Court Matters

First Biden judicial nominees confirmed. The Senate confirmed President Biden’s first two judicial nominees on June 8th with bipartisan votes. Julien Xavier Neals was confirmed as a district court judge in New Jersey and Regina Rodriguez was confirmed to the Federal District Court bench in Colorado. On June 10th the Senate also confirmed Judge Zahid Quraishi to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey, making him the nation's first Muslim-American federal judge, and advanced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the DC Circuit Court.

SCOTUS unanimously rules that immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally and granted a temporary stay for humanitarian reasons may not apply for permanent residency green cards. The case, Sanchez v. Mayorkas, decided on June 7th, could affect tens of thousands of immigrants in the “temporary protected status” (TPS) program which shields immigrants from parts of the world undergoing armed conflicts and natural disasters from deportation despite illegal entry and allows them to work in the United States.

Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to male-only draft. Justices Sotomayor, Breyer, and Kavanaugh issued a statement in declining the case saying that Congress should be allowed more time to consider ending gender-based draft registration.

Federal Matters

Congress votes to make Pulse nightclub a national memorial. Three days before the fifth anniversary of the attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation designating the site of the LGBTQ+ club a national memorial. 

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says transgender girls have a "right to compete." Secretary Cardona suggested that the Biden Administration will step in to protect those students' civil rights, as multiple states enact legislation banning transgender student athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.

Senators Markey, Shaheen, and Merkley reintroduce GLOBE Act. On June 9th, Senators Markey, Shaheen, and Merkley, as well as Representative Titus on the House side, reintroduced the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, legislation that promotes a comprehensive and inclusive U.S. foreign policy for LGBTQI+ people around the world. The bill has 20 original co-sponsors in the Senate and 96 in the House, and PFLAG, NCLR, and others endorse it.

Pentagon Announces Pride Flags to Remain Banned in Military Installations, Even During Pride Month. The Defense Department has confirmed that there will be no exception to the policy set in July 2020 banning the display of unofficial flags in military installations.

State Matters

Arkansas - ACLU sues state over ban on transgender healthcare. Arkansas is being sued over a trangender healthcare ban that prevents medical professionals from providing transgender-related care to minors. The ACLU will challenge the ban in  court, citing it as both a discriminatory act against transgender youth and a breach of First Amendment rights for physicians. 

Connecticut - Parentage Act signed, protecting kids of same-sex couples. Pride month opened with passage of a bipartisan law that will require equal treatment to children of same-sex couples. This gives LGBTQ+ parents equal legal status as any parent.

Florida - Gov. DeSantis signs anti-trans athlete ban into law. The Governor signed the so-called “Fairness in Women's Sports Act” into law on June 1st, prohibiting trans women from participating in women’s sports and trans men from participating in men’s sports. This act will be effective in public secondary, high schools, public colleges, and universities starting July 1st.

Faith Leaders Call for More Protection of the LGBTQ+ Community. Many faith leaders in Central Florida call for legislation to protect the LGBTQ+ community while remembering the 5th anniversary of the 2016 Pulse shooting. Rabbis, Pastors, and Reverends have claimed they have opened their religious doors that were previously closed to the LGBTQ+ community, and are fighting to protect them. 

Indiana - June proclaimed Pride Month for the first time in Carmel. City Councilman Miles Nelson introduced the proclamation following a push from PFLAGer Annette Gross and others. 

North Dakota - Lawmakers Ban Social Workers from Using Conversion Therapy. The members of the Administrative Rules Committee of the North Dakota Legislature voted 8-7 on June 8th to authorize a rule proposed by the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners, which oversees licensing for social workers in the state, to ban conversion therapy. The new policy states that "it is an ethical violation for a social worker licensed by the board to engage in any practices or treatments that attempt to change or repair the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning individuals."

Virginia - Loudoun County Judge temporarily reinstates P.E. teacher who stated he would not respect the gender identity of transgender students. In his ruling, Circuit Court Judge Jim Plowman Jr. ordered that Byron “Tanner” Cross be reinstated to his job at Leesburg Elementary School. [Note: Anyone with questions about this matter is invited to reach out to Diego Sanchez, Director of Advocacy, Policy, and Partnerships, at [email protected].]

Global Matters

Ghana - 21 Detained LGBTQ+ Activists in Ghana Denied Bail. Twenty-one activists were taken to jail after a so-called “unlawful gathering” where they were handing out flyers and books about coming out and being transgender. Ghana’s supportof the LGBTQ+ community is dangerously low and people can be jailed for up to three years for consensual same-sex actvities. 

India - Tamil Nadu, to be the First State in India to Ban Conversion Therapy. The order, issued by Justice N Anand Venkatesh, will prohibit any conversion attempts on people who are LGBTQ+. It also protects the LGBTQ+ community from unjust prosecution or treatment by police. 

Japan - Tokyo Activists March for LGBTQ+ Legal Protection. Activists marched to the infamous Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo with signs and music with hopes of passing an anti-discrimination bill that will protect LGBTQ+ citizens in Japan. The bill has been gaining traction since 2015, and many are hopeful that it will pass.

Mexico - 117 of 6,000 Candidates Identify as LGBTQ+ in Mexico Elections. Hoping to break down barriers, 117 LGBTQ+ members will be running in the next local and national elections. Mexico requires political parties to have an equal nomination of women and men, and the new INE rules added that they should also be including members of vulnerable communities, including the LGBTQ+ community.

Vatican City - The U.S. Embassy to the Vatican announces it will fly Pride flag for the month of June. “The United States respects the dignity and equality of LGBTQI+ people. LGBTQI+ rights are human rights,” the embassy stated on Twitter. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this year announced that U.S. embassies and consulates around the world could fly the Pride flag on the same flagpole as the American flag, during Pride Month.

Media Matters

Andrew Cuomo’s Daughter Comes Out as Queer - 23-year-old Michaela Kennedy-Cuomo posted a photo picture of her in front of two Pride flags with a caption in which she comes out as Queer. 

Burger King Pledges to Raise Money for LGBTQ+ Group with New Sandwich - Burger King slams Chick-Fil-A, who is under scrutiny for their opposition to the LGBTQ+ community, by promoting a new sandwich that will raise money for LGBTQ+ equality.

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