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Republican Governor Launches Supreme Court bid to Deny Trans Prisoner Surgery

Idaho governor Brad Little, the person responsible for some of America’s most transphobic laws, has appealed to the Supreme Court to avoid paying for a transgender inmate’s gender confirmation surgery.

Little filed a petition after being ordered to provide surgery for 31-year-old Adree Edmo, a trans woman who is being housed in a men’s facility in Idaho.

She is serving 10 years for sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy when she was 22, and is not eligible for parole.

Edmo was diagnosed with gender dysphoria while in prison and her condition has grown so severe that she has reportedly attempted to castrate herself twice.

Denying trans woman surgery ruled ‘cruel and unusual’.

Last year a court of appeals upheld a previous ruling that denying Edmo the surgery constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

But Little is appealing the ruling for a second time as he insists that he “should not have to pay for a procedure that is not medically necessary”.

He has vowed to “vigorously litigate” the ruling by taking it to the country’s highest court after the Ninth Circuit Court refused his request to hear the case for a third time.

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“The Ninth Circuit’s decision goes against the text and original meaning of the Eighth Amendment and contradicts more than four decades of Supreme Court precedent,” Little said in a release.

“We will vigorously litigate the Ninth Circuit’s unprecedented ruling at the Supreme Court because the taxpayers of Idaho should not have to pay for a procedure that is not medically necessary.”

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Idaho governor Brad Little’s anti-trans crusade

The state of Idaho is currently being sued by two human rights organisations thanks to a virulent anti-trans campaign spearheaded by Republican governor Brad Little.

In the midst of a pandemic, the governor signed two laws that campaigners say effectively make transgender people second-class citizens.

The first, HB509, bans transgender people from changing the gender on their birth certificates, flouting a previous a federal court ruling on the issue.

It asserts that the state will prohibit any changes to gender markers and only recognise a so-called “biology-based definition of sex” based on “immutable biological and physiological characteristics, specifically the chromosomes and internal and external reproductive anatomy”.

The second bill, HB500, bans schools and colleges from letting transgender girls from taking part in girls’ sports.

Under the “mean-spirited” law, girls whose sex is “disputed” will be required to subject themselves to invasive testing to show medical evidence of their “internal and external reproductive anatomy”.

In addition, pupils who believe they have been “disadvantaged” by their transgender classmates will be able to sue their schools for damages.

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Joe Biden Pledges to Make Sure PrEP; Gender Affirming Surgeries are Covered by Insurance

Joe Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to LGBT+ healthcare, vowing to make PrEP and gender affirming surgeries covered by insurance plans.

The presumptive Democratic nominee described gender affirming surgeries as “medically necessary” as he vowed to reverse Donald Trump’s attacks on trans and non-binary people during a virtual town hall event with the Human Rights Campaign on Wednesday (May 6).

He also pledged to remove the price barrier which prevents many people from accessing PrEP.

“As president, I’m going to protect and build on Obamacare with a public option,” Biden said.

“That’s the fastest way to get to universal coverage. Reverse Trump’s actions and restore Obamacare protections for LGBTQ Americans.

“And cover PrEP so that people at high risk of getting HIV and AIDS, HIV/AIDS, do have – don’t have to choose between covering their rent and staying alive.

“And make sure insurance companies treat gender confirmation surgery as a medical necessary, which it is.”

Joe Biden wants to reinstate Obama-era LGBT+ healthcare protections.

The presidential hopeful said that he would reinstate the LGBT+ protections Trump had scrapped to ensure that no one is refused healthcare on the basis of their sexuality.

“Trump has been trying to gut these protections since he took office,” Biden said.

“Anyone involved in patient care, from the board of directors to a receptionist in charge of scheduling, could put their beliefs above your healthcare.”

Biden has long been outspoken in his support for LGBT+ healthcare, and his campaign platform To Advance LGBTQ+ Equality in America and Around the World calls for full coverage of care related to transitioning.

In January he stated that trans rights “is the civil rights issue of our time” and said “there is no room for compromise”.

