Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill Wednesday banning transgender students from using school restrooms that align with their gender identities. The Republican-majority state Senate pushed forward SB 104, also known as the “Protect All Students Act,” in a 24-7 party-line vote.
“No school shall permit a member of the female biological sex to use a student restroom, locker room, changing room, or shower room that has been designated by the school for the exclusive use of the male biological sex,” and vice versa, the bill reads.
The bill defines “biological sex” as the “biological indication of male and female, including sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth, without regard to an individual’s psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender.” The bill adds that a birth certificate may be used as proof of biological sex if it was “issued at or near the time of the individual’s birth.”
The bill also mandates that Ohio schools cannot have restrooms or locker rooms that are open to all genders, excluding family facilities or single-occupancy facilities. Exceptions to the bill include children under 10 who are being assisted by family members, school employees whose job duties require them to enter all restrooms or people with disabilities who are being assisted.
DeWine, a Republican, conducted a legal review before he signed the bill, according to The Associated Press.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned SB 104 in a statement after it passed in the state Senate, deeming it “anti-trans” and urging DeWine not to sign it.
“If allowed to go into effect, SB 104 will create unsafe environments for trans and gender non-confirming individuals of all ages. This bill ignores the material reality that transgender people endure higher rates of sexual violence and assaults, particularly while using public restrooms, than people who are not transgender,” Jocelyn Rosnick, policy director for the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement.
Senate Democratic leader Nickie J. Antonio urged DeWine to veto the bill in a letter published Nov. 15.
“Sponsors of the legislation declare that the bill is about safety. However, this bill does nothing to make anyone safer. Instead, it will make trans people less safe and fail to increase the safety of all students,” Antonio wrote. “There’s a line between being passionate and understanding and being concerned about safety. Given that trans kids already face discrimination and bullying in schools, this bill could exacerbate the issue.”
The Center for Christian Virtue, which describes itself as Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, had called on DeWine to sign the bill, hailing it as preserving privacy.
“Today is a huge victory for children and families in Ohio. Amended SB104 is common-sense legislation that will guarantee the only people entering young ladies’ private spaces are female, not men claiming to be female,” the organization’s policy director, David Mahan, said in a statement after the Senate passed the bill.
Mahan did not specify whether a man claiming to be female has ever entered a women’s restroom in Ohio, and he did not respond to requests for comment.
There is no evidence that letting transgender people use public facilities, like restrooms, that align with their gender identities increases assaults or privacy violations, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Sexuality Research and Social Policy. Another study, published in the journal Pediatrics in 2019, found that transgender youths are at higher risk of sexual assault when they are not allowed to use restrooms that fit their gender identities.
Ohio House Republicans attached the legislation about restrooms to proposals regarding report card data for Ohio’s college credit program for high school students.
Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, the executive director of GLSEN, which advocates for LGBTQ students, condemned the law in a statement following DeWine’s signature.
“Extremist politicians are panicking because transgender students exist,” Willingham-Jaggers said. “Bathroom bans do not work: they isolate transgender youth, exacerbate harassment and unsafe conditions, and encourage schools to engage in harmful and stigmatizing gender-policing at the bathroom door.”
I wish I had better news but the fear of the repeal of marriage rights and other civil liberties, along with the threat of physical and political backlash aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, is well-founded. We must band together as a community and be aware of what we can do to help protect ourselves, and our loved ones, during a second Trump presidency.
There are precautions that you can take to ensure that you, and your families, are legally protected going into a Trump/Vance administration; and this means different things for different people under our LGBTQ+ rainbow.
Make Sure You, and Your Relationship is Protected
Estate planning, estate planning, estate planning. These basic documents have always been the first impenetrable line of defense for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. The nine LGBTQ+ specific documents that I recommend are:
Revocable Living Trust
Last Will & Testament
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Durable Power of Attorney
Living Will
Hospital Visitation Authorization Form – one for your partner and one for your Chosen Family
Agent for Disposition of Remains
Pet Care Directive
Tangible Personal Property Memorandum
I became passionate about estate planning after the Terri Schiavo disaster; a married, straight woman and yet her husband’s wishes about her end-of-life care were not respected because the family disagreed with him and wanted her kept alive artificially.
