Latest news with #TransLegislationTracker
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Texas Realtors Teach LGBTQ+ People How to 'Flee' to Australia
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A real estate group based in Texas is offering to help LGBTQ+ individuals who may be considering emigration amid a wave of state legislation that they call "highly discriminatory" against their rights. Texas Pride Realty Group is offering assistance at Move Abroad Con 2025, a convention in San Antonio where attendees can learn how to relocate to countries with more robust LGBTQ+ protections—like Australia. Why It Matters Transgender rights were a central theme in the 2024 election with Republicans cruising to Election Day victories by focusing on the issue as it relates to women's sports, medical care and children seeking to transition In 2025, Texas lawmakers filed over 120 bills targeting transgender people—the most in the nation—according to the Trans Legislation Tracker. These bills relate to a number of aspects of everyday life, from identification documents to education and to health care access. Newsweek reached to Texas Pride Realty Group and to Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott for comment. Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2024, in To Know Abbott has endorsed the legislative approach, stating in his 2025 State of the State address, "The State of Texas recognizes only two genders—male and female." Texas Pride Realty Group markets its "Flee Red States" initiative as a guide for those who feel the need to relocate. "As LGBTQIA+ citizens of the United States many of us feel at risk," reads a statement on their site. "If you feel the need to leave, let us help you sell your property here and connect you with an LGBTQIA or ally agent in a better location of your choice." Australia, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2017 and antidiscrimination laws protect sexual orientation and gender identity, is highlighted as a destination for those seeking legal and social stability. The country's legal framework allows for gender marker changes on official documents, penalizes hate crimes based on gender identity, and supports adoption rights for same-sex couples. The realty group will also be involved at Move Abroad Con 2025, held May 23 to May 25 in San Antonio, offering seminars and resources for Americans seeking to relocate abroad. Texas Pride Realty is one of several participants focusing on the legal and logistic aspects of international migration for LGBTQ+ individuals. They specifically tout Australia's visa offerings, including student and digital nomad visas, and its strong legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents. The timing aligns with rising anxiety in the LGBTQ+ community over the future of federal rights such as same-sex marriage, which was decided by Obergefell v. Hodges, and decriminalized same-sex intimacy, which was decided in Lawrence v. Texas. Both cases have faced threats from some conservatives to pursue reversals at the U.S. Supreme Court. What People Are Saying Texas Pride Realty Group said on its website: "We must have a Plan B if politicians continue to remove and reverse our legal protections. We understand the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community. We get who we're protecting. Let us help you if you're ready to move." Shae Gardner, the director of policy and research at LGBT Tech, told Newsweek: "When members of our community begin exploring relocation abroad, it reflects a growing and justified fear that their rights, families, and futures are under threat. At a time when physical and even online spaces that offer LGBTQ+ people connection and comfort are under attack, gatherings like this offer empowerment, community, and a renewed sense of control in an increasingly uncertain world." What Happens Next While most proposed 2025 LGBTQ+ legislation has not yet passed, some has and others are expected to continue advancing to Abbott's desk. "Unless anti-LGBTQ+ legislation slows, we expect this conversation to become even more common," Gardner said. "Attendees and the broader LGBTQ+ community should pair that resilience with caution: as more people make major life decisions like relocation, protecting your personal data and digital footprints must remain a critical part of staying safe."
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Assembly passes bills targeting transgender youth in school and their medical decisions
Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) speaking during floor debate Thursday. Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner. The Wisconsin State Assembly passed several bills Thursday that target transgender youth in sports, their medical care and decisions on pronouns and names used in school. The bills are part of a national wave of actions targeting transgender people that have been taken since President Donald Trump took office. According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, 796 bills have been introduced across the country in 2025. Hearings on the bills over the last two weeks were emotional and lengthy, lasting over 20 hours, with the vast majority of people testifying against the bills. Republicans dismissed the public feedback, saying the policies are popular. They cited recent surveys, including a Marquette Law School poll that found 71% of U.S. adults favor requiring transgender athletes compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth. It's unlikely the bills will become law as Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed similar bills in the past and vowed to veto any legislation targeting LGBTQ+ youth. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said lawmakers were still pursuing the bills because they provide an opportunity for the public to tell Evers what it thinks. 'At some point you would hope that public pressure would convince Gov. Evers that he has to change his stance,' Vos said. 'We have seen some brave Democrats across the country realize that their party has veered way too far to the left, and then if they want to win elections again, and they want to be on the side of the public, they're going to change their stance.' When asked what he made of the overwhelming opposition to the bills at hearings, Vos referenced a saying by former Wisconsin Gov. Lee Dreyfus that Madison is '30 square miles surrounded by reality.' 