His words and actions earned him the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign, which gave him their backing on the eight-year anniversary of him coming out in support of same-sex marriage.

“His dedication to advancing LGBTQ equality, even when it was unpopular to do so, has pushed our country and our movement forward,” HRC president Alphonso David said in a statement.

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Scientist who Debunked Myth Homosexuality is ‘Curable’ Dies

Dr Richard Friedman, the psychoanalyst responsible for debunking the myth that homosexuality can be cured, has sadly passed away at the age of 79.

As a young man Friedman stood out in his field by becoming the first to combine findings in psychobiology, gender identity and family studies with psychoanalytic theory.

His revolutionary 1988 book, ‘Male Homosexuality: A Contemporary Psychoanalytic Perspective,’ showed that sexual orientation was largely biological, not mental.

It had a major impact at a time when most other psychoanalysts were continuing to describe homosexuality as a “perversion”, even though the American Psychiatric Association had stopped classifying it as an illness by 1973.

“I felt an ethical obligation to find the reasons for anti-homosexual prejudice,” he once told an interviewer, according to the New York Times.

His wife, Susan Matorin, explained his motivation more simply: “Straight people had the same personality issues, and they got away with murder, but gay people were stigmatised, and he didn’t think that was right.”

“He very much felt like you followed the science, and it didn’t matter what the political backdrop was,” his son,Jeremiah, added.

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Using studies of identical twins and theories of developmental psychology, Friedman argued that it was biology, rather than upbringing, which played a significant role in sexual orientation.

The controversial position was a direct challenge to popular Freudian theories and thrust him into the centre of debates alongside more established heavyweights of his field.

“Given that he was a younger colleague, it was brave of him to take older experts on,” Jack Drescher, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, told the New York Times.

Friedman went on to publish an article on female homosexuality which received an award from The Journal of The American Psychoanalytic Association as the best publication of 1998.

His work on sexuality was well ahead of its time – just last year the American Psychoanalytic Association issued a belated apology for treating homosexuality as an illness, acknowledging that its past errors contributed to discrimination and trauma for LGBT+ people.

The implications of his work continue to have an impact today as LGBT+ advocates battle against the discredited practice of conversion therapy, which is still legal in most parts of the world.

Dr Richard Friedman sadly died on March 31 at his home in Manhattan. Although his cause of death has not yet been determined, he reportedly struggled for years with health problems, including cardiac and metabolic conditions.

He is survived by a wife, son, two daughters and two grandchildren.

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Tunisia the first Arab Country to recognise Same-sex marriage – but There’s a Catch

The Republic of Tunisia has become the first Arab state to recognise a same-sex marriage, a Tunisian LGBT+ rights organisation has announced.

According to Association Shams, a marriage settlement between a Frenchman, 31, and a Tunisian man, 26, was legally recognised in Tunisia for the first time on Friday.

Homosexuality is illegal in the north African country and same-sex marriage is not yet permitted, but the marriage in question was formalised in France.

It was officially noted in the birth certificate of the Tunisian registry, allowing the Tunisian man to obtain a visa for family reunification. Both men have remained anonymous for their safety.

Although the news hasn’t been confirmed by the Tunisian state, Shams is celebrating it as a huge step forward for LGBT+ rights in the Arab-Muslim world.

“[It is a] success of which I am very proud,” said SHAMS president Mounir Baatour, adding that it followed a years-long legal battle.

“We won… against the many post-revolutionary political-judicial regimes! This is not the least of my satisfactions.

“To my knowledge, Shams is now the only [LGBT+] legal association in the Arab-Muslim world. This is not nothing and offers us hardly believable opportunities, sometimes beyond our borders.”

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Tunisian lawyer Mounir Baatour, president of Association Shams, which supports the depenalization of homosexuality in Tunisia

The news has sparked outrage among Tunisian media, with some denouncing it as “heresy”.

When contacted by the independent Tunisian news site Nawaat, the Tunisian government did not confirm or deny that the marriage had been recognised.