At that moment, I realized the full importance of LGBTQ+ individuals to put their wishes in writing.
A Revocable Living Trust is what we have been using for decades to recreate a marriage. If your relationship is a castle, consider this a moat around your castle – protecting you from government and family hostility. It is also a confidential document that is not given to the Register of Wills and acts as probate avoidance tool, which is extremely helpful to avoid government oversight after you’re gone and further ensure that your wishes are protected.
Durable Powers of Attorney give someone the legal authority to act for you, as you, as if you were personally present. This is an immensely powerful and helpful document for LGBTQ+ folks.
The health care documents are particularly important to ensure your wishes are protected. Moreover, even if you are married, you are only considered married in 37 countries out of 195 that fly a flag – so a Hospital Visitation Authorization Form (HVA) is essential to travel with. Together, a Health Care Power of Attorney along with a Hospital Visitation Authorization Form will protect you.
The second HVA is for your chosen family – folks that are close to you like family and guarantees that they are allowed to visit you in the hospital, when they would otherwise be denied access.
The Pet Care Directive/Trust is self-explanatory, it protects our fur babies! It appoints someone who will be able to take care of your pet immediately should anything happen to you; tells them who your veterinarian is and provides them a sum of money so that they can care for your pet the way you would want them cared for.
Lastly, if you recently got married, make sure you took the correct steps when obtaining a marriage license and that your collective assets, especially property, are protected and titled properly to fully protect you.
Should I Get Married Before It’s Too Late?
With marriage equality on the chopping block, it’s a real question for folks. Should you get married to hedge your bets?
While it saddens me that anyone would feel pressured to get married out of fear, but we can’t ignore the reality of what marriage as a legal contract provides. It bestows 1,138 federal rights and privileges — and these financial and legal privileges touch on every aspect of our lives – from inheritance, social security, Medicaid, family rights, veteran benefits and taxes, just to name a few. While there is no inherent power in marriage itself, these privileges offer significant security, and I want everyone to have access to them if they can benefit.
Even if the Supreme Court of the United States overturns Obergell, any valid marriage entered into by a U.S. citizen cannot be taken away. If marriage equality is rolled back, marriages performed before any changes could be grandfathered in, preserving some rights and protections. Ultimately, getting married now would mean hedging your bets in an uncertain environment.
If you’re considering marriage right now, I strongly recommend doing so with a prenuptial agreement in place. Why a prenup? Because everyone already has one—it’s just a matter of whether you write it yourselves or the state you live in does it for you. Should the unfortunate event of divorce arise, you’ll be reading something (the divorce code in your state) regardless, and the divorce code is meant for everyone in your state and therefore meant for no one. A prenup is carefully crafted with the unique aspects of your relationship in mind and a very empowering process to go through with your partner.
That said, marriage alone won’t give you the full protection you are looking for. Only estate planning bestows true power and control. Estate planning should be the first step for any couple, especially in today’s climate. But, if marriage offers you some benefits, go forward with a prenuptial agreement in place. And remember that real empowerment comes from intentionally safeguarding your future, whether that includes marriage or not.
Confirmatory Adoptions – Being on a Birth Certificate Does Not Confer Parentage Rights!
Please make sure your parental rights are legally secured. Being married or appearing on a birth certificate does not confer parentage; only an adoption decree confers legal parentage. The laws are constantly in flux as it relates to LGBTQ+ family planning and will definitely be changing in the coming years so if you have children, please ensure that your family unit is protected.
I also recommend executing Pre-birth and post-birth guardianship documents so that the parent adopting is considered the legal guardian of the unborn child and the legal guardian of the child, once they are born, but before being declared a parent at the Adoption Hearing. Even if you are married and your spouse’s health care power of attorney, if the choice you would make for your spouse’s health would impact the life of the child that you are adopting, you would be barred from making any decisions over your spouse’s health. As such, being both the health care power of attorney for your spouse AND the pre-birth guardian of the unborn child, would empower you to be able to make any decisions should there be complications during childbirth.