'If you look at where the most part of Wisconsin is, I think everywhere there's broad bipartisan support,' Vos said. The area surrounding the Capitol 'is the one place where the majority of people think that it's OK to mutilate your kids. It's OK to have women never win another sporting event. Yes, did they succeed in getting a couple dozen people to come and testify? Yes, they did and to that, they deserve the credit, but the reality is, we had elections. This was an issue.' Since the 2024 elections, some Democrats across the country, including U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have challenged other Democrats' positions on policies related to transgender people. Wisconsin Democrats were mostly united against the bills, giving impassioned speeches about how the bills would do more harm than good and citing testimony delivered at the hearings. Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) said that denying children health care is a 'new low' and accused Republicans of proposing the legislation in order to create a political issue and rile up their own base. 'We are here because the majority party is trying to gain an advantage in the Supreme Court election by bullying kids. We know it. You know it. It's mean-spirited, and it's not helping people of Wisconsin,' Neubauer said. One Democrat, Rep. Russell Goodwin (D-Milwaukee), joined Republicans voting in favor of AB 100, which would ban transgender girls in Wisconsin K-12 schools from participating on teams that reflect their gender identity. AB 102, which would ban transgender women attending UW System schools and Wisconsin technical colleges from participating on women's teams, passed 50-43 along party lines. Goodwin left before voting on that bill or any of the other bills on the calendar. Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) said the sports bills are needed to fill the 'gaps' left by recent policy updates by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which recently barred transgender girl athletes from competing on teams that don't correspond with their sex at birth. The changes came in reaction to an executive order signed by Trump. The bill was amended to explicitly exclude transgender women from locker rooms and shower areas as well. Dittrich said the bills are about fairness and inclusion for women, saying that a co-ed option for teams is included. 'If you want to play with boys, have at it, there's a co-ed track for you to do that,' Dittrich said. Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine) and Rep. Angela Stroud (D-Ashland) questioned how the legislation would be enforced. 'This bill would inflict harm on girls. This bill is an attack on girls. This bill is about exclusion and not protection. This bill does not contemplate enforcement mechanisms — raising concerns about girls' privacy,' Cruz said. 'It is unclear whether the bill would require them to answer intrusive questions about their bodies or undergo physical exams.' Stroud said it would likely require people to carry documents to avoid harassment and discrimination. She said the bill wouldn't help women as a group. 'One of the reasons we so often celebrate Title IX is because sports have allowed women to defy narrow definitions of acceptable femininity. We could be strong. We could be aggressive. We could be tough. We could be leaders,' Stroud said. 'No woman is benefited by narrowing the definition of what counts as being a real woman.' Several Republicans complained throughout the debate about 'name-calling' and harsh words that were said to them during hearings. 'The only bullying I saw was coming from the trans community,' Dittrich said, adding that she was physically threatened, called a Nazi and had to be escorted to her car from her office. She added that there were 'vile' comments posted about her and her family on social media. AB 103 would require school districts to implement policies that require a parent's written permission for school employees to use names or pronouns different from a student's legal name. There is one exception in the bill for a nickname that is a shortened version of a student's legal first or middle name. The bill passed 50-43 along party lines. Dittrich, the author of the bill, said it is necessary for parents to be included in those decisions. 'We don't want to divide between home and school,' Dittrich said. 'This is meant to heal that.' AB 104 would ban gender-affirming care, including the prescribing of puberty-blocking drugs or gender-affirming surgery, for those under 18. It would also require revocation of a medical provider's license found to be providing the care. It passed 50-43 with Democrats against and Republicans in favor. Republican lawmakers said that the bill is necessary because children often change their minds about things, and shouldn't make medical decisions that cannot be reversed. 'It would be a failure on our part to allow children to make life-altering decisions, decisions that they will have to live with for the rest of their life, even when that choice is made with parental support,' Rep. Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger) said. Gender-affirming medical care is often a lengthy, multi-step process. For those under 18, it typically focuses on pubertal suppression or hormone therapy and surgeries are extremely rare for those under 18, according to KFF. Decisions in the process are made with the input of children, their families and health care providers, including mental health providers. Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) said her office had gotten many calls from people who have concerns about the actions lawmakers are taking, including a Wisconsinite she said was 'afraid that standing up for trans people would result in retaliation to her business.' Hong said the bill is 'deeply shameful' and she was 'embarrassed' to be there as the Assembly passed it. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will Democrats fight for trans rights? Their first big test just played out in the Senate.
