Court Matters

PFLAG National, GLMA file lawsuit to block enforcement of SB14 in Texas. The eight PFLAG and GLMA plaintiffs - five trans youth and three physicians - are represented by American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU, Lambda Legal, Transgender Law Center, and the law firms Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. The suit alleges that Texas’s SB14, should it go into effect on September 1st, will deprive trans youth and physicians alike of their constitutional rights. Read more about the suit in PFLAG National’s July 13th press release. 

Kansas Judge orders state to stop gender marker changes on driver’s licenses. On July 10th, US District Judge Teresa Watson in the U.S. District Court in Kansas ordered the Kansas Department of Revenue to stop processing gender change requests on state-issued licenses. The decision came after Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit claiming that a new law, SB180, prevents transgender and nonbinary residents from updating their gender identity on state documents. 

Federal judge rules in favor of Wisconsin transgender student. On July 10th, US District Judge Lynn Adelman barred a Wisconsin school from requiring that transgender students use bathrooms that align with their biological sex. The student who brought the suit after being told she would be required to use the boys’ bathroom for the upcoming school year, had previously participated in girls’ school activities and used the girls’ bathroom since the third grade without issue. 

Federal appeals court allows Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effect. On July 8th, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals removed an injunction against Tennessee's ban on medically necessary care for minors, which means that transgender youth receiving care will have to halt treatment by March 2024. Additionally, medical providers cannot provide medically necessary treatment to new trans minors who are patients. 

The Supreme Court declines to take up a lower court ruling which protects people with gender dysphoria under ADA. On June 30th, SCOTUS chose not to review a ruling made by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that individuals with gender dysphoria are entitled to protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Federal Matters

Federal conversion therapy ban introduced. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) introduced The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act that would make it illegal as consumer fraud to engage in efforts to change a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation. There is a companion bill in the Senate introduced by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Patty Murray (D-WA).

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.

Maine - Governor signs into law non-surgical medically necessary hormone care without parent’s consent for certain 16-year-old trans minors. On July 11th, Gov. Janet Mills signed H.P. 340 / L.D 535, a law permitting medical providers to administer to trans teens age 16+ non-surgical hormone treatment (including puberty blockers) in certain situations without a parent’s consent to treat gender dysphoria as defined by the APA DSM-5 or WPATH Standards of Care 8 or later.

Maryland - Commentary: We can’t opt out of diversity in our schools and communities. This article, authored by David Fishback, co-chair for Maryland Advocacy with PFLAG Metro DC and others who support inclusive policies, discusses the efforts in the Montgomery County School District to promote inclusivity among literature in public schools, a timely topic. 

New York - NYC launches a program to re-examine gay bar drugging and homicide cases. A new program has been announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Police Department. The program will prioritize investigating unsolved cases of robberies, deaths, and druggings involving LGBTQ+ victims. 

North Carolina - Gov. Cooper vetoes three bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth. The bills contained provisions that would exclude transgender girls and women from participating in sports, prohibit life-saving medical care for trans and non-binary youth, and require schools to notify parents if their child's gender identity changes.

Global Matters

Georgia - Anti-LGBTQ+ protesters break up Pride festival. In Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, far right anti-LGBTQ+ protesters stormed a pride parade, destroying posters and flags.

Greece - Prime minister announces support for same-sex marriage. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced his support in an interview with Bloomberg News. 

Latvia - Edgars Rinkēvičs sworn in as President. President Rinkēvičs made history on July 8th as the first openly gay president of a Baltic nation, and only the 7th openly gay leader of any country.

Russia - Russia’s first openly transgender politician drops her run for governor due to anti-LGBTQ+ bill. Yulia Alyoshina had intended to run in the gubernatorial election for Siberia Altai in September. However, Ms. Alyoshina canceled her campaign due to a new law prohibiting life-saving care for trans and non-binary Russians.

Yandex faces a court case for ‘LGBT propaganda'. Yandex, Russia's top search engine, is being investigated for incorrectly categorizing LGBTQ+-related films, in violation of a new law restricting LGBTQ+ content and expression.

Media Matters

2023 Emmy Award nominees include five standout LGBTQ+ prospects. While there are many people nominated this year, five diverse nominees stand out as the most well-known and most-nominated, including a nonbinary star.

Transgender model and actor is crowned Miss Netherlands and will compete for Miss Universe. Rikki Valerie Kollé, who recently won the Miss Netherlands title, is set to make history as the first openly transgender woman to participate in the Miss Universe pageant.

Sorority alumni sue after allowing transgender women in. Six women in Wyoming are suing the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority after allowing a transgender woman into the University of Wyoming's chapter.

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

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