Last but definitely not least, estate planning is crucial for families as only a Last Will & Testament can appoint the guardian of your children should anything happen to you.
IDs and Passports
It’s important that all queer people, but especially non-binary, gender-diverse and transgender individuals whose legal documents may not accurately reflect their name or gender identity, secure these documents for themselves. ID’s and passports that accurately reflect our identities are crucial tools for navigating our society and the world safely.
The Executive Director of National Center for Transgender Equality, Mara Keisling told The Huffington Post, “[w]e just don’t know what’s going to happen. But, for now, I suggest that folks think about what they want their ID’s to be. If you’re somebody who has needed a passport for a while, I would go do it. For sure. [N]ow is always the best time to do something you’ve been stalling on.”
Name Change Court Orders
In the same vein of IDs and passports, the non-binary, gender-diverse and transgender community should consider obtaining a Name Change Decree sealed by court order. Once you have that piece of paper, changing other documents becomes seamless, including your social security card, your driver’s license or state ID, your birth certificate and your passport.
**Self-Care**
We are all feeling a wide range of emotions, from anxiety, to fear and frustration. For the LGBTQ+ community, these feelings are intensified by the unique challenges and uncertainties that this political shift will bring. Prioritizing self-care becomes crucial for maintaining both emotional resilience and mental well-being during these times. Taking steps to ground yourself, connect with others, and engage in mindful practices can create a strong foundation for navigating whatever lies ahead. Remember that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s a necessary act of self-preservation and empowerment.
Here are some supportive practices designed to help you stay centered and strong in the face of change.
Connect with Your Community: Reach out to friends, family, and chosen family (framily). Being with people who understand and support you can be incredibly grounding. Plan gatherings, virtual or in person, to share space and mutual support.
Limit News Intake: Staying informed is important, but constant updates can be overwhelming. Set specific times to check the news and avoid consuming it right before bed. Consider following uplifting or positive news sources to balance the information.
Engage in Mindfulness Practices: Activities like meditation, deep breathing, and journaling can help manage stress and anxiety. Apps like Headspace or Calm, or even a simple daily journal, can help you stay present and centered.
Move Your Body: Physical activity, whether it’s a walk, workout, yoga, or dance, releases endorphins and can be an excellent way to relieve stress. Find a type of movement you enjoy and make it a regular practice.
Create a Safe Space at Home: Make your living environment a sanctuary. Consider setting up a cozy area with items that bring you comfort, like books, photos, or artwork, and practice grounding exercises in this space when you need calm.
Engage in Creative Outlets: Writing, drawing, cooking, or playing music can provide an emotional outlet. Creativity allows expression without judgment, which can be particularly freeing during stressful times.
Set Boundaries on Social Media: While it’s tempting to scroll for information or validation, social media can be overwhelming. Limit your time or avoid certain topics altogether if they start affecting your mental well-being.
Volunteer or Advocate: Sometimes, taking action can provide a sense of control. Volunteering or supporting causes that matter to you, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, can channel your energy into positive change.
New research has revealed the impact of transphobia on transgender and non-binary people’s mental health.
The study, “State of Trans+ Mental Health 2024,” surveyed more than 2,000 people across 75 countries, with 68 per cent of respondents saying they had been diagnosed with a mental-health condition. On average, one in every six suffered with depression and anxiety. More than 51 per cent experienced “poor or very poor” mental health.
More than 80 per cent of those who responded said a lack of social acceptance was one of their main challenges, while a similar number, 79.8 per cent, put gender dysphoria as one of their biggest hurdles. Fear of discrimination (70.7 per cent) and family rejection (59.9 per cent) were also mentioned.
