Latest news with #HB25-1312
New York Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Activist sportswear brand sues Colorado, accuses state of censoring its message
The women's activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics is suing the state of Colorado over a recent state law that the company claims would interfere with its ability to market its message. The lawsuit takes aim at the state for passing a law called HB25-1312 and amending the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which defines 'gender expression' to include 'chosen name' and 'how an individual chooses to be addressed.' The laws state Coloradans have a right to access 'public accommodations and advertising' that are free of discrimination on that basis. Advertisement The company's lawsuit claims that the state's new legislation would make it illegal for the brand to carry out certain viral marketing campaign techniques it has used since launching last year. 'XX-XY Athletics, in their advertising, customer interactions, and elsewhere, to refer to transgender-identifying individuals with their given names or with biologically accurate language. XX-XY Athletics can no longer speak the truth in pursuit of its mission. XX-XY Athletics can no longer call men, men,' the lawsuit states. 'Even worse, the Act coerces the company to speak against its principles and alter the meaning of its core message. If XX-XY Athletics refuses, the company faces cease-and-desist orders, expensive investigations, hearings, and civil and criminal penalties.' Colorado Attorney General Philip J. Weiser's office has declined to comment on the lawsuit to Fox News Digital. Advertisement 4 Jennifer Sey is the founder of XX-XY Athletics. XX/XY Athletics XX-XY founder Jennifer Sey provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that the law would hinder her company's marketing strategies and the overall movement to oppose trans athletes in girls and women's sports. 'What is happening in Colorado is a threat to anyone who speaks the truth about biological reality and who stands up for the rights of women and girls. XX-XY Athletics communicates often and broadly on the reality that men and women are different and our mission as a brand is to empower female athletes to also speak up and protect women's sports,' Sey wrote. 'Laws like this in Colorado force Coloradans to adhere to an ideology that is in violation of actual truth. They want to silence anyone who disagrees. We are filing this lawsuit to fight for our — and every Coloradan's – right to free speech.' Advertisement 4 The state recently passed laws allowing Coloradans to have a right to access 'public accommodations and advertising' that are free of discrimination. AFP via Getty Images Sey's brand has regularly used its social media platforms to bring attention to instances of biological males competing in girls and women's sports around the country, while promoting XX-XY merchandise. The company also produces original commercials that feature its brand ambassadors, and some of those include references to trans athletes being 'men' or 'boys.' Colorado is already facing a lawsuit from one of its own school districts over the state's laws requiring schools to allow biologically male transgender athletes to compete in girls sports. School District 49 (D49) in El Paso County, Colorado, filed its lawsuit against the state after passing a localized rule that banned trans athletes from girls sports at its schools earlier in May. That lawsuit cites 'increasing tension between Title IX obligations and the state system that requires discrimination against female student-athletes,' according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. Advertisement 4 Sey's sportswear company claimed Colorado's new law would interfere with the brand's marketing techniques. Penske Media via Getty Images 'Knowing that the approved policy would generate opposition and potentially trigger legal challenges, D49 filed a pre-enforcement action in the Colorado District of the federal court system seeking declaratory and injunctive relief,' the school district said. The lawsuit does not come in response to a specific incident of a trans athlete competing in the district. Instead, it's a response to the state's sweeping policies conflicting with the school's obligation to abide by federal law, specifically Title IX. 'Political culture is far out of balance on gender issues. Our lawsuit seeks a rational correction to excessive accommodations,' D49 Superinterdent Peter Hilts told Fox News Digital. 'Our state athletic association simultaneously advocates equity and discrimination. We asked them to resolve that discrepancy, and they declined, so we were compelled to pursue a legal ruling.' 4 Natalie Daniels was booted from her running club in the DC metro area after she shared her views about trans athletes on XX-XY's YouTube page. Courtesy of Natalie Daniels Students in the state can compete in either gender category if they inform their school in writing that their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. CHSAA requires schools to do a confidential evaluation, and all forms of documentation are voluntary. There are also no medical or legal requirements stated. Weiser's office responded to that lawsuit in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. 'The attorney general is committed to defending Colorado's anti-discrimination laws. The attorney general's office has no further comment on this ongoing litigation,' the statement said.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kelly Loving Act aims to reinforce existing transgender rights
