The Advocate

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Utah violated rights of trans woman inmate who performed surgery on herself, DOJ finds

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The Department of Justice has found that the Utah Department of Corrections discriminated against an incarcerated transgender woman based on her gender identity. The inmate, whose name was not released, removed her testicles via self-surgery while in custody. The corrections department strongly disagreed with the finding, saying it was “blindsided” by the timing and had been working to resolve identified issues. “All people with disabilities including those who are incarcerated are protected by the ADA and are entitled to reasonable modifications and equal access to medical care, and that basic right extends to those with gender dysphoria,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general in the […]

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Cable news coverage of 2023 anti-trans bills lacked trans voices: Media Matters

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Cable news outlets couldn’t avoid covering the rash of anti-transgender bills in state legislatures in 2023, but they didn’t often feature trans people talking about the subject, according to new research from Media Matters for America. The coverage also varied widely in terms of tone and time spent, notes the study, which looked at reporting by MSNBC, CNN, and the Fox News Channelthroughout the year. During 2023, more than 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures, and more than 80 became law, by the Human Rights Campaign’s count. Many of them specifically targeted trans people — seeking to ban gender-affirming health care for youth, […]

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Anti-transgender hate crimes spike, leading to calls for a public health emergency

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For decades, transgender Americans have lived under a constant threat of violence. Whether at their homes, places of work or in public, there seemingly is nowhere out of reach from hate. In the last 20 years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people of all types have risen at historic rates across the country. And since 2016, Los Angeles — the nation’s second-biggest city has seen a startling rise in violence motivated by hate against its transgender residents, though it is ranked as one of most friendly to queer and trans people in the U.S.  The Advocate compiled data from the years 2003-2022. A primary source was the LA […]

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Southern states push forward with bills ending legal recognition for trans people

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The pace of anti-transgender legislation has slowed in recent weeks, with several states, known for previously targeting transgender individuals, failing to pass any such laws. However, a different dynamic is emerging across the Gulf South, where three states are advancing bills that would cease the legal recognition of transgender individuals, potentially having significant repercussions for their trans residents. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are introducing bills to define sex in a manner that excludes transgender individuals, potentially affecting birth certificates, driver’s licenses, bathroom access, and more. The bills, dubbed the “Women’s Bills of Rights” by their supporters, fall far short of actually protecting women’s rights. They fail […]

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LGBTQ+ voters are all in for Democrats, while anti-transgender candidates are alienating everyone: GLAAD

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Restrictions on transgender rights and women’s rights are losing issues even among swing voters and those who support Donald Trump, according to a new poll conducted by Pathfinder Opinion Research for GLAAD. Also, not surprisingly, the poll found that LGBTQ+ voters are highly motivated to cast their ballots and that they favor President Joe Biden for president by a wide margin. The findings were released Thursday and are based on a national survey of registered voters conducted in late January, plus interviews focusing on LGBTQ+ voters. “A majority of all voters say they would oppose candidates who frequently speak about restricting access to health care and youth sports […]

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North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. faces backlash over anti-transgender remarks ahead of primaries

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Nex Benedict’s death in Oklahoma has shined the spotlight on anti-trans rhetoric in politics in other conservative states. After the transgender teenager lost his life following a school bathroom attack, North Carolina’s Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has come under intense scrutiny for his anti-transgender rhetoric.  Robinson is running for governor. As the state’s primary elections loom Tuesday, Robinson’s views have ignited a firestorm of criticism, not least because of his recent endorsement by former President Donald Trump, who called Robinson “better” than Martin Luther King Jr. Robinson has repeatedly expressed views that are antagonistic toward transgender individuals. In one of his Facebook posts, he shared a magazine cover featuring a transgender child, labeling them as […]

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Gay airline employee subject to ‘torture’ after arrest in Qatar, family says

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The family of a gay airline employee is demanding his release from Qatari prison, accusing authorities of torture by withholding his HIV medication. Manuel Guerrero, 44, moved to Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal, seven years ago for his work. He was detained on February 4, according to his relatives, who say that the Mexican-British dual citizen was entrapped by law enforcement through a fake Grindr profile. They also claim that authorities framed him for drug possession by planting a quarter of a gram of methamphetamine in his apartment.  Guerrero’s brother, Enrique, said that their family was not informed of his arrest until 23 […]

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Federal investigation opens into Owasso Public Schools after death of Nex Benedict

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In response to a formal complaint the Human Rights Campaign lodged last week regarding the handling of sex-based harassment incidents, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has initiated an investigation into Owasso Public Schools. The investigation, announced late Friday, aims to address the Oklahoma school district’s response to harassment that may have contributed to the tragic death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old transgender student of Choctaw heritage. HRC President Kelley Robinson spearheaded the complaint to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona last week, urging the department in a letter to use its enforcement mechanisms to prevent future tragedies and hold those responsible for Benedict’s death accountable. “Nex’s […]

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Black LGBTQ+ candidates still face bigotry  — here’s how they’re fighting it

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The 2022 election cycle saw a record 141 Black out LGBTQ+ people run for office in the U.S. — but these candidates still face enormous obstacles, says a new report. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate’s email newsletter. The obstacles include not only racism, homophobia, and transphobia but also financial challenges, a lack of role models, unfair media coverage, and more, according to the report, “When We Run: The Campaign Trail Experiences of Black LGBTQ+ Candidates,” released Tuesday. It comes from the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative. It analyzes data […]

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Attackers yelled antigay, racist slurs during beach party stabbing of teen boy in California

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A 16-year-old boy is recovering after he was stabbed and beaten by a group of attackers yelling racist and antigay slurs on a popular Southern California beach. Video of the attack has been circulating among local high schools, and the victim’s mother is reaching out for help. The attack took place on Saturday, February 10, at Dockweiler Beach just west of Los Angeles International Airport and directly under the flight path of departing planes. The victim’s mother, identified only as Frankie, told local CW affiliate KTLA that her son was attending a party promoted on social media when a friend was attacked by a […]

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