“There is no centralisation of civil status data at the ministry of local affairs. We are therefore in the process of verifying the information,” said minister Lotfi Zitoun.

But he added: “If it is true, know that it is against the law. French law does not allow recognition of same-sex marriage by Maghreb countries. There was a precedent, an error committed by the municipality of Tunis. And it has been rectified.”

The LGBT+ and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was tentatively optimistic but acknowledged that there is more work to be done.

He told The Jerusalem Post: “This recognition of a gay marriage is a milestone in the Arab world. But it is indirect recognition, and not the legalisation of marriage between same-sex couples.

“Even if it is appealed or overturned, this is a breakthrough that will give hope to LGBT+ people in Tunisia and across North Africa and the Middle East.”

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Third Trans Woman Murdered in a Week as ‘Epidemic of Anti-LGBT+ Violence’ Worsens in Puerto Rico

LGBT+ advocates are mourning three trans women who were tragically murdered within a single week in Puerto Rico.

The bodies of Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, 32, and Layla Pelaez Sánchez, 21, were found together in a charred car on April 21.

Their deaths were preceded by Penélope Díaz Ramírez, 31, who was killed in a correctional centre on April 13. Her death was not reported until April 27.

It marks the ninth violent death of a transgender person in the US this year, and comes as Puerto Rican activists desperately warn: “They are hunting us.”

“There is no longer any doubt, this is an epidemic of anti-LGBT+ violence,” said Pedro Julio Serrano of Coalition for the Search for Equity (CABE), a Puerto Rican LGBT+ group.

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“The police have the obligation to disclose the status of the investigations of at least eight murders, one death without a determined cause and several attacks in which LGBTTIQ people have been injured since January 2019.”

Tori Cooper, director of the Human Rights Campaign‘s transgender justice initiative, agreed that the problem is escalating.

Puerto Rico trans women murdered

“Never in my career have I seen so many reports of deaths of our transgender and gender non-conforming community in such a short time in one location,” she said after the latest murder.

“Penélope did not deserve to die. Transgender people do not deserve to die. Every single advocate, ally, elected official and community member must stand up in light of this horrific news and say ‘No more.’ What we are doing is not enough.”

She continued: “Transgender and gender non-conforming people, especially women of colour, are too often the victims of a toxic mix of transphobia, racism and misogyny.

“People and policy must work together to protect our lives and our well-being. HRC stands in solidarity with all who knew and loved Penélope, and we will continue our tireless fight to ensure a future where living one’s truth can never become a death sentence.”

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School District Sued for ‘Gay Bashing’ Campaign that led to Suicide Attempt

A mother is suing a school district which she claims did nothing to stop the relentless homophobic bullying that drove her son to attempt suicide.

Traci Matuschek has launched a federal lawsuit against Warren Consolidated Schools over an alleged campaign of abuse at Sterling Heights High School in Michigan.

Her 15-year-old son came out as bisexual to his football teammates in August 2018, believing they’d support him as “he thought they were his friends, like family”.

Unfortunately his peers weren’t as supportive as he’d hoped and he was subjected to vicious homophobic bullying, with some of his teammates at the centre of it.

“He was getting gay-bashed in school,” Matuschek told the Macomb Daily. “He quit something he loved. He played football since he was in the seventh grade.”

15-year-old was called a ‘fag’ and physically assaulted.

Students reportedly called him a “fag,” a “faggot,” and asked if he looked at other players’ genitalia in the locker room or got aroused while playing.

By October the bullying had escalated to physical violence, and on one occasion a football player allegedly stamped on his head until he got a concussion.

According to the suit, the school didn’t provide Matuschek’s son with any medical attention or discipline the student who stomped on him. A complaint filed with police also failed to bring any charges against the student.

“As a direct result of the severe harassment, [the boy] became socially withdrawn, became frightened of the school environment, suffered academically and fell into deep depression,” the lawsuit says.

Teenager attempted suicide after homophobic bullying.