Senate Democrats were unified on Monday in blocking a trans sports ban. The bill, which would have amended federal civil rights law to ban transgender girls from girls' sports in federally-funded schools, was Democrats' first test on whether they will fight anti-trans laws in a Republican-controlled Congress that has prioritized rolling back trans rights. That test could not come at a more crucial time for transgender Americans. About 20 federal anti-trans bills have been proposed or re-introduced in this new Congress, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker. Democrats' ability to block those bills depends on their use of the filibuster — which is how they derailed this legislation on trans athletes on Monday. Sixty votes are needed to end debate in the Senate, so Republicans would have needed some Democrats on board to break through a filibuster and pass the bill. No Senate Democrats broke ranks to support the bill, although two did not vote. This show of support is a significant moment for trans advocates, who watched as Democratic state lawmakers and a few congressional Democrats responded to President Donald Trump's re-election by suggesting that their party had gone too far supporting trans rights. Caius Willingham, a senior policy analyst at Advocates for Trans Equality, credited Democrats' unified vote on Monday to a concerted effort by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups over the past few months to get constituents in front of lawmakers, especially Democrats who feel vulnerable in their upcoming bids for re-election during the midterms. 'We made sure that they heard from a constituent, that they talked to a trans person and heard firsthand from their constituents how S.9 would negatively impact them,' Willingham said, referring to the bill by its title in the Senate. 'Those conversations are incredibly important, and they definitely moved the needle.' On the Senate floor and on social media, Democrats spoke out strongly against the legislation. They pointed out the means to enforcing it is unclear, that it could endanger both cisgender and transgender girls by exposing them to invasive questions about their identities, and that the number of known trans student-athletes in K-12 schools and colleges is quite small. 'The small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally and I am one,' Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, said on X on Monday evening. 'Depersonalized as 'they/them' in a political ad, but are just schoolchildren. Empty show votes or cruelty on social media aren't part of a thoughtful, dignified solution.' Fetterman was referring to one of Trump's multi-million dollar anti-trans campaign ads, launched last fall, that ended with the tagline: 'Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.' The ad blasted Harris' support for gender-affirming care for incarcerated trans people and the Biden administration's efforts to protect trans student athletes. Shortly after Election Day, Fetterman described the ad as a powerful campaign tool. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic whip, said on Monday that the proposed bill does not explain how it would be enforced — a similar conversation that played out on the House floor. In January, House Republicans skirted pointed questions from Democrats about how the bill would be enforced. 'The bill — which lacks a clear enforcement mechanism — could subject women and girls to physical inspection by an adult if someone from an opposing team accused them of being transgender,' Durbin said in a statement. 'It infringes on the privacy of girls and women and is a dangerous use of the powers of government to target student athletes of all ages.' The bill would make it a violation of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions, for schools to allow transgender girls to compete on girls' sports teams, which would put those schools' federal funding at risk. The law also defines sex based on 'an individual's reproductive biology and genetics at birth,' which would explicitly exclude transgender people from federal civil rights protections. Although President Trump has already signed an executive order threatening to withhold federal funding for schools that allow trans girls on girls' teams, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican sponsor of the Senate bill, noted on Monday that that order could be reversed by a future president — and that some states, like Maine, have refused to follow the president's order. He urged Democrats to join Republicans in supporting the bill, arguing that women's rights are being sacrificed for the sake of transgender rights. 'Are we going to sacrifice the rights of 50 percent of this country for the rights of a small few?' Tuberville said on the Senate floor on Monday. The Trump administration is expected to continue pushing against trans rights — and not just through policymaking. The list of the first lady's guests for the president's address to Congress on Tuesday includes the mother of a trans child who came out at school but not at home, which prompted a lawsuit from the family, and a former high school volleyball player who reportedly suffered a brain injury in a competition against a trans player. Senate Democrats' firewall against the bill comes after two House Democrats voted to support the bill in January. It also comes after Democrats in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Texas took Trump's win in November as a sign that their party needs to step away from defending trans rights, particularly equal access in school athletics, for fear of losing voters. 'The Democrats have to stop pandering to the far left,' Rep. Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat, told The New York Times in November. 'I don't want to discriminate against anybody, but I don't think biological boys should be playing in girls' sports.' Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat, told the Times in a separate post-election story that Democrats need to change how they discuss issues affecting trans people. 'Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face,' he said. 'I have two little girls, I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I'm supposed to be afraid to say that.' Moulton later said in an MSNBC interview that although he views banning trans students from certain school sports as going too far, he believes that Democrats need to provide an alternative policy on this issue. He voted against the House bill to ban trans girls from school sports, as he did the last time that Republicans attempted to pass similar legislation in 2023. In New Jersey, Democratic state Sen. Paul Sarlo told a local PBS station that trans women should be banned from playing women's sports. 'It's very simple. Males should not be participating in women's sports, whether it's at the rec level, the high school level, or the collegiate level,' he said. 'I think if we just talked a little bit more straight up, and had a little more practical common sense, we could've done much better at the polls. Elections have consequences.' Louise Walpin, a longtime LGBTQ+ activist living in New Jersey, was outraged as she watched Sarlo make these comments. This is a man she knows well. She and her wife worked closely with Sarlo from 2009 to 2013 to change his views in support of marriage equality — and now, because of his comments about trans women, she questions whether Sarlo ever truly supported LGBTQ+ rights. Trans women belong in women's spaces, Walpin said. As a 71-year-old cisgender lesbian, she views the attacks that trans people are facing as the same arguments that have been used against marriage equality and gay rights for decades. 'I really see so many parallels happening now in the trans community. The lack of dignity, the lack of equality, aside from the lack of actual rights just to exist,' she said. When she and her wife fought for marriage equality, they were told they were harming children and the family unit, and destroying America. Trans people are being told the same thing now, she said, and in response, some elected representatives are abandoning Democratic values. To Willingham, Monday's vote is a sign that the tide is turning. 'I think Democrats are now acutely aware that this is not just about questions of concerns about safety in women's athletics and opportunity. It's very clear that this is part of the larger attack to remove trans people from public life, and Democrats are seeing that,' he said. 'They've said, with this vote, 'Not on our watch.'' The post Will Democrats fight for trans rights? Their first big test just played out in the Senate. appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
