Colorado Bill Would Force Judges To Consider 'Misgendering' a Form of 'Coercive Control' in Custody Cases
A recently introduced Colorado bill seeks to require judges to consider "misgendering" as a form of "coercive control" during child custody disputes. If passed, the bill would pose a major threat to parents' First Amendment rights and prevent judges from considering the individual circumstances surrounding family conflict over a child's gender identity.
The bill, the Kelly Loving Act, requires that "when making child custody decisions and determining the best interests of a child for purposes of parenting time, a court shall consider deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services as types of coercive control." Since the bill defines coercive control as a "pattern of threatening, humiliating, or intimidating actions, including assaults or other abuse, that is used to harm, punish, or frighten an individual," it would essentially force judges presiding over custody disputes to consider it form of child abuse when a parent refuses to use a child's chosen name.
"In some custody disputes, 'misgendering' or 'deadnaming' could be part of the kind of 'coercive control' courts can consider—a pattern of threatening, humiliating, or intimidating actions used to harm, punish, or frighten," Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, tells Reason. "But treating that speech as inherently coercive or abusive, regardless of context, risks punishing parents simply for disagreeing with the state's preferred views on gender. That veers into constitutionally suspect territory."
The bill leaves little room to allow judges to look at conflict over a child's gender identity on a case-by-case basis—including the possibility that a parent may object to their child's social transition for perfectly understandable reasons. Instead, the law would automatically take the side of the affirming parent and brand the resistant parent as essentially abusive.
But children identify as transgender for a wide range of reasons, and transition isn't the right answer in every case, especially as many clinicians themselves disagree about whether unquestioning affirmation is the correct solution for every case of childhood gender dysphoria. "Not only are there an increase in numbers of kids coming to gender clinics—and there are more gender clinics, particularly in North America—but the composition of the population coming to the gender clinics has changed from a fairly homogeneous group of kids to a very heterogeneous group of kids dominated by natal females," a clinical psychologist and former president of the United States Professional Association for Transgender Health told Reason earlier this year. "There are some of us who feel that we don't have a sufficient evidence base to decide which of these heterogeneous kids are best suited for medicalization."
Terr points out that, even if people find misgendering offensive, the state shouldn't try to punish people for engaging in speech it doesn't like. "The First Amendment largely exists to protect controversial and unpopular speech," Terr says. "If the government could punish people for saying things that cause offense—or compel them to speak against their beliefs—it would hand officials of every political stripe a blank check to silence dissent. That puts everyone's rights at risk."
The post Colorado Bill Would Force Judges To Consider 'Misgendering' a Form of 'Coercive Control' in Custody Cases appeared first on Reason.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's what unfolded
LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's what unfolded What started as a small protest against immigrant arrests escalated over a few days, after President Trump called in the National Guard. Show Caption Hide Caption National Guard and protesters clashed over ICE protests Hundreds of demonstrators fought back with the National Guard as ICE protests escalated. The tensions in Los Angeles started small and intensified over the course of the weekend, with both protesters and federal officials blaming each other for the escalation. Though details are still emerging, here's what we know now about how the situation unfolded. Immigration raids in Los Angeles on the afternoon of June 6 sparked a small protest. The next day, larger protests began in the town of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, linked to rumors of a possible immigration raid. Towards evening on June 7, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard members to the area. That night, protesters threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at officers. Later that same night, local police declared a small part of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area, and large numbers of protesters were cleared from the site. Here's a timeline of the events. Friday, June 6 Homeland Security agents detained several people outside a Home Depot just west of downtown Los Angeles on Friday morning. A little later in the morning, another raid took place at an Ambiance clothing store in LA's Fashion District in downtown. During that operation, people gathered around to photograph and video the officers. A few protesters also arrived. All told, four different search warrants were executed in Los Angeles on Friday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a spokesperson for Homeland Security told the Los Angeles Times. At least 44 people were arrested. At one of the sites, the president of the Service Employees International Union, David Huerta, was arrested for allegedly interfering with federal officers. The union said Huerta was exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity. By around 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday night, more than 100 people gathered at the immigration services building and detention center in downtown Los Angeles to protest the raids, according to Reuters. At around 7 p.m. local time, the Los Angeles Police Department declared it an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse. About half an hour later, multiple police vehicles and at least 50 police officers in riot gear arrived. Some protesters threw pieces of broken concrete at the officers, who responded by firing tear gas and pepper spray. They also used flash-bang concussion rounds to disperse the crowd. Saturday, June 7 Around 9 a.m., Border Patrol agents gathered in a gated industrial office park in Paramount, a Latino suburb south of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. Word spread on social media that raids were planned at a nearby Home Depot, and protesters began to gather, though it does not appear that officials engaged with immigrants at the store. Police and Los Angeles Sheriff's officers arrived, and a very localized protest began, centered in the area around the Home Depot. About 350 to 400 protesters gathered. Some threw objects at the agents. According to Los Angeles Times reporters who were on the scene, each time protesters threw anything at the agents or the police, tear gas and flash-bang rounds were fired back by federal agents. One video on X showed protesters blocking a bus, which the Los Angeles Times identified as a U.S. Marshals bus. Another showed a car that had been vandalized. By 4 p.m., social media posts showed Los Angeles police and sheriffs declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly and using loudspeakers to tell protesters that anyone who remained would be arrested. Over the next few hours, the clash continued with protesters throwing things at officers, setting off fireworks, and burning at least one garbage can. By midnight, the demonstrators began to leave the area. Multiple people had been arrested. Another protest also broke out in the nearby city of Compton, where a car was set on fire. Compton Mayor Emma Sharif called for calm, posting online that "we urge everyone to remain peaceful. Violence and the destruction of property are not the solution." The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement commending "all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly." But it went on to say, "while today's events concluded without incident, the Los Angeles Police Department remains fully prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to any potential acts of civil unrest. Our commitment to safeguarding the rights, safety, and well-being of all Angelenos continues – day and night." According to Homeland Security, on Saturday night, rioters surrounded the immigration services building and detention center, "assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer-funded property. " In response, Trump signed a presidential memorandum deploying "at least" 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. In a statement, the White House said that "violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California," making the deployment necessary. Senior White House aide Stephen Miller on Saturday condemned protests, posting on X: "This is a violent insurrection." U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X: "Federal law enforcement operations are proceeding as planned this weekend in Los Angeles County. I urge the public to refrain from interfering with these lawful actions. Anyone who obstructs federal agents will face arrest and prosecution." At 5:15 p.m. local time, California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X that deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles "is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions." He said there was "currently no unmet need" in the city. "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust." Sunday, June 8 Early in the morning of June 8, several dozen National Guard troops arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center three blocks from Los Angeles City Hall. By 10:30 a.m., as many as 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed in three separate parts of the city. Crowds of protesters began arriving in the area around the federal complex – which is mostly made up of city, state, and federal building – around noon. The protests were not widespread, and most of the city was quiet. The situation began to escalate as the afternoon wore on. Many protesters waved Mexican flags or hybrid Mexican-American flags and chanted anti-ICE slogans. Some were also seen throwing water bottles and other objects at officers and law enforcement vehicles. Videos shared on social media and footage from local television stations showed officers in riot gear, with the sound of flash-bangs in the background. At least five Waymo self-driving taxis were vandalized by protesters who spray-painted them with anti-Trump and anti-ICE slogans. At least two were set on fire. At one point, a crowd of protesters walked onto the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions. They were confronted by officers in riot gear, and by 5 p.m. local time the freeway was cleared. LAPD said on X that it had placed officers across the city on "tactical alert." The police department later declared an 'unlawful assembly' for the Civic Center area and the historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles, an area covering a small portion of the sprawling city of 500 square miles. It authorized the 'use of less lethal munitions." The department issued a dispersal order and said arrests were being made. In an emailed letter released on Sunday afternoon, Governor Newsom formally asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to rescind Trump's order to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles. National Guard troops and armored cars were stationed in a business park that contains a Department of Homeland Security office in the city of Paramount, the Los Angeles Times reported. By 6:30, Los Angeles police said a 'number of people have been arrested' at the Civic Center area. At 8 p.m., authorities moved in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades, sending hundreds of people running, their eyes streaming with tears. Helicopters clattered overhead as protesters fled the area to the honking of car horns and periodic cheers. Contributed: Trevor Hughes

USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's a what unfolded
LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's a what unfolded What started as a small protest against immigrant arrests escalated over a few days, after President Trump called in the National Guard. Show Caption Hide Caption National Guard and protesters clashed over ICE protests Hundreds of demonstrators fought back with the National Guard as ICE protests escalated. The tensions in Los Angeles started small and intensified over the course of the weekend, with both protesters and federal officials blaming each other for the escalation. Though details are still emerging, here's what we know now about how the situation unfolded. Immigration raids in Los Angeles on the afternoon of June 6 sparked a small protest. The next day, larger protests began in the town of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, linked to rumors of a possible immigration raid. Towards evening on June 7, President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard members to the area. That night protesters threw rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers. Later that same night,local police declared a small part of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area and large numbers of protesters were cleared from the site. Here's a timeline of the events. Friday, June 6 Homeland Security agents detained several people outside a Home Depot just west of downtown Los Angeles on Friday morning. A little later in the morning another raid took place at an Ambiance clothing store in LA's Fashion District in downtown. During that operation, people gathered around to photograph and video the officers. A few protesters also arrived. All told, four different search warrants were executed in Los Angeles on Friday by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, a spokesperson for Homeland Security told the Los Angeles Times. At least 44 people were arrested. At one of the sites, the president of the Service Employees International Union, David Huerta, was arrested for allegedly interfering with federal officers. The union said Huerta was exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity. By around 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday night, more than 100 people gathered at the immigration services building and detention center in downtown Los Angeles to protest the raids, according to Reuters. At around 7 p.m. the Los Angeles Police Department declared it an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse. About half an hour later, multiple police vehicles and at least 50 police officers in riot gear arrived. Some protesters threw pieces of broken concrete at the officers, who responded by firing tear gas and pepper spray. They also used flash-bang concussion rounds to disperse the crowd. Saturday, June 7 Around 9 a.m., Border Patrol agents gathered in a gated industrial office part in Paramount, a Latino suburb south of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. Word spread on social media that raids were planned at a nearby Home Depot and protesters began to gather, though it does not appear that officials actually engaged with immigrants at the store. Police and Los Angeles Sheriff's officers arrived and a very localized protest began, centered in the area around the Home Depot. About 350 to 400 protesters gathered. Some threw objects at the agents. According to Los Angeles Times reporters who were on the scene, each time protesters threw anything at the agents or the police, tear gas and flash-bang rounds were fired back by federal agents. One video on X showed protesters blocking a bus, which the Los Angeles Times identified as a U.S. Marshall bus. Another showed a car that had been vandalized. By 4 p.m., social media posted showed Los Angeles police and sheriffs declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly and using loudspeakers to tell protesters that anyone who remained would be arrested. Over the course of the next few hours the clash continued, with protesters throwing things at officers, setting off fireworks and burning at least one garbage can. By midnight, the demonstrators began to leave the area. Multiple people had been arrested. Another protest also broke out in the nearby city of Compton, where a car was lit on fire. Compton Mayor Emma Sharif called for calm, posting online that "we urge everyone to remain peaceful. Violence and the destruction of property are not the solution." The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement commending "all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly." But it went on to say, "while today's events concluded without incident, the Los Angeles Police Department remains fully prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to any potential acts of civil unrest. Our commitment to safeguarding the rights, safety, and well-being of all Angelenos continues – day and night." According to Homeland Security, on Saturday night, rioters surrounded the immigration services building and detention center, "assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property. " In response, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum deploying "at least" 2,000 National Guardsman to Los Angeles. In a statement, the White House said "violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California," making the deployment necessary. Senior White House aide Stephen Miller on Saturday condemned protests, posting on X "This is a violent insurrection." U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X "Federal law enforcement operations are proceeding as planned this weekend in Los Angeles County. I urge the public to refrain from interfering with these lawful actions. Anyone who obstructs federal agents will face arrest and prosecution." At 5:15 p.m. local time, California governor Gavin Newsom posted on X that deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles "is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions." He said there was "currently no unmet need" in the city. "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust." Sunday, June 8 Early in the morning of June 8, several dozen National Guard troops arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center three blocks from Los Angeles