Latest news with #Terr
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gay Penguins Face Florida's Classroom Speech Regulations
One Florida school district is facing a legal battle over its decision to ban a book about gay penguins. In 2022, the state passed the Parental Rights in Education Act, which banned classroom discussions on sexual orientation or gender identity "in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students." While the law initially applied only to kindergarten through third-grade classrooms, the Florida Board of Education later expanded the law to all grades. Several Florida school districts began removing books from their collections that could possibly violate the new law—including And Tango Makes Three, a picture book depicting two male penguins who raise a chick together. In 2023, the authors of the book filed a lawsuit against one school district that removed the book, arguing that "the Ban's vagueness, in combination with its harsh penalties, make it more likely to be applied expansively—such as to public school libraries—at the expense of the authors' free speech rights and the students' right to receive information." The state disagrees. In a November court filing, lawyers for the school district argued that authors don't have a constitutional right to demand their books be made available at school libraries. Instead, the school board has "the First Amendment right to choose what message is conveyed through its curation of the library collection," adding that "when the Board selects books to be made available in its school libraries, it is the government speaking, not the books' authors." So who's right? "The removal of And Tango Makes Three is constitutionally suspect because it appears to be driven by school authorities' disagreement with a particular viewpoint or perspective," says Aaron Terr, the director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free speech group. "And when school authorities remove books from libraries out of hostility to a viewpoint or ideology, that raises serious First Amendment issues." Terr notes that in 1982, "a plurality of the Supreme Court held that public schools have discretion to determine the content of their libraries. But they can't exercise that discretion in a narrowly partisan or political manner." This isn't the only time Florida has been sued over a school district's attempt to ban the gay penguin story. In September, a group of major publishers launched another lawsuit, this time targeting another Florida law that bans any school library book that "describes sexual conduct." "The argument that library books are government speech really defies logic and is, I think, just an excuse for censorship," Terr explains. "Libraries contain books presenting a wide range of ideas and perspectives, many of which clash with each other. So if they're all speech of the government, then the government is babbling incoherently." The post Gay Penguins Face Florida's Classroom Speech Regulations appeared first on
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 US Dividend Stocks To Consider With Up To 7.2% Yield
As U.S. markets experience fluctuations with major indexes posting weekly gains despite a recent dip, investors are keeping a close eye on corporate earnings and economic policies that could influence future trends. In this dynamic environment, dividend stocks remain an attractive option for those seeking steady income, as they can offer both potential yield and stability amidst market volatility. Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Columbia Banking System (NasdaqGS:COLB) 5.15% ★★★★★★ Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) 4.63% ★★★★★★ Polaris (NYSE:PII) 4.90% ★★★★★★ Peoples Bancorp (NasdaqGS:PEBO) 4.90% ★★★★★★ Southside Bancshares (NYSE:SBSI) 4.49% ★★★★★★ Dillard's (NYSE:DDS) 5.58% ★★★★★★ Citizens & Northern (NasdaqCM:CZNC) 5.41% ★★★★★★ CompX International (NYSEAM:CIX) 4.80% ★★★★★★ First Interstate BancSystem (NasdaqGS:FIBK) 5.77% ★★★★★★ Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 4.54% ★★★★★★ Click here to see the full list of 142 stocks from our Top US Dividend Stocks screener. Let's dive into some prime choices out of the screener. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Omega Flex, Inc. manufactures and sells flexible metal hoses and accessories both in North America and internationally, with a market cap of $419.92 million. Operations: The company's revenue primarily comes from the manufacture and sale of flexible metal hoses and accessories, totaling $102.86 million. Dividend Yield: 3.3% Omega Flex, Inc. offers a stable dividend profile, with a recent quarterly dividend of US$0.34 per share declared for Q4 2024. Despite a decline in earnings and sales compared to the previous year, the company's dividends remain covered by both earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 74.2% and 64.2%, respectively. Although trading below its estimated fair value, its dividend yield of 3.27% is lower than top-tier US payers but has shown consistent growth over the past decade. Click here to discover the nuances of Omega Flex with our detailed analytical dividend report. The analysis detailed in our Omega Flex valuation report hints at an deflated share price compared to its estimated value. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Terreno Realty Corporation is a company that acquires, owns, and operates industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets, with a market cap of $6.48 billion. Operations: Terreno Realty Corporation generates revenue primarily through investing in real estate, amounting to $365.40 million. Dividend Yield: 3% Terreno Realty offers a reliable dividend profile, with a recent quarterly dividend of US$0.49 per share and a payout ratio of 74.9%, indicating coverage by earnings. The company's dividends have grown steadily over the past decade, although its yield of 3.02% is below top-tier US payers. Recent acquisitions in key markets like New York and Florida enhance its asset base, potentially supporting future revenue growth despite shareholder dilution over the past year. Navigate through the intricacies of Terreno Realty with our comprehensive dividend report here. Our valuation report unveils the possibility Terreno Realty's shares may be trading at a premium. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Yiren Digital Ltd. operates an AI-powered financial services platform in China, with a market cap of approximately $480.75 million. Operations: Yiren Digital Ltd.'s revenue is primarily derived from its Financial Services Business, generating CN¥3.21 billion, followed by the Insurance Brokerage Business at CN¥400.14 million. Dividend Yield: 7.2% Yiren Digital's dividends are well-covered, with a low payout ratio of 6.7% and a cash payout ratio of 12.2%, indicating sustainability despite being new to dividend payments. The yield stands at 7.22%, placing it among the top US dividend payers. Recent earnings showed revenue growth but reduced net income, while share buybacks have been completed, potentially enhancing shareholder value amidst fluctuating profits and ongoing strategic adjustments in revenue guidance. Unlock comprehensive insights into our analysis of Yiren Digital stock in this dividend report. Insights from our recent valuation report point to the potential undervaluation of Yiren Digital shares in the market. Access the full spectrum of 142 Top US Dividend Stocks by clicking on this link. Got skin in the game with these stocks? Elevate how you manage them by using Simply Wall St's portfolio, where intuitive tools await to help optimize your investment outcomes. Unlock the power of informed investing with Simply Wall St, your free guide to navigating stock markets worldwide. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqGM:OFLX NYSE:TRNO and NYSE:YRD. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Sign in to access your portfolio