(COLORADO) — Colorado lawmakers have passed the Kelly Loving Act, a new bill that, if signed into law, would provide new protection for transgender individuals. HB25-1312 is named after Kelly Loving, a Club Q shooting victim. The bill would create several protections for transgender individuals, including children, and add deadnaming and misgendering as discriminatory acts in the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. 'This bill, by far, has generated a lot of conversations,' said Senator Rod Pelton, who detailed that he had received many emails concerning HB25-1312. The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday, May 6, with a 20 to 14 vote, right before it adjourned its regular session on Wednesday, May 7. The act has sparked concerns from some communities, including parents and educators. In late April, Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education Secretary Jason Jorgeson sent a letter on behalf of the Coalition of Colorado Public School Administrators, Board Members, and individuals who influence educational decisions in Colorado, opposing HB25-1312 due to 'significant concerns.' According to the letter, which has over 80 signatures, the Kelly Loving Act would undermine local control, parental rights, and 'create ambiguity and compliance challenges for schools.' The letter states that the bill penalizes parents for their speech or belief about their child's gender identity. Read the full letter here: Colorado-House-Bill-1312-School-Board-Member-Letter-1Download While some senators also agreed that the bill could put a strain on families and even schools, some senators argued that the policy would help transgender individuals. 'The Kelly Loving Act seeks to increase the amount of dignity and respect that we as a state offer to trans Coloradans,' Senator Julie Gonzales said during the bill's third reading on May 6.'…We all deserve the freedom… Freedom… to make decisions about our bodies, our families, and our futures.' The letter sent by Jorgenson argues that the chosen names and dress code policy requirements in the bill undermine the district's authority to create policies that align with the needs and values of the communities. '…The prohibition on gender-specific dress codes may limit schools' ability to maintain clear and equitable standards for student conduct and attire,' the letter says. Senator Chris Kolker explained that the dress code section of the bill leaves it up to the schools to make it equal for all students. 'I know students go to school dressed a certain way when they leave the house, but when they get to school, they are dressed a different way because their parents don't know,' Kolker said. 'It's just what that child wants to wear, and they come back and change before they get back home. That's not about transgender policy, it's about what that kid's choice is. We are just leaving it to the school to enforce policy, establish policy, enforce it, and make sure it is equal amongst all kids.' The Kelly Loving Act would also determine the 'allocation of parental responsibilities' when making child custody decisions, and would consider deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services as types of coercive control. Another section of the bill would also prohibit a Colorado court from enforcing another state's law that authorizes a state agency to remove a child from a guardian because the guardian allowed the child to receive gender-affirming healthcare. 'This could strain family relationships and place schools in the challenging position of navigating sensitive custody disputes, diverting resources from our core educational mission,' the letter sent by Jorgenson said. Kolker further defended the bill, explaining that it is reinforcing previous laws, and it is not about taking parents' rights. He said that the bill 'reinforces an existing civil rights framework in the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, by adding clarity and enforcement precision. It does not create new superior rights for transgender people, nor does it strip rights from anyone else. In practical terms, it says you may not deny someone housing, employment, or public services because they are transgender, that public forms must respect a person's chosen name and gender marker when they have been legally recorded.' While the Kelly Loving Act has passed both the House and the Senate, it still awaits a signature from Colorado Governor Jared Polis to be considered 'Governor Polis appreciates the work of the bill sponsors and all the advocates involved in the bill's progression, especially in removing the controversial changes to family law from the bill, and will review the final version of the bill.' To read the full bill, click the link above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado parents unload on liberal lawmakers, prompting changes to controversial gender bill
Parents packed a Wednesday night Colorado Senate hearing to voice outrage over a gender identity bill that critics say could attack parental rights. HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools, initially would have considered a parent's refusal to affirm their child's gender identity as "coercive control" in child custody cases. "Pass this bill and history will not remember you as heroes, it will remember you as cowards who sold out the rights of the people for the approval of extremists," one concerned dad declared. Others branded the bill an "attack on parental rights," with one saying the measure could be more accurately called "how to break up families and use the law to steal children from their parents." Colorado Dems Ram Abortion, Transgender Bills Through On Limited Sunday Session Debate: 'Unprecedented' Another more succinctly said, "disagreement is not abuse." Read On The Fox News App After much contention, sponsoring lawmakers, Democratic Sens. Chris Kolker and Faith Winter, stripped the bill of its most controversial provisions before an overnight vote — and while Republicans say it's a big win for them and for parents, their fight against the effort isn't over yet. State Rep. Rose Pugliese, a Republican representing the Centennial State's 14th district, told "The Faulkner Focus" on Thursday that she believes the bill is still an attack on parental rights. "All the grassroots parents that came and waited in line for hours in order to testify really helped make this bill less egregious in some ways and then more egregious in other ways," she said. "While they took out that child custody piece, which was a real problem, especially for domestic violence survivors that I get to work with… they included language that said, 'you no longer are required to get a court order in order to change your name and get a government-issued ID, even if you are in this country unlawfully,' so that jeopardizes public safety in a different way. Colorado's 'Totalitarian' Transgenderism Bill Sparks Concerns From Parents She continued, "So we're still attacking parental rights, but we are now adding an additional public safety element to it." She went on to slam the state's Democratic leadership for pushing measures to make Coloradans less safe and urged parents to continue their pressure campaign by talking to their state senators. "We know that amendments could be offered on the floor. We don't know what this bill will look like when it comes back to the House, so we cannot let the pressure off. We need to have these conversations and continue to get our voices heard, and I think parents are doing that across Colorado and across this nation." According to The Denver Post, if the bill becomes law, it will "still protect transgender people from being misgendered or deadnamed, or referred to by the name they used before they transitioned, in discrimination laws for places like work and school." The hypothetical law could also protect Colorado from other states' "anti-transgender policies" and make changes to existing policies for name alterations and gender markers on driver's article source: Colorado parents unload on liberal lawmakers, prompting changes to controversial gender bill
