021. However, on March 4th, U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled that the Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) cannot be forced to cover gender-affirming care, citing infringement on CEA members’ religious beliefs.

Federal Matters

President Biden delivers State of the Union address. In his speech to Congress on March 7th, the President highlighted key topics, including his economic record, the need to protect democracy and reproductive rights, and his opposition to book bans and anti-DEI efforts. The President’s prepared remarks are available on the White House website, as is the video.

Department of Education opens investigation into Owasso Public Schools’ response to Nex Benedict’s death. The Department announced on March 1st that it would open the investigation in response to HRC’s letter regarding Owasso Public Schools and its failure to respond appropriately to sex-based harassment that may have contributed to the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old trans teenager of Choctaw heritage. 

LGBTQ+ activists receive Global Woman of Courage Awards. First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday hosted the 18th annual International Women of Courage Awards ceremony at the White House on March 4th. Among the recipients were Belarusian human rights activist Volha Harbunova and Burmese defense lawyer Myintzu Win. 

Department of Veterans Affairs delays decision on lifting funding ban for gender-affirming surgeries again. VA Secretary Denis McDonough announced plans to offer gender-affirming surgery through the VA in 2021, but on March 4th, McDonough announced it would be at least another several months before rules would be released.

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.

Florida - Senate President announces HB 1639 will not move forward. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo told reporters the bill, which already passed the State House, will not move in the Senate. HB 1639 would force trans Floridians to display their sex assigned at birth on their drivers licenses, as well as forcing health insurance plans to cover so-called “detransition” care and conversion therapy. 

Iowa - Most Iowans oppose bill requiring birth certificates to designate sex assigned at birth and gender identity. A Des Moines Register poll found 49% of Iowans oppose HF 2389, which has been described as an anti-trans “erasure” bill. 44% of respondents support the bill. 

Maryland - Protesters disrupt Howard County Moms for Liberty meeting. On February 26th, the Howard County Moms for Liberty chapter met at the Howard Central Branch library to discuss banning books in school libraries. However, the meeting was interrupted by dozens of protesters who opposed the Moms for Liberty efforts to remove books from the shelves of school libraries.

State Senate approves “sanctuary state” bill. On March 5th, the Senate voted 33-13 to approve SB 119, which would designate Maryland a “sanctuary state” for trans and non-binary people seeking gender-affirming care, as well as for gender-affirming care providers. 

Missouri - Bill would label trans-affirming teachers as sex offenders. HB 2885 would charge teachers who support a transgender student's social transition with a class E felony, threatening them with a fine of $10,000, up to five years in prison, and forcing them to register as a sex offender.

Nebraska - State Supreme Court hears challenge to gender-affirming care, abortion bans. On March 5th, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Planned Parenthood of the Heartland v. Hilgers which challenges the constitutionality of LB574, which banned gender-affirming care for trans and non-binary youth and banned abortion after 12 weeks’ gestation. 

New York - Attorney General sends cease-and-desist letter to Nassau County over trans athlete ban. Attorney General Tish James wrote to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s trans athlete ban violated state law and must be rescinded. 

Pennsylvania - Philadelphia Mayor expresses concern after arrest of two city LGBTQ+ leaders. Celena Morrison, head of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs and her husband, community center leader Darius McLean, were arrested after a traffic stop on March 4th. Video from the arrest circulated widely on social media. Chris Barlett, executive director of the William Way Center, called the traffic stop “unjust” and Mayor Cherelle Parker said she was very concerned. 

Tennessee - State House advances school Pride flag ban. HB 1605 passed the State House on February 29th and now heads to the Senate for consideration. The bill would ban the Pride flag but would notably allow the Confederate flag to be flown in Tennessee classrooms. 

Vermont - Burlington elects is first female and first openly gay mayor. State Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanak won the Burlington mayoral election on March 5th.

Global Matters

Ghana - Finance Ministry urges President not to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill. The Ministry warned President Nana Akufo-Addo that the bill, which threatens three years’ jail time for identifying at LGBTQ+ and five years’ jail time for “promoting” LGBTQ+ activities, could result in Ghana losing $3.8 billion in World Bank funding.

Poland - Same-sex couples await civil union bill. The new Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, promised to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples within the first 100 days of his tenure. A bill is expected to be debated in parliament at some point in March.

Media Matters

Boston Globe - "A huge misconception about medical care for trans kids" is a positive op-ed by adolescent pediatrician Meredithe McNamara, MD, MS, FAAP. This piece follows a Boston Globe Editorial Board meeting, organized by PFLAG Greater Boston and in collaboration with Dr. McNamara and others, to ensure the news outlet publishes reliable and trustworthy information about transgender people, their families, and health care.

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

Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser