| | | | Three civil rights groups file lawsuit against “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida. Lambda Legal, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Southern Legal Counsel filed a lawsuit on behalf of LGBTQ+ students and families, arguing that the vague language and large scope of the law leave room for any parents who oppose any discussion of LGBTQ+ people to sue schools. Federal judge temporarily blocks enforcement of anti-transgender sports ban in Indiana. According to U.S. District Court Judges Jane Magnus-Stinson, HB 1041 likely violates Title IX and the Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. The law, which took effect on July 1st, requires schools to segregate sports teams according to athletes’ sex assigned at birth, rather than gender identity. 22 states sue USDA over LGBTQ+ school meal non-discrimination requirements. A federal school meal program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented a non-discrimination policy based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Attorneys General of 22 states that have school-based anti-trans laws have filed lawsuits claiming that the USDA policy unfairly forces school districts to follow either state law or feed students. “forces states to adopt a new and unlawful application” of Bostock v. Clayton County. Biden nominates LGBTQ+ state judge to the federal bench. Judge Daniel Calabretta was nominated for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. He is openly gay and has served on the Superior Court of Sacramento County since 2019. He will be the first openly LGBTQ+ judge to serve on the District Court if confirmed. Michigan Supreme Court decision holds LGBTQ+ workers protected under civil rights law. The decision in Rouch World, LLC v Department of Civil Rights states that discrimination based on sexuality and gender nonconformity is prejudice based on a person’s sex, and therefore violates Michigan's civil rights laws. The ruling will prohibit employers and landlords from discriminating against LGBTQ+ people. Virginia school board asks court to uphold teacher dismissal for anti-discrimination violations. An amicus brief submitted by Equality Virginia and more than 35 other signatories asks the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold the dismissal of a wrongful termination suit filed by a former teacher against the West Point School Board. He claimed wrongful termination after being fired for refusing to use pronouns consistent with a transgender student’s gender identity. | | | |  | | | Biden Administration declares monkeypox a national public health emergency. The designation will free up emergency funds and lift some bureaucratic hurdles to combat the outbreak of the disease, which has primarily impacted men who have sex with men. Read PFLAG National Executive Director Brian Bond’s statement on the monkeypox outbreak. Majority Leader Schumer announces deal on the Inflation Reduction Act. Sen. Sinema announced her support for the $740 billion spending package following some changes to the tax provisions in the bill, ensuring the bill has the necessary 50 votes to pass via reconciliation. The bill will allow Medicare to negotiate the price of some prescription drugs, fund efforts to combat climate change, and extend funding for Affordable Care Act subsidies. A vote is expected on Saturday, August 6th. Senators introduce bipartisan abortion bill. Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska introduced the bill, which would prohibit state abortion regulations that prevent access before fetal viability and would protect access to contraception. HHS proposes expanded LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights protections under Affordable Care Act. Under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, discrimination based on sex, including gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity is prohibited, reinforcing protections for LGBTQ+ patients and for reproductive healthcare. The proposed rule affirms protections consistent with President Biden’s Executive Orders. New poll finds about 60 percent of Americans favor marriage equality legislation. According to a recent Politico and Morning Consult poll, 58 percent of registered voters support a law protecting marriage for queer couples. Tell your senators to vote YES on the Respect for Marriage Act. Rep. Ayanna Pressley proposes new bill to reduce credit obstacles for transgender and nonbinary people. The Credit Reporting Accuracy After a Legal Name Change Act would mandate that credit bureaus stop deadnaming transgender and nonbinary people and direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to make a simple system for people to update their legal name for all the bureaus to ensure that credit history is not lost and reports are not split. PFLAG National helped draft this bill and endorses it. | | | | | In the last year, we’ve seen a marked rise in anti-LGBTQ+ action in state and local governments. Many states are introducing legislation targeting trans youth, and local schools and libraries are being pressured into censoring LGBTQ+ history and stories. Visit pflag.org/protecttranskids to take action against anti-trans bills in your state today. Want to take action and not sure where to start? Please contact Patrick Cochran, Advocacy and Policy Engagement Senior Coordinator. Florida - Florida Department of Education instructs schools to ignore federal guidance on transgender students. The guidance from the Biden administration protects transgender students from discrimination. A memo sent to school administrators by Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. claims that the new federal protections “are not binding law” and that following them would risk violating Florida law. Minnesota - Record number of openly LGBTQ+ candidates running for legislative office. At least 11 openly LGBTQ+ candidates will appear on ballots for the state’s upcoming primary. Oklahoma - Public schools require “biological sex affidavits” for school sports. Governor Kevin Scott signed a bill in March banning transgender athletes from participating in public school sports that do not match the gender assigned at birth. Oklahoma is the only state currently requiring an affidavit as proof of a student’s assigned sex. Pennsylvania - Philadelphia enacts change to nondiscrimination code to protect transgender children. The changes apply to public schools, charter schools, daycares, recreation centers, sports leagues, and other youth programs throughout the city of Philadelphia and require organizations and schools to allow children to use bathrooms and locker rooms and participate in activities according to their stated gender identity, and to permit them to use their used names and pronouns. | | | | | Chile - New draft constitution specifically includes LGBTQ+ rights. The new constitution was drafted by 155 elected officials at the recent Constitutional Convention, eight of whom are openly LGBTQ+. If approved by referendum in September, Chile will become one of the few countries in the world that explicitly outline LGBTQ+ rights in their constitutions. Cuba - Upcoming national referendum will consider same-sex marriage and adoption. The updated Family Code would allow civil unions, full marriage equality, same-sex adoption, and legalize surrogacy. To become law, the amendments must be approved through a national vote, which will take place on September 25. Russia - WNBA’s Brittney Griner unjustly sentenced to nine years in Russian prison. Griner, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the only basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots, is a star to Russian and US basketball fans alike, and as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, the sentence "compounds the injustice" she has experienced at the hands of Russian officials this year. President Biden issued a post-sentencing statement. PFLAG National and other LGBTQ+, civil rights, and sports organizations continue advocating for Griner’s release, whether outright or through a prisoner swap | | | | | Twitter confirms anti-LGBTQ+ slur “groomer” violates its user policies. The social media company has suspended accounts for violating its rule against hateful conduct, following the lead of other social media companies, including Reddit and Meta. Billy Porter makes directorial debut with “Anything’s Possible” LGBTQ+ teen romance. The movie centers on Kelsa, a Black transgender teenager, and her experience coming of age in the current times. OutWrite’s annual LGBTQ+ Literary Festival coming in August. The festival will take place virtually from August 5th-7th on the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s YouTube page and will feature 70 LGBTQ+ authors. England’s Rubgy Football Union and Rugby Football League ban transgender players from women’s teams. Both organizations have recommended that only players recorded female at birth should be allowed to play on women’s rugby teams. The policy will take effect in August and will be reviewed by November 2024. New study finds so-called “social contagion” not the cause of more young people coming out as transgender. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, also found that the proportion of adolescents who were assigned female at birth and identify as transgender has not increased, countering claims that AFAB individuals are more susceptible to this so-called “social contagion.” Queer representation in film and TV for the month of August. From They/Them, a campy slasher to the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, to the new TV series adaptation of A League of Their Own, here is a list of queer stories to watch this month. | | | | | | The PFLAG National Advocacy, Policy, and Partnerships Team is always here to support you with your work, so please don't ever hesitate to reach out to us for assistance. Yours in PFLAG power, | | | |  | Diego M. Sanchez, APR
Director of Advocacy, Policy & Partnerships
Pronouns: He, Him, His
Email: [email protected] | | |  | Patrick Cochran
Advocacy and Policy Engagement Senior Coordinator
Pronouns: He, Him, His
Email: [email protected] | | | | | | | |
