Gabriella Ferlita

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Trans golfer Hailey Davidson shares defiant message after US Women’s Open qualifier: ‘Never give up’

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Trans golfer Hailey Davidson has shared a defiant message to transphobes after competing in the US Women’s Open qualifier, telling her fans to “never give up”.

Davidson, the first trans golfer to win a professional women’s event back in 2021, won an alternate spot for the US Women’s Open after just missing out on automatically qualifying by one stroke earlier this month. 

The golf pro, who was born in Scotland, finished in a three-way tie for third in the 36-hole qualifier at Bradenton Country Club. 

She then claimed the first alternate spot at the event against two-time LPGA Tour winner Jasmine Suwannapura, who claimed the second alternate, and fellow player Louise Olsson Campbell. 

Taking to Instagram on 15 May, Davidson addressed the transphobia following her win. She wrote: “I may not have been able to play in any tournaments these last couple of months but that didn’t stop me from continuing to put in the work into my game every single day to be ready for any next opportunity I may have to compete. 

The golfer took to Instagram to share a message to her followers. (Instagram/@haileydgolf)

“Now to cross my fingers and hope for the best,” she continued. “No matter what, NEVER GIVE UP!,” she urged her followers.

“PS: I DO in fact have legal documentation from the USGA that allowed me to play in the first place so zero rules were broken as always,” she added, harking back to the constant criticism regarding her eligibility to play women’s professional golf. 

Davidson was subjected to cruel backlash and transphobia in January when she was forced to undergo further testosterone testing to verify her eligibility at a women’s pro tour event in Florida. 

More recently, the backlash came from a fellow golfer at the qualifier – who remained anonymous – and ridiculed her pronouns and her voice. 

The anonymous golfer said to OutKick: “Best part was when he/him/she/her/it/the holed out [from] 40 feet off the green and goes ‘f**k yeah’ with the lowest male tone I heard all day.”

The player then proceeded to cruelly compare Davidson and other trans people to a castrated dog. “There’s not any other way to explain it [other] than if you neuter a male dog, it’s still a male dog,” the player said. “We never call them [a] female dog.”

Speaking out on 22 May in response to the hateful vitriol, Davidson said on her Instagram story that she’s “alternate number 18” for the US Women’s Open, “which means I have more chance of winning the lottery than getting into the tournament.

“Running out of any opportunities, ” she added. 

Davidson also apologised for wrongly assuming who the player was who spoke to the publication. “I massively messed up there and apologise for what that may have done,” she said.

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The FDA grants trans-inclusive at-home cervical screening device a priority review

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a priority review for a trans-inclusive cervical screening at-home test to become approved in the US, and we think it’s high time for a change.

For women, trans and non-binary people with uteruses, undergoing a regular cervical smear to prevent and detect cervical cancer can be an unpleasant experience due to the cold and down-right uncomfortable speculum used. Some gender-diverse people also experience gender-based discrimination in such appointments.

The outdated device used in pelvic appointments to separate the vaginal walls can be cold and uncomfortable. The clamp-like instrument was invented in the mid-19th century and hasn’t adapted much since its bleak origins. 

But the wait for a trans-inclusive and women’s-forward cervical screening at-home test might not be much longer, as the Teal Wand has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation status from the FDA. This means once the women-owned brand Teal Health submits its final study, it will be fast-tracked for a review.

This status is reserved for devices which the FDA believes could provide more effective diagnosis or treatment of life-threatening diseases, as well as their potential to benefit populations impacted by healthcare disparities. 

Self-collected cervical screening tests actively reduce barriers for women and LGBTQ+ people facing healthcare-based discrimination. In the UK, LGBTQ+ people are less likely to access vital screenings, with 15 per cent of lesbian and bisexual women over 25 never having had a smear test, compared to seven per cent of women over 25 in general.

The new device allows people at risk of cervical cancer (all those with a cervix who are or have been sexually active) to perform their pap smear in the comfort of their own home with less discomfort, nerves and pain, compared to in-clinic collection methods, according to clinical trial results.

The tool combines a wand designed to fit all bodies”, a dial which “moves up and down to extend and retract the sponge”, and a soft sponge which collects the cervical cells for testing.

Similar self-collection screenings for cervical cancer are already available in other countries. In Australia, the government introduced such tests in July 2022. 

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The first trans voting centre in the US is set to open in Los Angeles

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The facility will be held at The Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center on North Martel Street for the nominating contest in California on 5 March. The centre is open to all voters, but organisers have stressed that it especially serves as a safe and empowering place for trans, non-binary and the LGBTQ+ community to vote. 

The centre is open between 2-5 March and will also serve as a voting centre in the general election, which will take place on 5 November . 

Aside from opening to voters, the centre provides resources, training, support and access to medical services for trans people in the community.

Across the weekend of 24 February, 119 voting centres opened across Los Angeles to allow residents to cast their votes. On 2 March, 525 further centres in LA will open for people to have their say and cast their vote before election day. 

And it’s more important than ever for the LGBTQ+ community to have their say this year on the presidential vote. Whoopi Goldberg has expressed concerns about the potential of Donald Trump being elected for a second time. 

During 9 January’s episode of The View, some of Goldberg’s co-hosts commented that young voters might not vote for Biden – or possibly not vote at all – as an act of protest against America’s support of Israel in its ongoing conflict with Palestine.

The Ghost actress seized the opportunity to plead with viewers at home to get out and vote not matter what, in order to keep Donald Trump from being re-elected.

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“I’m here to say, it is ours to lose. This is what it’s all about. Either you want it to work forward-thinking, you want everybody to have the ability to say how they feel, what they want, to move forward, or you don’t,” she warned.

“Or do you want somebody who says, ‘I’m going to be, on day one, I’m going to be a dictator’? Who says it to you, tells you, ‘I’m going to put you people away. I’m going to take all the journalists, I’m going to take all the gay folks, and I’ll move you all around and disappear you.’

“If that’s the country you want, you know who to vote for. If that’s not the country you want, you have to make a decision.”

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The first at-home cervical screening device is under clinical trial, and it’s about time

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The first at-home cervical screening device is currently under clinical trial to become FDA-approved in the USA, and we think it’s about time for a change. 

For women and those with uteruses, undergoing a regular pap smear to prevent cervical cancer can be an unpleasant experience thanks to the speculum used. 

The outdated device used in pelvic appointments to separate the vaginal walls can be cold and uncomfortable. The clamp-like instrument was invented in the mid-19th century and hasn’t adapted much since its origins. 

The new device called Teal Wand, designed by women-led company Teal Health, is an at-home cervical cancer screening device. The brand explained in an Instagram post that the at-home screening device “follows the American Cancer Society’s cervical cancer guidelines and runs the samples on approved primary HPV assays”. 

The brand also cites that one in four women are not up-to-date on their cervical screening, while 75% of women have more than one barrier to getting to a screening.

Teal Health’s initial study of the device revealed that 97% of women said the at-home cervical cancer screening device was easy or very easy to use. Meanwhile, 92% of participants said they would choose self-collect over the current standard of care with a clinician collecting, while 87% said they would be more likely to get screened if the Teal Wand was an option.

In the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 4,000 women and people with uteruses die of cervical cancer a year. Self-collected cervical screening tests are already an option in other countries and actively reduce the barrier for women and LGBTQ+ people facing healthcare-based discrimination.

The Australian Government introduced such tests in July 2022. The home kit tests “allow privacy and help break down barriers for thousands of people who have never screened – including women who have experienced sexual violence, LGBTQIA+ people and culturally and linguistically diverse and First Nations communities”, the Department of Health and Aged Care website reads.

“Australia has always punched above its weight when it comes to cervical cancer, and now Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to eliminate this deadly disease,” said the assistant minister for the department The Hon Ged Kearney.