The report, published by LGBTQ+ mental wellness app Voda, found that just 14.7 per cent had a positive experience when accessing healthcare, while 40.7 per cent had difficulty even doing so.
An overwhelming majority of respondents emphasised the importance of mental-health services for trans people being created by transgender and non-binary individuals, with nearly 84 per cent highlighting the need for therapists or mental-health professionals to also transgender or non-binary.
Jaron Soh, Voda’s co-founder and chief executive, said: “This report is a call to action to recognise the significant gaps in mental-health provision for trans+ individuals, and [to] work toward creating inclusive, affirming services that address their needs.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has eased the regulations on kidney and liver donations between HIV-positive donors and HIV-positive recipients, something that HHS says will increase access to these organs.
A rule on interpretation of the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act removes requirements for clinical research and institutional review board approval for such donations, “based on research demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of kidney and liver transplants between donors and recipients with HIV,” says an HHS press release. The rule became final Wednesday.
“We continue to do everything in our power to increase access to life-saving organs while addressing health inequities faced by people with HIV,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. “This rule removes unnecessary barriers to kidney and liver transplants, expanding the organ donor pool and improving outcomes for transplant recipients with HIV. This evidence-based policy update demonstrates our commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to the care they need.”
“Research shows that kidney and liver transplants between donors and recipients with HIV can be performed safely and effectively,” added Adm. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health. “This policy change reflects our commitment to following the evidence and updating our approaches as we learn more. By removing research requirements where they are no longer needed, we can help more people with HIV access life-saving transplants.”
The HOPE Act, passed in 2013, allows for organ donation by people with HIV only to those who are already living with the virus. Under the act, “donors with HIV must not have evidence of opportunistic infections and recipients must have a stable CD4+ T-cell count and established HIV suppression and control on effective antiretroviral therapy,” the new rule explains.
Research has demonstrated “that the safety and outcomes of kidney and liver HOPE Act transplants are well established, with over 517 HOPE Act kidney and liver transplants conducted to date,” the new rule notes. The requirements for these transplants that were revoked by the new rule created an unnecessary barrier, according to HHS.
HHS published the proposed rule in the Federal Register in September and received 56 public comments on it before it became final.
Also Wednesday, the National Institutes of Health, part of HHS, published a notice seeking public comment on a proposed revision to its research criteria for HOPE Act transplants of other organs, such as heart, lung, and pancreas. “This effort aims to streamline the HOPE Act research requirements and continue to build an evidence base of outcomes data on HOPE Act transplants of organs other than livers and kidneys,” the press release says. Comments are due by December 12.
Last week, the Ugandan High Court of the Civil Division awarded $40,000 (the equivalent of 150 million Ugandan shillings) to 20 men who were tortured by police after their 2020 arrests for alleged homosexuality.
“They assert that on the morning of the said date their residence was invaded by a mob, among which were the respondents, that subjected them to all manner of torture because they were practicing homosexuality,” Justice Douglas Singiza reportedly stated.
“The alleged actions of torture include beating, hitting, burning using a hot piece of firewood, undressing, tying, biding, conducting an anal examination, and inflicting other forms of physical, mental, and psychological violence based on the suspicion that they are homosexuals, an allegation they deny.”
The torture occurred in the village of Nkokonjeru in the Kyengera Town Council – Wakiso District. The plaintiffs worked with the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, a non-profit human rights organization. They filed a human rights complaint against the Kyengera town council, mayor Abdul Kiyimba, principal officer Philimon Woniala, and the Attorney General.
The arrests happened just after the Ugandan government implemented COVID-19 lockdowns.
“Based on the same suspicion [of homosexuality], the applicants were then arrested, taken to Nkokonjeru B police station, and charged with doing a negligent act likely to spread infection by disease,” said Singiza. He noted that there was little evidence given for violations of the country’s anti-homosexuality laws and that the investigations lacked merit.
The men were then sent to prison on March 31, 2020, “Where they were again allegedly beaten, examined, harassed, and subjected to discrimination.”
