Court Matters

Federal Judge blocks Florida ban on medically necessary care for three trans youth. Saying “Gender Identity is real,” Judge Robert Hinkle in Florida ruled to allow three trans youth to be prescribed puberty blockers.

Federal Judge rules Tennessee's drag ban unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Parker ruled the law is both “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad” and encouraged “discriminatory enforcement.”

Supreme Court rules Alabama must redraw congressional map. In a 5-4 ruling written by Chief Justice Roberts, the Court held that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voting power in the state’s congressional districts. Alabama lawmakers will likely draw two congressional districts with majority Black populations, up from just one in the previous map.

Trump indicted on espionage, obstruction of justice charges. The charges stem from the former President’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Federal Matters

President Biden announces actions to protect LGBTQ+ community. Actions to be taken include establishing a coordinator within the Department of Education (DOE) to address book bans; training LGBTQ+ centers through the Justice Department (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security to deal with threats of violence and cyber attacks; and developing guidance for mental health providers on working with trans youth, through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

Rep. Dina Titus and Sens. Ed Markey, Shaheen and Merkley introduce GLOBE Act. The bill would endorse using sanctions to punish those responsible for human rights abuses against LGBTQ+ people and would require the State Department to allow LGBTQ+ people to choose their gender marker on passports and other travel documents, among other measures. Bill sponsors released a statement including PFLAG National’s endorsement avowing the need for the U.S. to be a leader for LGBTQ+ rights on the world stage

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 - Protesters clash outside of Glendale School Board Meeting. As the school board met to discuss a resolution recognizing June as Pride Month, fights broke out between pro and anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrators gathered outside the building. Police arrested three individuals and declared an unlawful assembly, temporarily disrupting the school board meeting before the resolution passed unanimously later in the evening.

Louisiana - Anti-trans healthcare ban revived; passes Senate. HB648 was rejected in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on May 24th, however lawmakers moved to recommit the bill to a new committee, where it was quickly approved and then sent to the Senate floor, where the bill passed on June 5th by a 29-10 vote. HB648 will now return to the House where lawmakers must concur with Senate amendments to the bill before it is sent to Governor John Bel Edwards.

State Senate passes “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” and forced outing bills. HB466 prohibits discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools and HB81 prohibits school employees from using transgender students’ preferred names or pronouns unless they have parental approval. Both bills passed the Senate on June 5th and now head to the Governor’s desk. 

Maryland - Governor Moore issues executive order declaring Maryland a “sanctuary state” for trans people. The order mandates that state agencies “take whatever action is necessary and coordinate to protect” people or entities involved with providing gender-affirming care from legal punishments by other states. The order also prohibits sharing medical records of transgender individuals for potential investigations.

Missouri - Governor Parson signs anti-trans healthcare, athlete bans into law. The healthcare ban, which would go into effect on August 28th, would bar trans and non-binary youth from receiving medically necessary care such as hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers. The law does, however, include an exception for those who were already receiving this care prior to the law’s effective date.

Mississippi - Trans teen has graduation ceremony at Biloxi Pride Day. The Harrison Central High graduate was told just before graduation she would have to adhere to the boys’ graduation dress code policy, despite having worn girls’ clothing for her entire high school career. She sued the school district, but a federal judge ruled against her. Instead of attending her school’s graduation, there was a ceremony for her at Biloxi Pride Day, where the graduate walked across the 2023 Pride Stage in an outfit she and her mother selected.

Montana - Butte-Silver Bow Public Library cancels lecture by trans Native American due to new drag ban. Adria Jawort was going to do an LGBTQ and two-spirit history lecture at the library, but county attorneys recommended the lecture be canceled to avoid the library running afoul of the drag ban Governor Gianforte signed into law on May 22nd.

Global Matters

Japan - Parliament set to pass LGBTQ+ “understanding” bill. The vote could come as early as June 16 despite continued opposition from some in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Japan lags behind many other G7 countries in terms of protections for the LGBTQ+ community; neither same-sex marriage nor anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people are available in the country. 

Latvia - Edgars Rinkēvič elected first openly gay president. Latvian parliament elected Mr. Rinkēvič, who has served as Foreign Minister since 2011, on May 31st . His term will begin on July 8th. Rinkēvič will be the first openly gay head of state in any EU country or in any former Soviet state. 

Ukraine - Gay couple wins discrimination case against Ukraine in European Court of Human Rights. The Court ruled that the Ukrainian government violated the rights of Andrii Maimulakhin and Andrii Markiv when it refused to give legal recognition to their relationship.

Media Matters

 

PFLAG National Board Member Liz Castro featured in PEOPLE Magazine Pride issue, earns praise from Kristin Chenoweth. Castro, a PFLAG mom in a military family, guided PFLAG National’s efforts to create the PFLAG Connects: Military Community program. Kristin Chenoweth named Liz Castro and PFLAG as sources of pride, saying "PFLAG’s voice is heard because love is our only command in this world."

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi throws the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ “Night OUT.” The annual event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community was held on June 6th. The Nationals asked the Speaker Emerita to throw the first pitch due to her “long-standing commitment to fighting for the rights and dignities of the LGBTQ+ community.” 

Study finds insurers provided more equitable coverage to LGBTQ+ couples following 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. The study found that LGBTQ+ adults were covered by health insurance at a similar rate to non-LGBTQ+ adults by 2019, but that LGBTQ+ adults were still more likely to have trouble paying medical bills. 

 

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

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