Unsurprisingly, the original device has bleak origins. In 1945, Dr James Marion Sims performed surgeries on enslaved women without anaesthesia or pain relief, in a bid to understand the reproductive system. He invented the instrument to allow himself – and largely Cis male doctors – the ability to better look at the vagina and cervix, GE HealthCare explains.

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Grindr’s trans-inclusive filter angers gay rights activist: ‘Delete your service’

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A gay rights activist has criticised Grindr for its trans and nonbinary-inclusive filter.

Currently, the dating app prevents users from searching solely for Cisgender men and women, the site explains. “It was important to us to not further perpetuate discrimination and harm for the trans and nonbinary community.”

Instead, users can filter who they’d like to speak to on the app. The trans-inclusive filter details “three umbrella gender groups”: men, women and non-binary people.

Fred Sargeant took to X (formerly Twitter) on 5 February to question the app’s filter. The app detailed its trans-inclusive filter in a frequently asked questions section of the website.

However, Sergeant criticised the app – which was the most popular among users aged 54+ last year. “So, filtering for gay men is bad but filtering for trans and nonbinary is okay @Grindr? You recognise trans/nonbinary needs to discriminate while invalidating precisely the same need for gay men. 

“Delete your service @Grindr. You’re no longer needed.”

Fred Sargeant questioned the app’s filter. (X/@FredSargeant)

Others took to the comments section, with one social media user branding the app “homophobic” for its trans-inclusive filter. “Gay men, @Grindr is no longer for us,” a different person wrote. 

A representative of Grindr told PinkNews: “Trans men, trans women, and non-binary people have been a part of the Grindr community from the very beginning, and we have always been committed to creating a safe space for trans users. 

“This has included working with the National Center for Transgender Equality on profile fields for gender identity and pronouns, and building a Gender Identity Resource Center so that cis Grindr users can increase their understanding of trans people and issues.

“As part of our commitment to our trans users, we are pursuing a gender filtering system to allow all users, trans and cis, to find who they’re looking for on the app. Users who are only interested in men, for example, can select not to see women and explore a Grindr cascade of men. Of course, trans men are men, so users filtering to see men will see both cis and trans men.”

What is Grindr’s trans-inclusive filter?

The FAQ on the website regarding the trans-inclusive filter reads: “Why can’t I filter for Cis Men or Cis Women?”

“We allow filtering based on gender – you can specify that you want to see men or women – but this will include all men or all women, because trans men are men and trans women are women. 

“You can also filter for trans and nonbinary people, as we know it’s critical for this community to be able to find each other easily.”

Grindr explains its trans-inclusive filter on its website. (Grindr)

The FAQs also explain that the “Cis Man/Woman” gender identities have changed to “Man/Woman” as part of their “ongoing commitment to inclusivity and an effort to reduce discrimination toward trans and nonbinary folks”.

Users can edit their gender and pronouns in the app’s settings “to search (and be found) by gender identity”. 

“We have a list of 50+ gender identities to choose from – and even provide non-gendered pronoun options for languages that don’t have gendered pronouns. To ensure that culturally specific gender identity terms were included in that list, we partnered with experts across 20 languages. 

“We’re still learning every day – and always open to expanding that list. If you have a gender identity or pronoun suggestion for us, please submit it using the Suggest a Gender link on the gender selection screen.”

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Amber Glenn becomes the first out queer woman to win the US Figure Skating Championship

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Amber Glenn has won the U.S. Figure Skating Championship, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to win. 

Glenn — who identifies as bisexual and pansexual — has competed in the championship eight times prior, and won the silver medal in 2021 and the bronze medal in 2023. 

Despite making mistakes on two major jumps in her free skate routine on 26 January, Glenn won with 210.46 points to silver medalist Josephine Lee’s 204.13 points and bronze medalist  Isabeau Levito’s 200.68 points.

She’s competed in the competition eight times prior. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

In an interview with NBC Sports, the victor said: “Being the first openly queer women’s champion is incredible. When I came out initially, I was terrified. I was scared it would affect my scores or something.

