Free Republic

Of course, this means we are getting characters like “Snowflake” and “Safespace,” who are twins. Kibblesmith described how he came up with the names for this duo: “It’s this idea that these are terms that get thrown around on the internet that they don’t see as derogatory -- to take those words and wear them as badges of honor.” He then described “Snowflake” who in addition to being poorly named, is “nonbinary and goes by they/them.” The writer added, “Snowflake has the power to generate individual crystallized snowflake-shaped shurikens.

A transgender Navy officer is suing the Pentagon over its ban on most transgender military service, arguing she faces involuntary discharge despite a successful record of service. Four other lawsuits have previously been filed against the policy, but the latest one, filed by two advocacy groups on behalf of the officer identified only as Jane Doe, is the first since the ban took effect last year. “As an experienced officer, all she seeks is the ability to continue serving her country on the same terms as others,” Jennifer Levi, transgender rights project director at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD),...

For years, Chicago attorney Jill Rose Quinn has wanted to be a judge. But for the longest time, Quinn said, she didn’t think she could land a seat on the bench. “I didn’t think the people would accept a transgender judge,” Quinn told the Tribune. But on Tuesday night, with most precincts reporting, Quinn declared victory after taking a large lead in her bid to become the Democratic nominee for a Cook County judicial vacancy. If she holds on, that likely would make her the fourth openly transgender judge across the country and the first transgender candidate in Illinois voted...

The bill, known as the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, or HB 500, will now head back to the House, where lawmakers will vote on a Senate amendment, and will then be delivered to the desk of Republican Gov. Brad Little. “We are not trying to do anything except save women’s sports for girls and women,” state Sen. Mary Souza said during the closing debate. “It is in the state’s interest. ... There is a third-party group that has been working with us on this bill, and it will be responsible for any legal defense fees.”

In order to make his policy proposals perfectly clear, presidential candidate Joe Biden has announced, "The Biden Plan to Advance LGBTQ+ Equality in America and Around the World." He should have titled it, "The Biden Plan to Restrict Religious Freedoms in America and Around the World." Or, "The Biden Plan to Undo the Freedoms Secured Under President Trump." The cat is out of the bag.

Nic Talbott keeps himself busy, working as a substitute teacher, studying for a master’s degree, helping with chores at his grandmother’s farm. He also finds time, almost daily, for rigorous workouts — to ensure he is in shape in case his dream job, serving in the U.S. military, becomes available. For now, that door is closed to him by the Trump administration for one reason: He’s transgender. Talbott, 26, was elated in 2016 when the Pentagon — with a green light from then-President Barack Obama — announced that transgender people already serving in the military would be allowed to do...

The state of New York is now permitting minors who self-identify as something other than their biological sex to alter their birth certificates. Officials in the Empire state announced this week that young people ages 16 and under who assert that they are transgender or nonbinary will be able to alter their sex marker on their birth certificate to reflect their "gender identity." Medical affidavits are not required to make the change. Proponents of the new policy hailed the move. “The actions announced today rid the state of a discriminatory and outdated policy and keeps New York rightly among the...

A Missouri lawmaker said he has never experienced so much”vitriol” and “hate” as he has faced after introducing a bill against drag queens reading to children in public libraries. Republican Missouri state Rep. Ben Baker’s bill, which seeks to ban Drag Queen Story Hour in public libraries, has been met with opposition from local librarians, the American Library Association, Drag Queen Story Hour defenders and LGBTQ proponents.

... The race to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party, after its traumatic defeat in December’s general election, has largely been conducted in the spirit of bury-the-hatchet pragmatism, to the point of tedium. The three candidates have promised, however sincerely, to maintain the general thrust of the party’s policy platform; divisions have mostly been a matter of tone, style and subtle implication. Rancor and controversy have been restrained among the candidates as well as the 500,000-strong membership. Except in one area: trans rights. A contentious row began last month, when the Labour Campaign for Trans Rights announced...