Uganda has strict laws against homosexuality. The 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in May 2023, makes what it describes as “aggravated homosexuality” — including same-sex acts that transmit HIV — punishable by the death penalty, imposes a life sentence for “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex “activities,” and even bans identifying as LGBTQ+ in Uganda. It has been roundly condemned by human rights organizations, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, President Joe Biden, and even Pope Francis.
Dr. Frank Mugisha, human rights activist and executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, said on X of the ruling: “A Ugandan court has awarded Shs150 million to 20 Ugandans who were tortured for alleged homosexuality during the COVID lockdown, marking a significant victory for the LGBTQ+ community. This decision builds on earlier successes, including a 2008 ruling for Victor Mukisa and a favorable judgment against Rolling Stone, a Ugandan tabloid known for its harmful publications.”
“Local leaders and politicians have now been put on notice that if you beat up people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, you pay from your own pockets,” said Adrian Jjuuko, executive director of Uganda’s Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum, in a statement to Barron’s.
In addition to the brutality experienced by LGBTQ+ people, Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act has already cost the country as much as $1.6 billion in the year since it became law, according to a new report by Open for Business, a coalition of global companies dedicated to LGBTQ+ inclusion.
“It is estimated that in the twelve months following the AHA’s passage, Uganda has made an economic loss of between $470 million and $1.6 billion,” according to the report, a sum that comprises between 0.9–3.2% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
LGBTQ people and allies are speaking out about the upcoming groundbreaking oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court regarding access to health care for transgender youth.
The case, U.S. v. Skrmetti, challenges Tennessee’s law banning health care such as hormone therapy and puberty-pausing medications for transgender youth under 18, while the same treatments remain available to cisgender (non-transgender) youth. The law also criminalizes doctors and providers who seek to support transgender youth. As the ban is one of approximately 25 such bans passed in Republican-controlled state legislatures around the country in recent years, the Court’s decision could have a widespread impact on the availability of care to all youth nationwide.
The stakes are high for transgender people and their loved ones, and for everyone who cares about freedom and the ability to take care of their families without government interference. Experts and members of the transgender community spoke out about the significance of the case and their personal stories on a recent media briefing hosted by GLAAD, the American Civil Liberties Union, the GenderCool Project, and the Fenway Institute.
Sruti Swaminathan (they/them), a staff attorney with the ACLU National, kicked off the briefing by outlining the basics of the case and potential impact, particularly in the current landscape as we prepare for the next presidential administration to take office.
“The misinformation stemming from the Trump campaign and soon to be administration with respect to transgender identities and the demonization of the medical care that transgender people access has a catastrophic impact on the way non-transgender individuals and individuals who have the least amount of knowledge about us view these issues,” Swaminathan explained.
“It is going to be more important than ever to center trans voices in the media and elevate trans stories in daily interactions. Litigation will be essential, but it will not be enough. We will engage on every advocacy front, including mobilizing and organizing our network of millions of ACLU members and activists in every state to work to protect LGBTQ people from the dangerous policies of a second Trump administration.”
Kai (he/him), a 21-year-old college senior and GenderCool Project Champion, transitioned at 10 years old and is thriving today due in large part to the lifesaving health care and support he received. He’s passionate about GenderCool’s work to embrace positive storytelling around young people to dispel misinformation, and urges media coverage and people talking about this landmark case to do the same.
Transgender Flag, Getty
“What’s going to move viewers is seeing our faces, hearing our voices, and feeling the impact that these unjust laws are going to have on real human beings,” Kai said as he urged reporters to focus on the humanity at the center of the case. “Most importantly, allow these trans voices to shine through by truthfully articulating their lived experience; give them the stage to do that. Facts don’t always elicit the emotions we need to tell with this story. Sometimes we find ourselves so caught up in the stats and the legal jargon, and we forget what’s really at stake here especially with this case: the lives of young people who are just trying to be their authentic selves.”
