News

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Supreme Court backs parents seeking to opt their kids out of LGBTQ books in elementary schools

The Supreme Court on Friday bolstered religious rights as it ruled in favor of parents who objected to LGBTQ-themed books that a Maryland county approved for use in elementary school classrooms. In a 6-3 vote, the court backed the parents’ claim that the Montgomery County Board of Education’s decision not to allow an opt-out option for their children violated their religious rights under the Constitution’s First Amendment, which protects religious expression. “The board’s introduction of the ‘LGBTQ+ inclusive’ storybooks, along with its decision to withhold opt-outs, places an unconstitutional burden on the parents’ rights to the free exercise of their […]

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Supreme Court clears the way for increased age verification for porn sites

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday that age verification “porn ID” laws are an appropriate way to regulate content for minors without infringing on the First Amendment rights of adults.  The ruling, in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, has major implications for the accessibility of any online speech the government could decide is harmful to children.  Laws that potentially curb civil liberties are subject to rigorous legal standards. Two lower courts had applied different standards to the Texas law, and the Supreme Court decided that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ lower standard was correct in this case. Strict […]

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A bipartisan effort looks to rectify tax inequities for same-sex married couples

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation helping bring financial equality to same-sex married couples.  Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine reintroduced the Refund Equality Act on Thursday, the 10-year anniversary of the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling, which legalized marriage equality as a constitutional right.  The act would allow married same-sex couples to amend tax returns dating back to when they were married, which would help them secure about $55 million in refunds, according a 2021 report by the Joint Committee on Taxation and cited by the senators.  The reintroduced bill would: The bill is […]

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Hungary’s LGBTQ community defies government ban on Pride march

Hungary’s LGBTQ community is preparing for a face-off with the country’s autocratic government and plans to push ahead with a march in the capital on Saturday despite a government ban and threats of legal repercussions. The populist party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in March fast-tracked a lawthrough parliament that made it an offense to hold or attend events that “depict or promote” homosexuality to minors aged under 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Pride — marking its 30th anniversary this year — was the explicit target of the law. But on Friday, Pride organizers along with Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, European […]

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NYC, San Francisco and other U.S. cities cap Pride Month with a mix of party and protest

The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ Pride reached its rainbow-laden crescendo Sunday as huge crowds took part in jubilant, daylong street parties from New York to San Francisco. Pride celebrations typically weave politics and protest together with colorful pageantry, but this year’s iterations took a decidedly more defiant stance as Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, have sought to roll back LGBTQ friendly policies. The theme of the festivities in Manhattan was, appropriately, “Rise Up: Pride in Protest.” San Francisco’s Pride theme was “Queer Joy is Resistance,” while Seattle was simply “Louder.” Lance Brammer, a 56-year-old teacher from Ohio attending his […]

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Supreme Court’s Ruling on the Freedom to Marry Had Most Profound Impact on Same-Sex Couples in the South, New Report Shows  

Thursday, June 26 marks the tenth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that cleared the way for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide.  A new report from The Williams Institute finds that the Obergefell ruling ”has had the most profound impact on the South. From 2014 to 2023, the percentage of cohabiting same-sex couples who were married grew by 21% in the South (38% to 59%), 16% in the West (46% to 62%), 15% in the Midwest (41% to 55%), and by 11% in the Northeast (50% to 60%).” A majority […]

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LGBTQ Equality Maps Updates and Bill Tracking for June 2025

In this rapidly changing landscape, MAP’s LGBTQ Equality Maps provide a detailed snapshot of the current state of LGBTQ laws and policies in the United States. See below for a listing of state level policy changes, plus MAP’s bill tracking and policy research updates, as of June 20, 2025. ▸▸ State Policy UpdatesParental opt-out/opt-in for LGBTQ-related curriculumSee our Equality Map here and our supporting citations and additional information here. May 1: Montana enacted a new law requiring parents to opt children in to LGBTQ-inclusive content in schools. It expands the previous law allowing parents to opt children out. It applies to all grades K-12 and will not go […]

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LGBT Walk at Wildlife Preserve

Friday, July 4·10:30am – 12:30pm The Madeleine Sone Wildlife Preserve, 300 Ryan Ranch Rd, Sebastopol, CA 95472, USA notes https://myactivecenter.com/#centers/USA.CA.Sebastopol.Sebastopol-Area-Senior-Center-/activities/36577 Meet Monthly on 1st and 3rd Friday at 10:30 AM at The Madeleine Sone Wildlife Preserve, 300 Ryan Ranch Rd, Sebastopol

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Stanford Medicine caves to Trump Administration, ends gender-affirming surgeries for youth

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Stanford Medicine will no longer provide gender-affirming surgeries to patients under the age of 19 after facing threats from the Trump Administration.  “After careful review of the latest actions and directives from the federal government and following consultations with clinical leadership, including our multidisciplinary LGBTQ+ program and its providers, Stanford Medicine paused providing gender-related surgical procedures as part of our comprehensive range of medical services for LGBTQ+ patients under the age of 19, effective June 2,” Stanford Medicine told The Los Angeles Times. “We took this step to protect both our providers and patients. This was not a decision we made lightly, especially knowing […]

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July Events at Sonoma County Library

Kids Circus of SmilesJoin Mr. Quick and Mr. Mustache on a comical adventure featuring juggling, flips, and gravity-defying catches! Grades K-6. At five locations: Petaluma Community Center (assembly room), and the Central Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park Cotati, Rincon Valley, and Healdsburg libraries.  Make Your Own Trading CardsCelebrate your favorite fandoms and make your own trading cards! Grades 4-6. All materials provided, while supplies last. At 10 libraries: Guerneville, Rohnert Park Cotati, Central Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Sonoma Valley, Cloverdale, Rincon Valley, Sebastopol, Northwest Santa Rosa, and Roseland.  Teens Decorative Metal StampingLearn how to stamp on metal and create pendants, keychains, jewelry, gifts, and […]

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