City Hall. By 10:30 am as many as 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed in three separate parts of the city. Crowds of protesters began arriving in the area around the federal complex – which is mostly made up of city, state and federal building – around noon. The protests were not widespread and most of the city was quiet. The situation began to escalate as the afternoon wore on. Many protesters waved Mexican flags or hybrid Mexican-American flags and chanted anti-ICE slogans. Some were also seen throwing water bottles and other objects at officers and law enforcement vehicles. Videos shared on social media and footage from local television stations showed officers in riot gear, with the sound of flash-bangs in the background. At least five Waymo self-driving taxis were vandalized by protesters who spray painted them with anti-Trump and anti-ICE slogans. At least two were set on fire. At one point, a crowd of protesters walked onto the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions. They were confronted by officers in riot gear and by 5 p.m. local time the Freeway was cleared. LAPD said on X that it had placed officers across the city on "tactical alert." The police department later declared an 'unlawful assembly' for the Civic Center area and the historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles, an area covering a small portion of the sprawling city of 500 square miles. It authorized the 'use of less lethal munitions." The department issued a dispersal order and said arrests were being made. In an emailed letter released on Sunday afternoon, Governor Newsom formally asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to rescind Trump's order to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles. National Guard troops and armored cars were stationed in a business park that contains a Department of Homeland Security office in the city of Paramount, the Los Angeles Times reported. By 6:30, Los Angeles police said a 'number of people have been arrested' at the Civic Center area. At 8 p.m. authorities moved in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades, sending hundreds of people running, their eyes streaming with tears. Helicopters clattered overhead as protesters fled the area to the honking of car horns and periodic cheers. Contributed: Trevor Hughes
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
On the Record: Federal funding cuts threaten 1/3 of WTVP budget
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Local PBS affiliate stations like WTVP are sounding the alarm for their future after the Trump administration formally requested Congress to claw back funding for the next two years. WTVP President and CEO Jenn Gordon joined 'On the Record' and said the cuts will have a devastating impact on her station, which has just recovered from a financial situation of its own. 'So we're looking at an impact of about a third of our annual funding being immediately cut, if this rescission package goes through. So a lot is at stake here. More than 1.3 million people have already contacted Congress to voice their support [for public media],' she said. Gordon emphasized that public media differs from commercial media in that it's a private-public partnership. 'We're nonprofit organizations that rely in part on federal support to offer commercial-free programming to everyone. It was set up originally to receive some taxpayer dollars to get the ball rolling, but then also all of our local stations, we do quite a bit of fundraising to supplement that,' said Gordon. That federal funding could disappear in less than two months. The Trump administration, on Tuesday, sent Congress a rescission package, formally requesting the return of $1.1 billion already allocated for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That starts a countdown of 45 days for Congress to respond. If passed, Gordon said local stations like WTVP stand to lose nearly a third of their annual funding. 'This isn't just about national programming,' Gordon warned. 'Smaller stations will feel the cut even more sharply. At WTVP, we'd have to immediately shift into emergency fundraising mode to try to close the gap. It could slow or stop local and educational programming, and delay production for new shows.' The rescission package comes on the heels of another blow to public media. President Trump issued an executive order on May 1 to shut down PBS and NPR, citing bias and irrelevance. Both organizations have filed lawsuits in response, arguing the order is a violation of the First Amendment. Gordon said the ripple effects from the loss of funding will be felt everywhere, from fewer children's programs to potential job impacts at the local level. 'Some of that federal funding goes to actually producing programs. So you're going to see a shortening of production timelines. And then additionally, at the local level, it's going to immediately need us to move into a grassroots fundraising mode to try and make up for that difference,' she said. So, how can you help? Gordon said to call or send a message to your lawmakers voicing your support for public media. You can also visit 'It takes five minutes and could make a real difference,' she said. On June 3, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger echoed Gordon's sentiments in a statement. 'The proposed rescissions would have a devastating impact on PBS member stations and the essential role they play in communities, particularly smaller and rural stations that rely on federal funding for a larger portion of their budgets,' she said. 'Without PBS member stations, Americans will lose unique local programming and emergency services in times of crisis. There's nothing more American than PBS, and we are proud to highlight real issues, individuals, and places that would otherwise be overlooked by commercial media.' PBS was created in by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1969 to provide Americans with a non-commercial space for news, educational programming, and inspirational content. There are approximately 350 stations across the country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.