After drawing severe criticism, Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, seeks to explain why a theatre production, called Transluminate and which highlighted the work of several transgender playwrights, was held at a venue space owned and operated by it. The church “does not believe in transitioning to a different gender,” Memorial Presbyterian Church said in a statement. “However, we want to affirm the human dignity of people with gender dysphoria.” “Transluminate is a short-play festival and celebration of transgender, agender, non-binary, genderqueer, and genderfluid artists,” read the public invite to the event, held Feb. 29 and March 1 at...

South Carolina lawmakers proposed a bill Wednesday that would require transgender high school athletes to compete on teams with the gender they were assigned at birth — and not the gender they identify with. . LGBTQ advocates were quick to speak out against the legislation brought forward Wednesday, with South Carolina-based SC Equality saying the policy “creates a dangerous situation for South Carolina’s LGBTQ children, causing them to worry about their safety, wellbeing, and inclusion at school and in the community” in a statement obtained by McClatchy News. Representatives said the bill, the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” is meant to...

In a year when the General Assembly passed sweeping LGBTQ-friendly legislation, it’s a relatively low-profile health bill that has opponents questioning whether the state is going too far in its protections for transgender Virginians.The Senate Commerce and Labor committee voted 12-2 on Monday to report a bill from Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, that would ban health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on a patient’s gender identity or transgender status. The legislation, which passed the House 54-41, is expected to clear the Senate in a similarly party-line vote.The bill codifies federal protections first established under the Affordable Care...

The Arizona House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill that, if enacted, would bar trans-identified athletes from competing in girls' sports. On Tuesday, the House approved House Bill 2706, also known as the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” in a vote of 31 to 29. Sponsored by 23 Republican legislators, the bill would require any interscholastic and intramural sports overseen by schools to designate boys' and girls' sports on the basis of biological sex. “Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women or girls may not be open to students of the male sex,” reads HB 2706 in part. “If disputed,...

Mutumba claimed he hadn't been intimate with his 'wife' since the wedding two weeks before because Tumushabe said 'she' was menstruating. . . . But Tumushabe was rumbled when he was arrested or theft of a television set and clothes from his next door neighbours in January. A female police officer carried out a body search on the suspect, thinking Tumushabe was a woman, and found out he was actually a man. Mutumba is said to be 'too devastated' to talk about the incident and needs counselling.

The Arizona House of Representatives passed a bill that bans the participation of transgender athletes from girl’s sports on Tuesday. HB 2706 was passed on a party line by the Republican-controlled state house, 31-29. It will face approval from the Arizona State Senate before heading to Governor Doug Ducey’s desk.

Gender-neutral toilets in schools have left girls feeling unsafe and even put their health at risk, parents and teachers have warned. Girls who are menstruating are so anxious about sharing facilities with boys that some are staying at home for fear of being made to feel 'period shame'. With a growing number of both primary and secondary schools installing unisex toilets, some girls are risking infections by refusing to urinate all day. Others are so fearful they have stopped drinking liquids at school. The trend for single-sex toilets is driven by the wish to be more inclusive of children who...

The state legislature recently passed a bill that will allow transgender individuals to receive a new birth certificate, something advocates said will help transgender people acquire documentation in alignment with their identity. Senate Bill 657, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, will allow a person to receive a new birth certificate to reflect the change of sex without the requirement of surgery. The individual seeking a new birth certificate also may list a new name if they provide a certified copy of a court order of the name change. The bill requires proof from a health care provider that the...

Can't copy any of article. Details medical and social problems with trying to "change sex." Says Lupron, puberty suppression drug, lowers IQ 7-9 points (at least, I assume)

London will host what is being billed as the "world’s first" and transgender Muslim pride event this spring. A crowdfunding campaign raised nearly $20,000 to hold “Imaanfest: Muslim Pride" on April 11 to celebrate gay and transgender members of the Muslim community. The event will be held indoors and feature speakers, films, and an exhibition of Muslim gay and transgender history.

Biden promises he will: “Double the number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in our schools so our kids get the mental health care they need.”