Take Action

#LetKidsPlay - File a federal comment by May 15th 

Now is the time to take action in support of trans student athletes. In fewer than five minutes, you can support trans, nonbinary and intersex student athletes by filing a federal comment with the Department of Education. 

Together we can ensure that non-discrimination protections based on sex are fully inclusive of our transgender, nonbinary and intersex loved ones and neighbors. Say you are with PFLAG and add a personal sentence of why federal trans inclusion in sports matters to you, your family and neighbors.

Submit your comment today in support of hard-won Title IX protections in sport and #LetKidsPlay!

Court Matters

US DOJ challenges Tennessee’s law that bans medically necessary care for trans youth. On April 25th, The US Department of Justice filed a complaint against Tennessee’s recently enacted SB 1 because it violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. 

Chief Justice will not testify before Senate in ethics hearing. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will focus on ethical standards at the Supreme Court. Declining the request, Chief Justice John Roberts cited the rarity of a Chief Justice appearing before the legislative branch. 

Disney sues Florida's Gov. DeSantis, alleging government retaliation. Disney’s lawsuit filed on April 26th alleges a targeted campaign designed by DeSantis retaliated against the company for its opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, expressing a political viewpoint that differs from the Governor’s and an action for which Gov. DeSantis promised retribution.

Federal Matters

Senate fails to remove past deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. On April 27th, 100 years after the bill was first introduced and five years after Virginia became the 38th state to pass the ERA, the Senate failed to secure the 60 needed votes to rid the bill of its long-past 1982 deadline to be added as the Constitution’s 28th Amendment.

President Biden says, “Let’s finish the job.” His April 25^th reelection bid video announcement also named his senior advisor Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Cesar Chávez’s granddaughter, as campaign manager.

Biden signs proclamation commemorating 70^th anniversary of the Lavender Scare. The April 26^th proclamation noted the injustice suffered by LGBTQ+ people in this purge of the federal workforce and how they have since contributed greatly to the country.

Do Not Harm Act reintroduced. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-1) submitted the legislation which would limit the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) from being used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ Americans.

State Matters

Warning: While some of the following stories describe legislative actions to celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ people, many cover legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and non-binary 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 constraint; feel free to forward news about your state to advocacy@pflag.org to consider for inclusion.

California - San Diego to create LGBTQ+ youth shelter. The San Diego Housing Commission selected a nonprofit, The LGBT Center, to manage the shelter which will have 45 beds available when opened.

San Francisco is ending its boycott of anti-LGBTQ+ states. The Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 on April 25th to repeal its ban on city-funded travel to 30 states that restrict abortion, voting and LGBTQ+ rights, noting that the ban has not achieved intended results.

Iowa - House approves Senate “Don’t Say Gay” education bill. SF 496 would bar any instruction on LGBTQ+ people and topics from grades K-6. The bill is expected to be signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. 

Kansas- Legislature overrides Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto to enact the US's most sweeping anti-trans bathroom access ban; also requires trans-erasing data collection. On April 26th and 27th, the Senate and House respectively voted and set an effective date of July 1st; the law that applies to bathrooms in schools, locker rooms, prisons or other detention facilities, and domestic violence shelters. It also erases trans, nonbinary and intersex people by instructing sex designation as binary sex assigned at birth for all state data collection.

Missouri - Gov. Mike Parson puts May 12th deadline on delivering bill banning trans medically necessary care, threatens to call special legislative session. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 12th, but the House and Senate have passed different bill versions of two anti-trans bills – to ban medically necessary care and trans athletes; neither has reviewed the other chamber’s bill for consensus through the conference committee process.

Anti-LGBTQ+ complaint form removed by AG Andrew Bailey from the state website pending an investigation into alleged misuse. AG Bailey removed an online form established in March to report any complaint or concern about gender transition interventions either experienced or observed anywhere in the state; his spokesperson alleged that “...activists'' attempted to “hack our system.”

Man who shot gay teen sentenced to 21 years in prison. Malachi Robinson shot the teen after luring him into the woods near a local library in Kansas City. The teen survived, but still suffers “long-term effects” from the shooting. 

Montana - Openly trans Rep. Zooey Zephyr banned from House chamber and floor. On April 26th, Rep. Zephyr was banished from in-person presence in the House until the session ends on May 11th, punished for advocating with her peers to reject a bill to ban medically necessary care for trans youth, mentioning other anti-LGBTQ+ bills heard in this session.