Fox News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Colorado parents unload on liberal lawmakers, prompting changes to controversial gender bill
Parents packed a Wednesday night Colorado Senate hearing to voice outrage over a gender identity bill that critics say could attack parental rights. HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools, initially would have considered a parent's refusal to affirm their child's gender identity as "coercive control" in child custody cases. "Pass this bill and history will not remember you as heroes, it will remember you as cowards who sold out the rights of the people for the approval of extremists," one concerned dad declared. Others branded the bill an "attack on parental rights," with one saying the measure could be more accurately called "how to break up families and use the law to steal children from their parents." Another more succinctly said, "disagreement is not abuse." After much contention, sponsoring lawmakers, Democratic Sens. Chris Kolker and Faith Winter, stripped the bill of its most controversial provisions before an overnight vote — and while Republicans say it's a big win for them and for parents, their fight against the effort isn't over yet. State Rep. Rose Pugliese, a Republican representing the Centennial State's 14th district, told "The Faulkner Focus" on Thursday that she believes the bill is still an attack on parental rights. "All the grassroots parents that came and waited in line for hours in order to testify really helped make this bill less egregious in some ways and then more egregious in other ways," she said. "While they took out that child custody piece, which was a real problem, especially for domestic violence survivors that I get to work with… they included language that said, 'you no longer are required to get a court order in order to change your name and get a government-issued ID, even if you are in this country unlawfully,' so that jeopardizes public safety in a different way. She continued, "So we're still attacking parental rights, but we are now adding an additional public safety element to it." She went on to slam the state's Democratic leadership for pushing measures to make Coloradans less safe and urged parents to continue their pressure campaign by talking to their state senators. "We know that amendments could be offered on the floor. We don't know what this bill will look like when it comes back to the House, so we cannot let the pressure off. We need to have these conversations and continue to get our voices heard, and I think parents are doing that across Colorado and across this nation." According to The Denver Post, if the bill becomes law, it will "still protect transgender people from being misgendered or deadnamed, or referred to by the name they used before they transitioned, in discrimination laws for places like work and school." The hypothetical law could also protect Colorado from other states' "anti-transgender policies" and make changes to existing policies for name alterations and gender markers on driver's licenses.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado's 'totalitarian' transgenderism bill sparks concerns from parents
Parental rights advocates are cautioning against a "totalitarian" transgenderism bill rammed through the Colorado state House that they say could jeopardize parents' chances in custody battles if they "misgender" or "deadname" their children. "This is giving the authority to our state to take our children away if we don't agree with these gender transitions, so it's got huge ramifications for all parents, especially those in custody situations who are fighting with their ex-spouses to stop their children from being medicalized," Erin Lee, a mom from the Centennial State, told "The Faulkner Focus" on Monday. She added, "It opens the door for all parents to potentially have their children forcibly removed by the state if they're not willing to affirm their child's mental health distress." Concerned Parents Of Trans Kids Compared To 'Hate Groups' By Colorado Dem: Wouldn't 'Ask The Kkk' For Opinion HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity, was among a slate of Democratic-led bills pushed through earlier this month. More specifically, the bill states 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." Read On The Fox News App The Colorado bill, which would create the Kelly Loving Act, named after a transgender man who was killed in the 2022 Colorado nightclub shooting by a nonbinary gunman, also prohibits Colorado courts from enforcing laws from other states that remove children from parents who allow transgender treatments for minors. For moms like Lee and California parental rights activist Erin Friday, the issue is personal. Both Lee's and Friday's daughters once identified as boys, but neither mom affirmed that belief and their daughters eventually stopped identifying as transgender. Colorado Dems Ram Abortion, Transgender Bills Through On Limited Sunday Session Debate: 'Unprecedented' "This bill will not only determine that parents like Erin and I are abusers — both of us had Child Protective Services come to our home when we refused to call our daughter males — but this bill also affects the press and its freedom of the press, and it will require them to use the chosen name of a child, how they choose it, and any adult," Friday warned, adding that, if implemented, the measure poses a "massive First Amendment violation." Friday, a lifelong Democrat, insisted the issue should be "bipartisan," adding that parents need to fight back in the courts, in the public domain and through "standing up" at legislative hearings. Both moms fundamentally oppose the idea that children can be born in the wrong body. The bill now heads to the state Senate. At a contentious hearing last month on the bill, a Colorado Democrat likened concerned parents to hate groups like "the KKK." Fox News' Jamie Joseph contributed to this article source: Colorado's 'totalitarian' transgenderism bill sparks concerns from parents
