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Trans News Now 5/15/23

ceciliab | May 15, 2023

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Estrella Santos-Zacaria

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of Estrella Santos-Zacaria, a refugee who is fighting to be allowed to immigrate to the United States. The ruling holds that she has shown that she would face persecution if she were sent back to Guatemala. This decision does not grant her citizenship, nor does it grant her landed immigrant status. It does, however, allow her to stay in the US. as she continues to plead her case. The decision, which all nine justices signed, uses female pronouns in referring to the plaintiff. People magazine has this story.

The Missouri state legislature on Wednesday passed its bill which would forbid doctors from prescribing gender-affirming medical care for minors. This story comes from The AP.

Kansas City has declared itself a “sanctuary city” for transgender youth who wish to receive gender-affirming care. The mayor and city council agreed that the police would not enforce a law forbidding gender-affirming care. However, the state police or the sheriff’s deputies can enforce the law, if the governor signs it. The Advocate has this story.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill which allows doctors and other medical providers to deny care based on their “ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.” Florida law already prohibits doctors from prescribing gender-affirming medicines to minors, or performing surgery as part of gender-affirming care on minors. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.

The Texas Observer reports that hotel owner Monty Bennett demanded that a gender clinic at a children’s hospital in Dallas send him evidence that gender-affirming care was a good medical practice. They sent him copies of various studies, which he sent on to the American College of Pediatrics, a group very much opposed to gender-affirming care. That group was unimpressed. This and more came out in a recent disclosure of information on the pediatricians’ group. Essentially, the billionaire then tried to defame and defund the entire children’s hospital.

Brigitte Bandit

Brigitte Bandit, a nonbinary drag performer in Austin, Texas, went to the capitol to testify before the state legislature about its bill which would classify drag as “sexually oriented performance.” She wore the names of transgender murder victims. She was escorted from the hearing, after exceeding her allotted time limit by 15 seconds. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he is looking into an allegation of gender-affirming care to a minors at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin. This story comes from LGBTQ Nation.

While some states are going out of their way to prevent minors from getting gender-affirming health care, Washington state is protecting the right of minors to get gender-affirming health care. Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill which allows transgender minors to become wards of the state, without the state notifying their parents of their gender change. PBS NewsHour has this story.

A new poll by KFF and the Washington Post finds that the public believes that gender is determined at birth (or before). However, the majority does not favor discriminating against transgender people. This story comes from The Advocate.

Trace Lysette

Monica, the film starring Trace Lysette as a trans woman who reunites with her mother, was released in New York and Los Angeles this week. It will have a slow release elsewhere, according to Them.

The new movie L’imensita, in which Penelope Cruz stars as the mother of a transgender child, was also released this week. Ms. Cruz and director Emanuele Crialese gave an interview to Them.

Drag Isn’t Dangerous is not just a slogan; it is the title of a telethon which raised more than half a million dollars to fight anti-drag legislation. Marcia Gay Harden, the mother of three children who are all LGBTQ in one way or another (including a non-binary child), told a very personal story of why these lws affect her and her family. The Advocate has this story.

Drag competitions have been popular on television lately, but Drag Me To Dinner adds a new element: it’s a cooking competition for drag queens. This story comes from The Advocate.

Whiskey Ginger

Kevin Belle won three games on Jeopardy!. In the interview, it turns out that he hosts a trivia show as his drag persona, Whiskey Ginger. He joked with host Ken Jennings about how Ken should get a drag persona. Ken said, “This is not my world,” but the official Jeopardy! Instagram account has been asking for drag names for Ken. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

The National Health Service of England said this week that the Tavistock and Portman Gender and Identity Development Service will not be closing as quickly as announced, due to the difficulties in getting its replacement clinics up and running. This story comes from the NHS website.

A U.N. expert expressed “deep concerns” for LGBTQ rights under the current government of the United Kingdom. PinkNews has this story.

“Gender Critical” groups, people opposed to transgender minors and drag performers, will give evidence in the review of new guidelines for sex education in schools in Britain, according to PinkNews.

Myanmar has been under a military junta for more than 60 years. Indeed, when the military took control of the government, the nation was known as “Burma.” The government has been reluctant to expand LGBTQ rights, and often keeps to old colonial laws regarding LGBTQ behaviors. LGBTQ Nation reports that the fight to overthrow the government and the fight for LGBTQ rights are connected to some extent.

Queens of Eurovision

The May 11 semi-final in the Eurovision song contest featured a half time show with drag performers taking center stage. After 16 singers did their stuff the three female co-hosts, Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina and Hannah Waddingham, entered a device called the “Queen Machine” and moments later out popped three drag performers who began to entertain. Learn more from PinkNews.

The Associated Press reports that the anti-transgender bills being proposed in various states are dividing faith leaders, with some opposing the proposed legislation and others supporting it.

Women’s colleges are finding more and more of their students are either transgender or non-binary. These students are wondering if they belong on campus, and the colleges are finding themselves having to do some thinking, too. The Advocate has this story.

A new transgender history project in Washington, D.C., has launched, The Washington Blade reports.

Some former TikTok employees are reporting that the service has kept a list of users who access videos that are labeled as having “LGBT” content. While the employees do not know for sure if that list of uses has been shared with anyone outside of the company, its very existence is news. This story comes from Them.

Erin Reed

As part-time legislatures wind down their season, PinkNews takes a look at Erin Reed, who has been using social media to track proposed legislation that affects transgender people.

Speaking of Erin Reed, she and her girlfriend, Montana state Representative Zooey Zephyr, got engaged. LGBTQ Nation has this story.

Trans News Now is assembled by Cecilia Barzyk with additional content and editing by Angela Gardner. Care to make a comment on this post? Login here and use the comment area below.