News

/ /

India passes limiting trans protection bill that redefines who qualifies as trans

,

The Lok Sabha, also known as India’s House of the People, has passed a new bill that limits the rights of transgender people in the country. Passed on 24 March, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026 makes amendments to the previous 2019 law that pertains to the rights and wellbeing of trans people. The amendments redefine who qualifies as trans people and therefore who is protected by the law, and also introduces a new system for identity certification and stricter punishment for offences against the trans community. Under the new bill, a medical board will be formed to […]

/ /

Pennsylvania House approves Malcolm Kenyatta’s marriage equality bill to update outdated state law

,

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta rose on the Pennsylvania House floor and offered a line that cut through hours of legislative debate and decades of legal inertia. “God did not make me to hate me,” he said. Minutes later, the chamber voted to move Pennsylvania closer to matching its laws to that principle. The Pennsylvania House passed legislation Wednesday to codify marriage equality into state law, approving the measure in a 127–72 vote with bipartisan support, according to NBC affiliate WPXI in Pittsburgh. The bill would redefine marriage in state statute as a union between “two individuals,” replacing language dating back to the 1990s that limits marriage to “one man and […]

/ /

Girlguiding sets September deadline for trans girls to leave after ban

Transgender girls must leave the Guides by September 6, Girlguiding has said. The deadline comes after the December 2025 decision to stop allowing trans youngsters from joining groups as part of its updated inclusion policies. In the fallout of the Supreme Court’s judgement that the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman refers to “biological sex” only, Girlguiding announced late last year that “with a heavy heart” trans girls and young women would no longer be able to join groups. Now, with the September 6 deadline, affected members have “time to plan, prepare, access support, and decide when – between now and September – they feel […]

/ /

Texas man arrested for restoring Pride crosswalk issues defiant response

A Texas man was arrested Tuesday (24 March) after repainting rainbow Pride crosswalks in Dallas that were removed Monday (23 March) under a state mandate. Mason Whiteside was detained shortly before 3:30 AM Tuesday, after police officers saw him using chalk and spray paint to restore the designs in areas like Oak Lawn, a historic LGBTQ+ neighbourhood. The removals began earlier this week after the Texas Department of Transportation enforced an October 2025 directive from Governor Greg Abbott requiring cities to remove non-standard road markings, arguing they could pose safety risks. Whiteside was taken into custody over an unrelated, years-old traffic violation […]

/ /

Transgender woman sues Michigan homeless shelter for workplace harassment

A transgender woman is suing a Michigan homeless shelter, alleging that coworkers harassed her and that management’s insufficient interventions left her unable to return to work. Devion Morgan filed a claim at the Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit Court against the Washtenaw County Shelter Association for alleged workplace harassment and discrimination based on how she identifies. She’s seeking $25,000 plus legal costs. The association runs the Robert J. Delonis Center, where she worked. Morgan filed the lawsuit at the beginning of March, emphasizing discriminatory remarks allegedly made by her coworkers regarding her gender identity, MLive reports. The complaint includes claims regarding how the shelter management responded […]

/ /

Cities in Texas and Florida install new rainbow walkways as Republicans crack down on Pride crosswalks

,

City leaders in San Antonio plans will unveil new rainbow sidewalks as part of a Pride celebration this week. The act comes even as Texas cracks down on other decorated walkways across the Lone Star State. The sidewalks will be unveiled in San Antonio’s Pride Cultural Heritage District, which encompasses the North Main Avenue corridor and includes several historically significant establishments serving the LGBTQ+ community. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the removal of crosswalks at the intersection of Main Avenue and Evergreen Street. But officials have since completed repairs to the walkways and expanded the design to include the colors of the transgenderflag, according to  San Antonio CBS affiliate KENS. Michael Rendon, […]

/ /

Republican Ohio House passes drag ban targeting transgender Ohioans

Members of the Ohio House voted Wednesday to advance the state’s ban on public drag and gender performance. Ohio House Bill (HB) 249 – which received three committee hearings rife with anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-transgender disinformation – will now head to the Senate. The bill passed the House by a vote of 63-30, largely along party lines: Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) broke ranks to vote against the bill. Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week. If passed, “The Enact the Indecent Exposure Modernization Act” would ban drag and […]

/ /

Dozens of LGBTQ+ candidates just got a major boost for 2026

,

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund on Monday endorsed 35 candidates across 19 states, expanding its push to build LGBTQ+ political power as rights face renewed challenges in the 2026 election cycle. At a glance, the list reads like a catalog of local and state races, city councils, county commissions, statehouses, and a mayoral bid in Reno. But taken together, it sketches a deliberate effort to seed LGBTQ+ representation throughout the machinery of the American government at a moment when that presence is being tested and, in some places, rolled back. The March endorsements bring the group’s total for the 2026 cycle to 163 candidates nationwide, an […]

/ /

State bans against conversion therapy are ineffective, argues leading LGBTQ+ activist

,

Even though the Supreme Court is currently considering Chiles v. Salazar, a case that could overturn the bans on conversion therapy for minors currently in place in 27 states, longtime LGBTQ+ activist Wayne Besen says these bans don’t stop a majority of those who actually offer services to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity: namely, unlicensed religious counselors and life coaches working with so-called ex-LGBTQ+ organizations. “The term ban is inaccurate,” Besen told LGBTQ Nation. “Show me: Show me one conversion therapist who has been put out of business because of these laws.” Besen is executive director of Truth Wins Out, an […]

/ /

South Carolina Senate passes bill restricting transgender students’ bathroom use

,

The South Carolina Senate has approved a bill restricting transgender students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms, advancing legislation that reflects a widening shift in how Republican-led states are regulating the everyday lives of trans people and aligning with a growing number of Republican-led states adopting similar policies. The proposal passed Monday by a 35-2 vote, with two Democratic state senators voting against it. The state senate comprises 34 Republicans and 12 Democrats. The measure, which now heads to the GOP-controlled House.  The legislation would extend existing state rules to both K-12 schools and public colleges, requiring multi-user restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities to be used by individuals based […]

«‹ 6 7 8 9›»