His mother said school officials were fully aware of the bullying but failed to take action, effectively ignoring it until it was too late and the boy attempted suicide.

Fortunately his parents were able to intervene, but the incident has left him with severe emotional trauma.

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“He’s afraid to go to the park or anywhere because he’s constantly looking over his shoulder,” Matuschek said, noting that several of the bullies live in the local area.

She alleges the school district violated her son’s civil rights based on sexual orientation and sex, as well as violated the 14th Amendment, equal protection and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender.

The lawsuit is seeking more than $75,000 in damages for emotional distress and “loss of educational opportunities,” along with attorney fees.

The school district has refused to comment on the lawsuit.

The Samaritans are the UK’s suicide reduction charity and their free helpline number is 116 123.

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Trump’s new Press Secretary, who Opposes Marriage Equality; Trans-inclusive Bathrooms

This week Trump welcomed his new White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, a combative TV pundit with a long history of anti-LGBT+ comments.

McEnany has previously worked as Trump’s spokesperson for his re-election campaign and as a pro-Trump commentator on CNN during the 2016 presidential election.

She’s frequently appeared on television to defend him and his policies, revealing some particularly unsavoury views as she does so.

The LGBT+ advocacy group GLAAD has compiled a list of her most egregious comments, which include opposing a bill to ban conversion therapy and repeatedly framing the issue of transgender bathroom access as a “predatory” threat to women and girls.

McEnany has previously argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality is a threat to religious rights, and described late justice Antonin Scalia’s criticism of a pro-marriage equality ruling as “awesome“.

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And she dismissed claims of LGBT+ discrimination prior the Supreme Court ruling as nothing more than “farcical blabber.”

“Throughout her career, Kayleigh McEnany has used her role as a commentator to attack LGBTQ people through the press,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.

“Whether it be her opposition to marriage equality or her attacks on transgender people, McEnany has shown that she knows how to, and even enjoys using the media to spread dangerous, anti-LGBTQ messages to wide audiences.

“Unfortunately, in her new role as press secretary, she will have the power to continue doing so, but now with the White House name attached to hers.”

McEnany has already come under fire for her early statements on the coronavirus, which dangerously downplayed the risk.

“We will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here, we will not see terrorism come here,” she boldly stated on Trish Regan Primetime. “And isn’t that refreshing when contrasting it with the awful presidency of President Obama?”

Since McEnany made the comments on February 25, over 402,000 people in the US have been infected with the coronavirus and nearly 13,000 have died.

Despite her rocky start, she won’t have to try too hard to do better than her predecessor Stephanie Grisham, who didn’t conduct a single press briefing during her nine-month tenure.

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Trans Groups Push for Urgent Government Funding

Multiple transgender organisations have joined calls for the US government to provide urgent funding to support trans people through the coronavirus pandemic.

The California-based groups have written to governor Gavin Newsom proposing the creation of an Emergency Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund to address the urgent and long-term needs of the trans community.

Trans people are among the most marginalised groups in the country, the open letter explains, and face significant barriers in society which have have only been exacerbated by the coronavirus.

“The structural and institutional change that must occur to counter these barriers means an investment in trans-led organisations and services, those that are tailored to address the specific needs of TGI (transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex) people,” the letter reads.

“Because of a lack of services tailored to serve the trans community, this makes this moment especially isolating and difficult.”

There are approximately 220,000 transgender people in the state of California, many of whom are in “dire economic situations”.

The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that 12 percent of adult respondents made less than $10,000 in annual income, compared to 4 percent of the general population in that income bracket.

Add this to the fact that LGBT+ people are more likely to be vulnerable to the coronavirus, and more likely to face difficulties accessing healthcare, the need for tailored financial support during the pandemic is clear.

The groups identify specific disparities that must be addressed, including housing, healthcare, employment, and decarceration.

A specific emergency fund “would help address the immediate needs of TGI people in the midst of COVID-19, but would also help to create long-term services that would prevent the drastic impact on our community in the midst of crisis in the future,” the letter explains.