She continued: “It was worth it to see the amount of young people who felt more comfortable in their environments at the rink, [people] who feel, ‘Oh, I’m represented by her, and she’s one of the top skaters [so] I don’t have to try and hide the sight of me.’ Just because you have this aspect doesn’t mean you can’t be a top athlete.”

Glenn’s win marks the first openly LGBTQ+ woman athlete to reach the top spot at the competition, but there are other out queer U.S. figure skaters, including Adam Rippon, Eliot Halverson, Karina Manta, and Timothy LeDuc.

The figure skater won the championship a decade after winning the junior U.S. championship title in 2014, and navigating a few bumps in the road during her professional career. 

At the start of this season, Glenn suffered from a severe concussion and was previously forced to withdraw from the 2022 Olympic trials after testing positive for Coronavirus.

“This wasn’t exactly how I wanted to win my first national title, but I’m extremely grateful for it,” she said during a press conference following the event. “It means so much to me, after everything I’ve been through in the last 10 years.”

Glenn proudly lifted the Progress Pride flag following her win and came out publicly in 2019. She said to Dallas Voice at the time: “The fear of not being accepted is a huge struggle for me.

“Being perceived as [going through] ‘just a phase’ or ‘[being] indecisive’ is a common thing for bisexual/pansexual women. I don’t want to shove my sexuality in people’s faces, but I also don’t want to hide who I am.”

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Lawmakers in South Carolina approve ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors

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Lawmakers in South Carolina, USA, have approved a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth. 

On 18 January, the Republican-dominated House debated and voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of the bill, as per AP News. The bill prevents health professionals from performing gender-affirming surgery, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone therapy for patients under 18 years old.

The bill also prevents those under the age of 26 – eight years past the age of majority in the Southern US state – from using Medicaid, the nation’s public health insurance program for those from a low-income background, to cover the cost of gender-affirming treatment. 

Furthermore, the bill forces teachers and school employees to out transgender and non-binary children to their legal guardians in a potentially unsafe home environment, as it’s illegal for them to withhold such knowledge. 

The South Carolina proposal on the ban will soon head to the state Senate, where the chair of the Medical Affairs Committee has said ‘it will have his attention’, according to the outlet.

Last week, lawmakers heard from witnesses and experts on the bill – dubbed House Bill 4624 – including medical experts, who warned that the deeply restrictive legislation could have a detrimental impact on children in the state.

Among those testifying against the bill on medical grounds was paediatrician Dr Deborah Greenhouse, who informed the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs that, contrary to what they might believe, trans minors in South Carolina do not undergo gender-affirming surgeries. Rather, trans youth who do qualify for gender-affirming care with “fully-involved” parents’ consent, are more likely to have access to hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers, which can be lifesaving treatments.

In support of this point were parents Dave and Rebecca Bell, who spoke on behalf of their 15-year-old transgender daughter.

The couple revealed that it had taken years for their daughter to be approved for gender-affirming care, with seven visits to an endocrinologist over three years. But, when their child was finally approved for treatment with puberty blockers, they noted a significant difference in her mental health.

Her access to such treatment even meant she was able to stop taking mental health medications. “She did take antidepressants, but in fact, after starting HRT she was able to stop taking them,” they shared.

Elsewhere in the committee hearing, Dr Elizabeth Mack, who is the president of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, pointed out that gender-affirming care is only provided to trans minors, following meticulous protocols after thorough consultation with doctors and parents.

Dr Mack also pointed out that gender-affirming care for minors is approved and endorsed by every mainstream medical organisation as a safe practice if administered correctly.

Some people shared their testimony anonymously; like one 17-year-old transgender child, who feared what might happen to them if the bill was passed. 

“I cannot give you my name because I am one of the kids at risk of physical harm if my family knows I am trans,” their letter read. “South Carolina’s trans kids are all watching you today. We are afraid.”