Katie Jenifer (she/they) also participated in the briefing. Katie is a lawyer living in North Carolina and parent of a GenderCool Champion named Maddie, who she describes as a “smart, witty, very loving 17-year-old; and she is also thriving.” Maddie is co-captain of her school cheer team, enjoys embracing her creative side, and has just finished sending off college applications where she aspires to study nursing. Katie described their experiences with the media and shared that they have not always been positive due to a lack of respect for their privacy, and offered tips to journalists for their coverage.
“What I would like people to know is we’re just a regular family,” Katie said. “We’re just trying to figure out life with a teenage daughter and her college-aged sister. We make decisions about our daughters just like I imagine most families do. What should curfew be? What are acceptable school grades? How much is too much screen time? Just like other families, we try to make the best and most informed decisions that we can so we as her parents can raise a happy, healthy, kind, safe member of society.”
Katie agreed with Kai that access to health care has had a tremendous effect on her daughter’s ability to be happy and successful.
Families could be heavily affected by the outcome of this case, but so will affirming doctors and health care providers who know that care should be between families and medical experts that they trust, not the government. Sean Cahill (he/him) is the director of health policy research at the Fenway Institute, which focuses on LGBTQI+ health equity. About half of Fenway Health’s 35,000 patients are LGBTQI+ and 6,000 are transgender or nonbinary, while Sean works in the research arm of the institute which has been tracking the hundreds of bills introduced in state legislatures this year to harm transgender people.
“I don’t think it’s an accident that we see this rise in anti-transgender activism starting in 2015, the year that won full equality for same-sex marriage,” Sean explains, pointing out the trend of anti-transgender bills proposed in various areas over the past decade before spiking in the area of health care. The attacks, while vile, are part of a backlash of the overall increasing visibility and acceptance for transgender and LGBTQ people overall, according to GLAAD’s most recent Accelerating Acceptance survey.
With the wide scope of potential outcomes related to the case, it’s hard to speculate on what the justices will do. What we do know is that the most powerful thing LGBTQ people and our allies can do is to tell our personal stories of love and support for our transgender friends, neighbors, coworkers, and community members, and to share our kindness and understanding in order to move the court of public opinion. We have resilience and strength, and we need to show the next generation of transgender and nonbinary youth in this moment, and always, that we will be here for them.
The Vatican has blocked discussions on women’s rights at the UN climate summit, COP29, over concerns that support for them would include trans and gay women.
According to BBC News, representatives for Pope Francis, aligned with Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and Egypt to prevent an agreement that would have provided more support for women affected by climate change.
The 10-year-old UN action plan, Lima Work Programme on Gender, which ensures that work on climate change acknowledges support for women, including financial support, was due to be updated at the summit in Azerbaijan, which is due to end on Friday (22 November).
Several countries wanted to include a line highlighting that all women’s experiences of the impacts of climate change are different, and can be compounded by “gender, sex, age and race”.
However, the four countries and the Vatican – the world’s smallest independent state – objected, citing concerns that it could be inclusive of trans women. They also want references to gay women removed. This has reportedly stalled the deal completely.
According to LGBTQ+ rights website Equaldex, only Vatican City has fully legalised homosexuality, while in Iran and Saudi Arabia it can be punishable by death. In all but Iran, changing gender is not permitted.
Colombia’s environment minister and lead negotiator Susana Muhamad told the BBC: “It is unacceptable. The Latin American countries are working very hard, we will not allow the gender programme to drop and allow human rights to be dropped.”
And Sostina Takure, from Christian charity ACT Alliance, said she was shocked to hear the Vatican “opposed the human rights language”, adding: “My heart shattered into a million pieces.”
A spokesperson for the Vatican said: “The Holy See hopes that consensus will be reached, with respect for the sensitivities of each participating state and in a language acceptable to all.”
The current UN plan on gender and climate is due to expire at the end of this year, meaning if the countries do not come to an agreement by Friday, there will be no specific global agreement for supporting women facing the effects of climate change.
According to a report by UN Women, by 2050 almost 240 million more women and girls will face food insecurity caused by climate change, compared with 131 million more men and boys. Almost 160 million women and girls will be pushed into extreme poverty by climate change, the report added.
