Jacob Ogles

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Trump administration denies federal funding to Virginia schools that treat trans students with dignity

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The Trump administration will deny funding to Virginia school districts who refuse to bar trans students from restrooms matching their identity. The latest standoff follows five Virginia school districts declining to change inclusive policies allowing students to use bathrooms and locker rooms aligning with their identity. The districts — Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William — have maintained that federal law restricts discrimination against students based on gender identity, according to Washington, D.C’s NBC affiliate. But President Donald Trump in January signed an executive order targeting transgender students and banning any federal funding for schools that allow trans kids in facilities that best match […]

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Kansas police severely damage ‘Transgender House’ in standoff with murder suspect

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A famed “Transgender House” in Kansas suffered massive damage during a police standoff with a murder suspect. Images captured by local news show the landmark with shattered windows and broken entryways. The Topeka Police Department said the building, called the Mott House, was damaged after Carlos Slaughter, a homicide suspect, barricaded himself inside the house. The 51-year-old was wanted in connection to his wife’s death. Slaughter’s wife died after a house fire in Oklahoma City. Authorities found Kellie Slaughter with critical “injuries consistent with homicide,” and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. Topeka Police were informed Carlos […]

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Florida officials claim SCOTUS ruling allows them to deny trans adults health care

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Days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tennessee could ban gender-affirming health care for minors, Florida officials argued the decision allows them to deny coverage to adults. In August, a federal judge ruled Florida cannot legally deny health care coverage for gender-affirming care to state employees. The state appealed that decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. After the June Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld a Tennessee law banning hormone therapy and puberty blockers only for transgender minors, appellate judges asked both sides in the Florida case if the verdict impacted arguments. Attorneys representing the state of Florida said the Skrmetti ruling opened the door to government […]

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Florida Republican official suspended for social posts mocking Pulse murder victims

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A Florida city suspended one of its council members over hateful social media posts, including one mocking victims of the Pulse shooting. Now, she has sued while alleging that some of the posts were doctored. The Groveland City Council last week suspended Councilwoman Judith Fike after nearly decade-old posts resurfaced, including one in which she wrote victims of the nearby Pulse mass shooting were killed more easily than if they had been hurled from buildings. According to The Orlando Sentinel, the post read: “‘Duh….why would the shooter target a gay club? My answer…Easier than marching them up steps to push off the roof..some […]

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600,000 same-sex couples have tied the knot since Obergefell ruling made marriage equality legal

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More than 591,000 same-sex couples tied the knot in the decade since the Obergefell v. Hodges decision made marriage equality the law of the land. That’s according to recently published research from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law that looks at the impact of the June 26, 2015, Supreme Court ruling. The academic institution figures that there are roughly 823,000 queer married couples in the U.S. today, double the number at the end of 2014, the last full year when states could bar same-sex unions. Before the court decision made clear that same-sex couples in every state had a constitutional right to wed a partner […]

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Florida Senate pushes ahead with ‘don’t say gay at work’ bill after seemingly brushing it aside

The Florida Senate revived legislation that would restrict the use of preferred pronouns for public employees. A committee on Tuesday took up a “don’t say gay or trans at work” bill that would require public employees to be identified in form as either male or female, and which would bar employers from directing workers to use pronouns besides he or she. That action took place just a week after Equality Florida activists showed up en masse at the Florida Capitol and celebrated the seeming death of the legislation. But the Florida Senate’s Government Oversight took up the measure again at the discretion of Florida […]

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Years after DADT’s end, class action lawsuit seek to restore benefits for thousands of discharged military

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Hayden Powell’s battle for fair treatment by the Department of Defense could result in a change of discharge status for thousands drummed out of service in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” era. The Air Force veteran and other plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit hope to achieve a level of justice for tens of thousands of service members drummed out of the service. But when she joined the Air Force in 1999, she was fighting for her own freedom. Some of that was economic; the GI Bill guaranteed her a college education in exchange for service to her country. But the […]

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Trans candidates demand their seat at the table in the Florida legislature

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UnderFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Sunshine State in recent years saw a rapid slate of anti-trans policies implemented. Now three transgender candidates are pursuing seats in the Florida legislature. Trans womanAshley Brundage and trans manNathan Bruemmer, both Democrats, are taking on Republican incumbents in the Tampa Bay area. Meanwhile, trans womanVance Ahrens, also a Democrat, will challenge one of the greatest sources of anti-transgender rhetoric in the state, running against Florida Rep. Randy Fine for an open seat in the Florida Senate. All face varying challenges on the campaign trail but earned spots on the November 5 general ballot. The hope is that the […]

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Florida just got its first LGBTQ+ Latino state senator

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LGBTQ+ advocate Carlos Guillermo Smith just became the first out Latino to join the Florida state Senate. “My heart is full of gratitude for this community who has entrusted me with the responsibility of serving as their state senator,” Smith said. The Orlando Democrat filed for an open seat last year. When Florida’s qualification deadline for state candidates passed at noon on June 14, he remained the only candidate filed for Florida Senate District 17. That means he will take office on Nov. 6 following this year’s general election. “I love the Orlando community, and promise to defend our values, to put people over politics, […]

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Florida won’t light bridges in rainbow colors for Pride Month this year

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Florida’s major bridges won’t be lit up for Pride Month this year. Instead, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Sunshine Skyway lit up in red, white and blue. Florida Transportation Secretary James Perdue recently announced on social media that as part of the state’s “Freedom Summer,” all bridges will be lit in patriotic colors from May 27 to Sept. 2. “As Floridians prepare for Freedom Summer, Florida’s bridges will follow suit, illuminating in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day!” he wrote. “Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida continues to be the freest state in the […]

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