It was signed by seven groups: TransLatin@, Coalition Unique Women’s Coalition, Transgender Health and Wellness Centre, Gender Justice LA, Transgender Law Centre, El/La Para TransLatinas and the Transgender, Gender Variant, Intersex Justice Project.

They acknowledge that everyone is struggling in the face of the pandemic, but stress the importance of transgender people not being overlooked in relief efforts.

“When we say we are in this together, that obviously includes trans and gender non-conforming people,” Bamby Salcedo, president of The TransLatin@Coalition told Forbes.

“We as leaders in the community are making sure that we address those needs and issues, and so we invite all of us to really understand the meaning of we are in this together and how we are going to together change the narrative and the landscape of our community.”

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Top HIV Scientist Dies from Coronavirus in ‘Huge Blow’ to the Global Fight

Professor Gita Ramjee, a highly acclaimed scientist who dedicated her life to fighting and preventing HIV, has sadly died of coronavirus.

Ramjee, 64, was a South African researcher internationally renowned for her work expanding disadvantaged women’s access to HIV treatment.

On March 31 she tragically passed away from coronavirus complications, having just returned from a symposium in the UK. She was working on trials for a gel that could potentially reduce HIV infection.

“The passing of professor Ramjee comes as a huge blow to the entirety of the healthcare sector and the global fight against HIV/AIDS,” the deputy president of South Africa, David Mabuza, said in a statement.

“In her, we have indeed lost a champion in the fight against the HIV epidemic, ironically at the hands of this global pandemic.

“In her honour, we should heed the call to flatten the curve by strengthening our responses to this global pandemic as well as continue the fight to achieve zero new HIV infections.”

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Ramjee held an honorary professorship at the the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, as well as the University of Washington and the University of Cape Town.

In 2018 she was awarded the Outstanding Female Scientist award from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership in recognition of her work on HIV prevention, notably the field of microbicide research.

The international scientific community are now paying tribute, with the head of UNAids Winnie Byanyima describing her death as “a huge loss” at a time when the world needed her most.

“Gita was a vibrant person, a real fighter,” her colleague, professor Gavin Churchyard, told the BBC. “If she sets her mind on something, nobody better stand in her way.

“That will be my lasting memory of her – how she fought with everything to advance access to healthcare for women in disadvantaged communities.”

Many other scientists and researchers took to Twitter to share their grief at her passing.

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Lawyer Dedicated to Fighting for LGBT+ People Dies from Coronavirus

Richard Weber Jr, an attorney who dedicated his life to fighting for LGBT+ community, has died of coronavirus complications shortly after reassuring colleagues that he was improving.

The lawyer, 57, was a member of the LGBT Bar Association of New York, or LeGal, and a partner at the law firm Gallo Vitucci Klar.

He specialised in false arrest claims and helped spearhead the LGBT+ community in New Jersey. He undertook many cases pro bono and had volunteered and fundraised for LeGaL’s free weekly legal clinic for the past seven years.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, LeGal executive director Eric Lesh described Weber’s death as “devastating”.

“He reached out by email so that folks wouldn’t worry. He reached out to me and the president of the bar association, letting us know what happened and saying it was the sickest he’d ever been, but that he was on the mend,” Lesh said.

“He’d just liked some innocuous things I posted on social media. He was engaging and thought he was on the mend.

“He was a loving, kind and caring human being who gave generously of his legal talents and his energy to the LGBTQ community,” he said.

Lesh added to the New York Post that his colleague was “just a wonderful human being with a real dedication to giving back to others”.

Richard Weber Jr began experiencing coronavirus symptoms around two weeks ago and disclosed his symptoms to his law firm on March 10, after which they closed their Manhattan office.

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His death came two days after he wrote in an email that he had tested positive and was hospitalised, but was feeling better.

“Everyone at Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP is heartbroken and devastated by the loss of Richard,” the 80-lawyer firm said in a statement.

“He was a wonderful attorney and shining light at our firm. Our thoughts right now are with his family.”

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