Charities including ActionAid said it was crucial to reach a deal because the UN estimated that women and girls currently make up 80 per cent of those displaced by climate change.
Donald Trump is planning to implement a total ban on transgender service members and recruits on “Day One,” according to Defense Department insiders, which will have massive costs that affect both military preparedness and the DoD’s bottom line.
A total trans ban will cost the Pentagon at least $18 billion, according to Emily “Hawking” Shilling, president of SPARTA, a leading trans military advocacy organization.
The group estimates 73% of the 15,000 transgender service members in the U.S. military are senior enlisted personnel with 12 to 21 years of experience. The total operational investment in them is up to $176,000 per year per person, adding up to an $18 billion capital investment.
That figure is in addition to a $1 billion estimate to recruit and train replacements for those discharged under a potential ban, according to a study by the Palm Center.
“Abruptly discharging 15,000-plus service members, especially given that the military’s recruiting targets fell short by 41,000 recruits last year, adds administrative burdens to war-fighting units, harms unit cohesion, and aggravates critical skill gaps,” Shilling told Erin in the Morning. “There would be a significant financial cost, as well as a loss of experience and leadership that will take possibly 20 years and billions of dollars to replace.”
In his first term, Trump issued a memorandum banning transgender individuals from military service, citing a “financial burden.” The Biden Administration then overturned the ban.
Shilling said savings in healthcare costs per transgender service member would amount to about $650 annually, or $8 million in savings each year.
The Pentagon’s budget for 2023 was $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the federal budget.
Shilling said the most immediate impact of a total trans ban would be on military preparedness “in every theater of the world.”
“If it were a fairly fast-moving ban, you would be pulling these individuals out of their units, leaving critical gaps in skill sets, experience, and leadership positions that you’re just not going to be able to fill with equivalent people anytime soon, especially given the shortfalls in recruiting,” Shilling said.
Despite the rumors — the Trump transition maintains no decisions have been made on trans service members, campaign promises notwithstanding — Shilling is hopeful accommodations for trans personnel will be made.
“In the meantime,” she says, “nonprofit organizations are exploring every avenue to help,” including job transition assistance, healthcare funding, and legal support.
“The bottom line is that we are deployed, combat-ready volunteers, ready to do the nation’s business of supporting and defending it, and every individual in our country, no matter what their opinions or differences are,” Shilling said. “We fight as one.”
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They join Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in this year’s class, as voted by the LGBTQ+ Victory Action Board of Directors. Buttigieg, who has also been mayor of South Bend, Ind., and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, was inducted in August during the Democratic National Convention.
The new honorees will be inducted December 7 during the 2024 International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C.
“The 2024 nominees are not only historic firsts and trailblazers for our community, but they are highly impactful leaders, accomplished public servants, and respected for their work,” Victory Institute President and CEO Annise Parker said in a press release. “Their impact has paved the way for those who have followed them and has greatly furthered our mission of making governments worldwide more equitable for LGBTQ+ people. We are honored to induct them among our global list of LGBTQ+ political changemakers and commemorate their impact on history.”
Arrowood, a gay man, is the first out member of the LGBTQ+ community elected to a statewide office in the South. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, appointed him to the Court of Appeals to fill a vacancy in 2017, and the following year North Carolina voters elected Arrowood to a full eight-year term. He had served on the Court of Appeals in 2007-2008 as well under appointment by another Democratic governor, Mike Easley.
Arrowood has also been a Superior Court judge and an attorney in private practice, specializing in commercial litigation with the Charlotte-area firm of James, McElroy & Diehl.
Roem is the first out transgender person to serve in a state legislature. A Democrat, she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017 from a northern Virginia district and served three terms there, then was elected to the Virginia Senate in 2023. She is the nation’s second out trans state senator — Sarah McBride in Delaware was the first — as well as the first in Virginia or in any southern state.