New York - NYC deflects critiques of investigation into gay nightclub murders. In a news conference on April 18^th, Mayor Eric Adams was blunt, saying “with these cases, you have to get it right.” The final suspect in the robberies and murders of John Umberger and Julio Ramirez was arrested on April 17^th, bringing the total charged to 6 individuals.

North Dakota - Trans youth and adults lose seamless access to gender identity-matching facilities including bathrooms, locker rooms and showers in schools, college dorms or prisons. On April 25th, Gov. Doug Burgum signed into law the bill that passed with a veto-proof margin. 

Oregon - Senate introduces resolution to hold referendum on proposed constitutional amendments in 2024. If approved by the legislature, voters could enshrine same-sex marriage, gender-affirming care, and abortion rights into the state constitution.

Pennsylvania - House Judiciary Committee endorses LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination legislation. HB 300 would protect Pennsylvanians from anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in the public sphere, including in housing and employment. PFLAG chapters are engaged in this work.

Tennessee - Lawsuit launched against state ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Lambda Legal, the ACLU and its Tennessee affiliate, and the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld are suing the state over its new law banning best practice medical treatment for transgender youth. The organizations allege that if SB1 takes effect as planned on July 1^st, it would “cause severe and irreparable harm” to trans people.

Nashville suit-wearing senior banned from prom, local business builds them a special prom. Nashville Christian School said parents agree to a specified gender-stereotype-driven dress code when they enroll their children. B Hayes (they/them) stood outside the prom in their suit holding a sign explaining the ban. Local business owners with a live music venue offered to create a prom for B, and that idea spawned much local support and joy.

Global Matters

Middle Eastern and North African youth face higher rates of self-harm. Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) minors in the United States are confronting serious mental health concerns according to a report by the Trevor Project. In the last year, over 20% MENA LGBTQ+ youth attempted suicide and 64% reported engaging in self-harm, a higher rate than peer youth.

Hungary - President vetoes anti-LGBTQ+ whistleblower legislation. The bill would have allowed people to anonymously report LGBTQ+ couples to the government. Parliament still has a chance to override President Katalin Novak’s veto.

Japan - LGBTQ+ Ugandan woman granted refugee status. The government granted designation given the risk the lesbian woman would face if she returned to Uganda due to that country’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws and attitudes.

United Kingdom - Over 50% of Scottish secondary schools opt into LGBTQ+ non-discrimination scheme. The program created by the organization LGBT Youth Scotland includes diversity education, training, and monitoring for school employees.

Government sent aid to Uganda anti-LGBTQ+ group. The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda received money as part of a Foreign Office program called “Uganda – Open Society.” The Council, which is concerned about what it calls “the LGBTQ agenda” in Uganda, received almost £135,000 [US$ 168,693] since 2021.

Media Matters

Experience and share this uplifting podcast about the amazing and inspirational people of PFLAG. Interviewed are Avril Swan, MD, granddaughter of PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford, PFLAG National Board President Susan Thronson, and Lilith Rose, ED of PFLAG San Francisco with caller stories from PFLAG National Board members Kay Holladay and Liz Castro. 

Three transgender Americans across three generations talk about how trans lives and rights have and haven’t changed. Our own Laura McGinnis staffed this interview on NPR including Rev. Debra J. Hopkins, 66, featured in PFLAG National’s film TAKING THE LONG ROAD HOME, who shared her gracious wisdom, along with two other transgender people aged 16 and 21, each at different stages of their journeys.

Tucker Carlson fired from Fox News. Carlson, known for mainstreaming anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and antisemitic conspiracy theories on his top-rated show, was informed on April 24^th. The primetime anchor left without a farewell episode, though the proximate reason for his departure is still unknown. 

Don Lemon fired by CNN. The cable news host was one of the most high-profile LGBTQ+ news anchors on television, and leaves CNN after 17 years of work at the company. He announced his firing on April 24^th.

“Gender Queer” most “challenged” book for second year in a row. The American Library Association tracks content complaints against books in schools and libraries.

Movie ‘Queer’ to star Daniel Craig. The LGBTQ+ film is based on a short novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs.

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

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