Self-care note: While some of the following stories celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ people, many cover legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and nonbinary youth. Please be kind to yourself and use your discretion while reading this section. Advisory: State news is representative but not exhaustive due to space constraints; feel free to forward news about your state to [email protected] to consider for inclusion. Arizona - Bill introduced to force ballot referendum on anti-trans policies. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1013 would create a ballot question for voters asking whether the state should require that teachers forcibly out their LGBTQ+ students to their parents and whether trans students should be required to use school facilities according to their sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity. These policies were included in bills Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed last year, however, should the concurrent resolution pass through the legislature, it would go directly to voters in November, bypassing the governor entirely. District of Columbia - British Ambassador dedicates mural outside of local gay bar. The February 13th ceremony was led by the British ambassador to the United States to dedicate a mural sponsored by the British government painted on the outside wall of the Little Gay Pub. The mural, entitled “Great Love is for Everyone,” spotlights the United Kingdom’s “GREAT LOVE” international campaign, which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community. Georgia - “Don’t Say Gay” bill advances in State Senate. SB88 would require forced outing of LGBTQ+ students to their parents as well as directing public school boards to create policies regarding parental involvement on issues of gender identity. The bill passed out of committee on a 6-3 party line vote on February 13th. Kansas - Attorney General Kobach informs school districts that they are mandated to out trans students to their parents. Kobach made the statement on February 8th, and follows a letter he sent early in 2023 to six school districts to inform them that their policies which protected transgender or gender-nonconforming students from being outed to their parents violated parental rights. The statement and the letters that preceded it were released despite the fact that there is no state law explicitly requiring forced outing for trans, non-binary, or gender non-conforming students. Michigan - LGBT Detroit celebrates 30 years. The organization is North America's largest Black-founded and led LGBTQ+ non-profit. Pennsylvania - School district repeals anti-trans school facilities policy. The Perkiomen Valley School Board in Montgomery County voted 6-3 on February 12th to repeal a policy enacted in October which required that students use bathroom and locker rooms according to their sex assigned at birth. Tennessee - Murfreesboro ordered to pay $500,000 in damages to Pride group after attempted Pride ban. Murfreesboro cited an ordinance banning “indecent behavior” to deny BoroPride a permit for a Pride celebration, prompting a federal lawsuit. Murfreesboro agreed to settle the suit by paying BoroPride $500,000 and repealing the ordinance which was used to ban the Pride celebration. Anti-LGBTQ+ marriage bill heads to governor’s desk. SB596 passed the Senate in a party-line vote on February 12th. Should the bill become law, it would allow marriage officiants to refuse to perform same-sex weddings if they have moral objections to them. Utah - State school board member falsely accuses basketball player of being trans. State school board member Natalie Cline falsely accused a cis girl on a high school basketball team of being trans in a Facebook post. As a result, the girl received threats and harassment online. Governor Spencer Cox, the family of the girl who Cline targeted, and others have all called on Cline to resign her seat. Virginia - All anti-trans bills defeated. On February 8th, the Senate Education and Health Committee voted to table SB37, a forced outing bill, and SB68, an anti-trans athlete ban. All other anti-LGBTQ+ bills actively under consideration have also been defeated in committee or withdrawn by their sponsors. | 
