Breaking News

Today the Texas Court of Appeals, Third District, upheld injunctions in Doe v. Abbott and PFLAG v. Abbott against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and Commissioner Masters, barring them from implementing the agency’s rule expanding the definition of child abuse to presumptively treat the provision of gender-affirming care as child abuse. The injunctions bar DFPS from implementing the rule by investigating these families based solely on allegations that they are providing gender-affirming care to their adolescents, or taking any action in open investigations other than to close them so long as DFPS can do so without making further contact with the families. 

ICYMI

On March 25th, PFLAG families in Texas gained further protection when the Travis County District Court granted a temporary injunction blocking the Texas Attorney General’s Office’s latest effort targeting transgender Texans—a demand that PFLAG National turn over information and documents about its support of families in Texas seeking gender-affirming medical care for their transgender youth. We thank our legal team from Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU, Transgender Law Center, and Arnold & Porter—who earlier secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) on PFLAG National’s behalf– for this win. PFLAG National will always fight to protect our families, because trans youth and their loved ones deserve better—and loving your LGBTQ+ kid is always the right thing to do. We will continue leading with love, and our love will always take action in support of our members and supporters everywhere. You can read the full press statement about the case in Texas on our website.

Take Action

Washington, DC

Join our friends at NCTE on the National Mall for their TRANSform the Vote rally! Come to the Mall on March 31st for engaging speakers, stunning performances, and community resources to help folks get registered to vote.

Kansas 

SB 233, a gender-affirming care ban is being considered in the Senate - and we need your help to stop it. Contact your State Senators NOW and tell them to vote NO on SB 233!

Tennessee

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

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.

Alabama - “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” bill advances in State House. The House Education Policy Committee approved HB130, a bill that expands the current prohibition on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity from K-kindergarten through 5th grade to K-kindergarten through 12th grade. It also prohibits school employees from displaying Pride flags and other affirming symbols on public school property. 

Alaska - State House advances anti-trans sports ban. The State Board of Education and the Alaska School Activities Association published a regulation last year prohibiting trans girls from competing in high school girls sports. House Bill 183 would expand that ban in state law to all public school students in Alaska as well as private schools that compete against public schools in athletic events. 

California - Sacramento becomes ‘sanctuary city’ for transgender people after city council resolution passes. The resolution was proposed by Councilmember Katie Valenzuela who recently conceded in her reelection race for District 4 and was unanimously approved by Sacramento City Council.

Kansas - Transgender Kansans challenge ban on gender marker changes for drivers’ licenses. The ACLU of Kansas, which represents the five transgender Kansans in the case, is appealing Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson’s ruling blocking gender marker changes for driver’s licenses. D.C. Hiegert, LGBTQ+ legal fellow for the ACLU of Kansas, said “The court has decided that the state’s administrative interest outweighs the threat of harassment, discrimination and violence to individual Kansans'” when announcing the appeal.

Louisiana - New Orleans Pride Center to re-open. The LGBTQ+ community center had previously closed in 2022, but announced it would re-open to the public on April 6th. 

Ohio - ACLU sues over Ohio’s law to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Two Ohio transgender girls and their parents sued the state of Ohio on Tuesday over House Bill 68, a new state law that takes effect in April 2024 banning children under age 18 from obtaining gender-affirming care.

Virginia - Queer Fairfax County students, allies rally against anti-transgender lawsuit. Queer students and allies gathered at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church to rally against an attack on transgender rights in Fairfax County Public Schools. The lawsuit, brought forth by America First Legal, alleges FCPS’s policies violated the rights of a female student, by “allowing transgender teenage boys access to female restrooms” and enforcing what the plaintiffs described as a “radical, government-sponsored gender indoctrination and approved-speech scheme.” 

Washington - Amid book bans, DEI cuts and 'Don't Say Gay' laws, 7 states will mandate LGBTQ-inclusive curricula. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5462, a law that includes a mandate for the state’s public schools to teach LGBTQ history.

Wyoming - Wyoming governor vetoes abortion restrictions and signs trans medical care ban for minors. Wyoming’s governor vetoed a bill that would have erected significant barriers to abortion but also signed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors making Wyoming the latest state out of at least 24 to ban gender-affirming health care for minors

Court Matters

US Supreme Court hearing not a success for anti-abortion doctors, experts say. Justices appear unconvinced by anti-abortion doctors’ standing to sue during hearing over access to FDA-approved pill mifepristone. The consensus is a positive sign for abortion rights advocates, who feared the case would curtail access to medication abortions, which now account for the majority of all abortions nationally. PFLAG National champions reproductive freedom.

Federal Matters

White House responds to Pride flag ban in spending bill. The White House issued a statement reacting to an anti-LGBTQ+ provision in the omnibus spending appropriations bill signed by President Joe Biden on Saturday saying that the administration would “continue to work with members of Congress to find an opportunity to repeal it.” [Note: The measure does not preclude Pride celebrations or signage inside of federal buildings, only external flags.]

Sen. Padilla, FCC introduce measure to improve 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), joined by Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, introduced a measure on Thursday to improve the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Calls are currently routed to mental health professionals and local public safety officials based on the caller’s area code — even though, as the lawmakers and officials noted during their announcement — in many cases, the area code, especially for cell phone numbers, does not match the location from which they are calling. The measure does not affect the current ability to route calls to LGBTQ+-tailored assistance.

Global Matters

Georgia - Georgia's ruling party proposes new law cracking down on LGBT rights. In an attempt to boost its popularity ahead of elections in the conservative South Caucasus country, Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, proposed a law that would ban gender affirming care and adoption by same-sex couples, as well as prohibiting "gatherings aimed at popularizing same-sex families or intimate relationships.”

Thailand - Thailand moves closer to legalizing same-sex unions as parliament passes landmark bill. Thailand's parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill, a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to becoming its third territory to legalize same-sex unions.

Uganda - Uganda has joined Kenya in seeking to ban same-sex couples who want to use a surrogate or in vitro fertilization to become parents. MP Sarah Opendi introduced the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill 2023, which would limit access to these treatments to only people with infertility challenges. The bill would also block gay couples from having children via surrogacy. 

Media Matters

Elliot Page slammed the “devastating” attacks on the LGBTQ+ community while presenting Tegan and Sara with the Humanitarian Award at the 2024 Juno Awards. While presenting the award, Page said, “We are at a time in history where the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ people are being revoked, restricted and eliminated throughout the world, and the effects are devastating.”

PFLAG National to premiere new short film Pieces of Me on Saturday March 20th. In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility (which takes place every year on March 31), PFLAG National will debut its newest short documentary Pieces of Me. The film—directed, produced, and written by Nick Oceano-Armendariz—centers on the life of New York-based artist and transgender activist Joslyn DeFreece and creates a filmic collage about the growth and healing that comes from art, love, family, community, and courage.

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

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