We’re a week closer to the end of 2024 and that means another week of positive and negative LGBTQ+ headlines. In a week when Time announced Donald Trump as Person of the Year for a second time, it might not feel like the best choice to get your hopes up for too much of the “positive” type of headline. But there are glimmers of hope if you know where to look.
The big news this week is the passage of a military spending bill that includes anti-trans clauses. Additionally, Nancy Mace, the architect of banning trans people from Capitol bathrooms, claimed to have been assaulted by a pro-trans activate (despite evidence suggesting that didn’t’ happen). But there’s good news out of the Montana Supreme Court, so that’s something.
Related
Nothing new here.
House passes anti-trans military funding
Join the frontline of change
Be informed, be inspired, and be part of the conversation that’s shaping a queerer world with our newsletter.
Trump is already planning to reinstate his old ban on trans service members in the military, but Congress is taking aim at trans families of service members already. This week, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act, and it is expected to receive a Senate vote early next week. While the bill is focused on military funding, Republican lawmakers included a more niche restriction on one aspect of military funding. Buried in the bill are clauses that would restrict TRICARE from covering gender affirming care for minors that “could result in sterilization.” In the vast majority of cases, the care that trans youth receive would not impact their fertility, but a memo seems to suggest an intention to apply the prohibition liberally, noting that they the intent is to “ban transgender medical treatment for children,” with puberty blockers and hormones being mentioned as part of that.
Even though this bill has so far only passed the house, the effects are already being planned for. Families have stated that they might leave the military over the spending bill (exacerbating the impact that Trump’s trans ban will have on the military readiness). While 45 Senate Democrats are fighting this bill and others like it that have anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ language hidden in them, it is worth noting that 81 House Democrats voted in favor of the bill.
SCOTUS rejected an anti-trans schooling bid
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard arguments last week around a gender-affirming care ban and are expected to rule on it in the summer. However, one case they have rejected concerns a conservative groups’ attempt to stop a school from being trans inclusive. The case in Wisconsin targets the Eau Claire school district, which allows students to change their names and pronouns, as well as using the correct bathrooms, without the need to involve their parents. The good news is that SCOTUS chose not to continue with the case. The bad news is that the reason they gave was related to the group not having standing as none of the complainants were the parents of trans children, and Justices Alito and Thomas have signaled that they would like the chance to restrict such policies.
Nancy Mace’s claim of assault
After helping to push a policy to stop trans people being able to use the correct bathrooms in the Capitol, Mace decided to speak out about protestors last week. That involved posting anti-trans slurs on social media through her official government account and walking around with a bullhorn yelling those same slurs, laughing at protestors getting arrested, and mocking people for being too poor to afford a lawyer.
Perhaps worried that she might lose favor with some softer Republicans, this week Mace pulled the victim game. She reported on social media that she had been accosted and then appears to have responded to her own posts as if she is using a different account to explain that “a pro trans guy out of Illinois assaulted her.” However, Elliott Hinkle and others witnessed he interaction between Mace and James McIntyre (who was later arrested by Capitol police) and argue that the person in question simply shook Mace’s hand and asked her to protect trans rights.
Related
It started two days ago, when Mace went on X to claim that she was attacked by a “pro-trans guy.”
Montana Supreme Court blocks gender-affirming care ban
In a huge win for trans rights, this week the Montana Supreme Court became the first in the nation to uphold access to gender affirming care. The original ban was voted on back in 2023 and passed after a memorable discussion on the floor of the state house in which Montana Representative Zooey Zephyr warned the legislature that passing the bill would result in “blood on your hands,” and Republicans then barred her from the floor for the remainder of the session. The Supreme Court decision not only vindicates Zephyr, it means that regardless of decisions made by SCOTUS or actions taken by Trump in his next term, Montana’s trans residents will still keep access to their gender affirming care.
Related
The ban relates to Senate Bill 99, which was signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte.
United Kingdom bans puberty blockers
Last week we talked about the “die-in” staged by trans youth over the puberty blocker ban in the United Kingdom. The ban was brought into effect back in May as an emergency act after lobbying from anti-trans groups. This week, it was announced that the United Kingdom will be banning puberty blockers indefinitely for those under 18 years old (unclear how useful puberty blockers would be for people over 18, of course). The ban is set to be reviewed in 2027 after results from trials on puberty blockers’ safety are released. While it might seem reasonable to pause prescribing puberty blockers due to a safety concern, the ban is exclusively relating to those who need them to treat gender dysphoria. Cis gender minors who need puberty blockers to treat early-onset puberty of precocious puberty will still be able to receive the treatment denied to their trans peers.
New Jersey bans book bans
In positive news, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey has taken a stand against the wave of book bans that have targeted everything from LGBTQ+ topics to Critical Race Theory, and everything that the Republicans might call “woke” in between. The Freedom to Read Act aims at “protecting the intellectual freedom of our educators and students.” Murphy said in a statement, “Across the nation, we have seen attempts to suppress and censor the stories and experiences of others. I’m proud to amplify the voices of our past and present, as there is no better way for our children to prepare for the future than to read freely.”♦
Sign up for the INTO newsletter and get your twice-weekly dose of stories that shape the queer experience, culture, and lifestyle.
