Court Matters

ACLU of Iowa files suit to block “Don’t Say Gay” law. Senate File 496 bans instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity in Iowa schools, bans books that “depict sex scenes,” and requires administrators to out trans students to their parents. The ACLU filed the suit in federal court on November 28th with Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, and seven Iowa students. 

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor dies at 93. Justice O’Connor was the first woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. She retired in 2006, after 24 years on the Court.

Federal Matters

President Biden marks Transgender Day of Remembrance. The President released a statement to mark the annual event on November 20th, saying "We must never be silent in the face of hate," urging that we "recommit ourselves to never stop fighting until all Americans can live free from discrimination."

George Santos expelled from the House of Representatives. Santos, who represented New York’s 3rd Congressional District for less than a year, is only the sixth representative in history to be expelled. Three of the remaining five expellees were removed from Congress for joining the Confederacy during the Civil War. 

Speaker Mike Johnson says American society is “dark and depraved” because of the increase in openly LGBTQ+ youth. In a prayer call on October 3rd, the soon-to-be-elected House Speaker said “We’re losing our country” and cited lower church attendance and surveys indicating more high school students identify as LGBTQ+ as evidence that American society “seems irredeemable.” 

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter dies at 96. Mrs. Carter is remembered as a key supporter of her husband’s political career and for her advocacy for mental health care.

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 - Bill introduced banning DEI training and preventing reprimands for employees who refuse to respect others’ pronouns (disable ad block to view article). HB599 would prevent state and local government agencies from requiring that employees and contractors respect other people’s pronouns, as well as banning non-profits and other organizations that receive state funding from requiring employees to attend "training, instruction or other activity on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression." PFLAG National’s Director of Learning & Inclusion, Jamie Henkel, said HB599 “demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of economics, and Floridians should be concerned.”

Maryland - PFLAG Salisbury member named to state Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs. Governor Wes Moore appointed Nicole Hollywood to a three-year term on the 21-member Commission.

Global Matters

Australia - New South Wales government delays effort to ban conversion therapy. The Premier of New South Wales announced the delay after LGBTQ+ advocates asked for more time to ensure the proposed legislation “provides the best opportunity to prevent LGBTQ+ conversion practices and reduce associated harm.” 

France - Senate considers compensation for gay men jailed under discriminatory laws. Senator Hussein Bourgi’s bill would compensate gay men who were sent to prison under discriminatory laws which set the age of consent for same-sex relations higher (21) than for opposite-sex relations (13, later raised to 15) and which punished gay men for “public indecency.” An estimated 65,000 men were imprisoned under these laws while they were enforced between 1942 and 1982. 

Nepal - Country’s first same-sex marriage recognized. Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung registered their marriage at the Dorje village council office, located west of the capital, Kathmandu.

Romania - Prime Minister says country “not ready” to recognize the rights of same-sex couples. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu’s comment comes months after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Romania was failing to enforce the rights of same-sex couples. 

Russia - Government seeks to label “international LGBT public movement” as extremist. The extremist label would ban LGBTQ+ groups from operating in the country and would leave LGBTQ+ activists open to criminal prosecution. 

Thailand - Cabinet approves proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. Karom Polpornklang, a deputy government spokesperson, said the proposed law, which is expected to be introduced in Parliament in December, would guarantee the right to form a family in a relationship between same-sex couples. 

United Kingdom - Archbishop of Canterbury apologizes to Christian LGBTQ+ campaigner. At a meeting in early November, Archbishop Justin Welby compared Jayne Ozanne, an openly gay former government advisor and member of the Church of England’s governing body, to a militia leader. 

Norwich event marks 20 years since repeal of Section 28. Section 28 of the Local Government Act passed in 1988 under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The law banned schools and libraries from “promoting homosexuality.” The law was repealed under Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2003.

Sir Elton John addresses Parliament. Sir Elton was being honored for his work in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic through the Elton John AIDS Foundation. During his speech to Parliament, Sir Elton challenged the UK to eradicate HIV by 2030. 

Vatican City - Pope Francis to punish cardinal who publicly criticized the Pope’s stances on LGBTQ+ Catholics. The Pope will evict Cardinal Raymond Burke from the cardinal’s subsidized Vatican apartment and will revoke Burke’s salary as well. These moves follow Burke’s public criticism of the Pope’s stances on LGBTQ+ people in the church.

Community of trans women join Pope Francis for lunch during Catholic Church’s World Day of the Poor. The women — many of whom are Latin American migrants and sex workers — joined over 1,000 other poor and homeless people in the Vatican auditorium as the Pope’s guests for lunch. “Before, the church was closed to us. They didn’t see us as normal people, they saw us as the devil,” said Andrea Paola Torres Lopez, a Colombian transgender woman known as Consuelo, “Then Pope Francis arrived and the doors of the church opened for us.”

Media Matters

 

Washington Post encourages donations to PFLAG for Giving Tuesday. Noting the support she received from PFLAG Metro DC, the writer noted PFLAG as the first go-to for Giving Tuesday support. PFLAG National is grateful to all who support our work through their generous donations both directly to us and to the PFLAG Chapter Network. 

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi interviews PFLAG National CEO Brian Bond about banned books. The interview is part of a series Velshi hosts called the “Banned Book Club.” 

Rustin debuts on Netflix. The biopic chronicles the life of gay Civil Rights Movement leader Bayard Rustin, centering around his successful efforts to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Among its executive producers are the team that brought Prayers for Bobby to television. 

Community groups provide critical support to trans Americans. Support groups, including PFLAG National and the PFLAG Chapter Network, greatly improve mental health outcomes for trans people. 

Dylan Mulvaney named one of Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30.” Mulvaney, whose TikTok account has 10.4 million followers, is included in the Social Media category of the magazine’s annual list.

 

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

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