In the legislature, she has focused on infrastructure improvement and economic development, and in elections, she has consistently bested anti-LGBTQ+ opponents.
López, a lesbian, was the first out LGBTQ+ person elected mayor of any Latin American capital city. She was elected mayor of Bogotá in 2019, the first woman to achieve that distinction, and served from January 2020 until December 2023. She also has been a senator and a vice-presidential candidate. She has been a prominent advocate for social equity, justice, women’s rights, and environmental sustainability.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is a sister organization of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Victory Fund works to elect out candidates, while Victory Institute provides training and leadership development.
A judge in Missouri has upheld the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transminors and on restrictions for the treatment for adults.
Judge Robert S. Carter of the Cole County, Mo., Circuit Court ruled Monday that the law did not violate the Missouri constitution and wrote that there is “an almost total lack of consensus as to the medical ethics of adolescent gender dysphoria treatment.” This comes even though every major medical organization supports such care.
The bans are contained in Senate Bill 49, which Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed into law in June 2023. The law took effect in August of that year after another judge refused to block enforcement of it while the lawsuit against it proceeds.
The suit was brought in July 2023 by the families of three transgender people, Southampton Community Healthcare and two of its medical providers, and two organizations, PFLAG and GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality. They are represented by Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. Gov. Parson is named as defendant. The suit is known as Noe v. Parson, Noe being one of the anonymous plaintiffs.
The law indefinitely bans gender-affirming surgeries for trans minors (genital surgery, however, is almost never performed on minors) and temporarily bans the administration of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. The latter ban is set to expire in August 2027, and young people who were already on the treatment when the law was enacted are allowed to stay on it. Gender-affirming treatment is still legal for cisgender youth for conditions such as early-onset puberty or a disorder of sex development. The law also bans Medicaid funding for gender-affirming treatment for the purpose of transition, even for adults, and gender-affirming surgeries for incarcerated people.
The statute violates the Missouri constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the law, similar to that provided in the U.S. Constitution, according to the lawsuit, and interferes with parents’ right to manage their children’s health care. Trans minors in Missouri will suffer irreparable harm under the law, the suit states.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, issued a press releasepraising Carter’s ruling and calling gender-affirming care “child mutilation.”
“The Court has left Missouri’s law banning child mutilation in place, a resounding victory for our children. We are the first state in the nation to successfully defend such a law at the trial court level,” Bailey said in the release. “I’m extremely proud of the thousands of hours my office put in to shine a light on the lack of evidence supporting these irreversible procedures. We will never stop fighting to ensure Missouri is the safest state in the nation for children.”
Before the legislature acted, Bailey had issued an emergency rule to severely restrict gender-affirming care. He withdrew it when lawmakers passed SB 49 and sent it to Parson, saying it was a stopgap measure until the legislature acted. But his rule had been blocked by a St. Louis County judge while a lawsuit against it proceeded.
Bailey has been in a legal battle with a medical center in St. Louis, as he has sought release of unredacted records on gender-affirming care. The center has refused, and a judge has sided with it. He has won release of documents from three other health care providers.
Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Missouri said they will appeal Carter’s ruling. His decision is “largely copying a brief submitted by the State and ignoring thousands of pages of a transcript not yet provided to the parties that reflects nine days of testimony in the case,” which was heard in September and October, says a press release from the groups.
“We are extremely disappointed in this decision, but this is not the end of the fight and we will appeal. However, the court’s findings signal a troubling acceptance of discrimination, ignore an extensive trial record and the voices of transgender Missourians and those who care for them, and deny transgender adolescents and Medicaid beneficiaries from their right to access to evidence-based, effective, and often life-saving medical care,” Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Missouri said in the release.
“Despite heartfelt testimony from parents of transgender youth, transgender adults who’ve benefited from this care at various stages of life, a transgender minor, and some of Missouri’s most dedicated health care providers, the state has prioritized politics over the well-being of its people,” the organizations added. “This ruling sends a chilling message that, for some, compassion and equal access to health care are still out of reach.”
