Latest news with #Transgender
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Crisis intervention centre a ray of hope for transgenders in Kerala
KOCHI: Aiming to provide round-the-clock protection to transgender people in the state, the social justice department has set up a Transgender Crisis Intervention Centre in Kakkanad. First-of-its-kind in the state and perhaps in the country, the facility is soon to be functional. It will offer 24-hour counselling facilities and shelter to transgender people who are struggling. The facility, completed at a cost of Rs 24 lakh, was inaugurated by Social Justice Minister R Bindu on Monday. 'Transgender people face sexual harassment, physical assault and mental abuse from individuals around them. Often neglected by their family, they even encounter violence at home. In such cases, they can seek shelter at the facility,' said district social justice officer Cino Xavi. 'The project aims to create an inclusive space for transgender individuals. Counsellors will be available to provide mental health support to them for handling emergency situations and coping with stress. If necessary, we will also provide legal and medical support,' added Cino.
Scotsman
28-04-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Sanity restored on schools sanitary provision after ruling
A landmark judgement by the Court of Session ruled that all Scottish schools must provide single-sex toilets School toilets are never the most pleasant of environments. How can they be? They are there to cater for the sanitary needs of children and adolescents, a place where a girl can deal with menstruation in private and where boys can compare their physique away from prying eyes. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Despite everyone's best efforts, school toilets smell of that potent mix of teenage perfume and body odour, and there is always at least one cubicle where the lock is broken or the toilet will not flush properly. Until recently, the one thing that you could guarantee was that boys and girls did not have to share such an intimate space – but that was before the emergence of gender identity ideology and councils were persuaded by transgender campaigners that schools should have mixed-sex facilities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A 2023 report by the campaign group For Women Scotland showed that here in Edinburgh, six secondary schools offered mixed-sex WCs, with the Wester Hailes Education Centre providing just four girls-only WCs compared to 28 mixed-sex ones. The report also revealed that every one of the city's high schools allowed pupils to use opposite sex toilets. But not for much longer. A landmark judgement by the Court of Session last week ruled that all Scottish schools must provide single-sex toilets. It came after concerned parents, Sean Stratford and Leigh Hurley, discovered that the new Earlston Primary School in the Borders was only going to offer mixed-sex loos or gender-neutral to use officialese. The regulations for school toilets are clear, as their solicitor Rosie Walker of Gilson Gray LLP pointed out. 'There is no provision for gender-neutral toilets in the regulations. Any school not complying will be in breach of the regulations and could face a legal challenge from parents,' she said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The rules, which came into force nearly 50 years ago, say that all state schools must provide half their toilet facilities for boys, of which no more than a third should be WCs, with the rest urinals. The other 50 per cent must be for girls only. After the court's decision, the Scottish government said it would carefully consider the implications of the judgement, adding, "The Scottish government is committed to ensuring that our Transgender Guidance for Schools remains up to date and fit for purpose…we will consider whether the guidance requires to be updated." The government surely does not have any option but to update its advice to reflect the law as it stands and not as trans campaigners like the charity LGBT Youth Scotland demands. Three years ago, For Women Scotland published legal opinion that confirmed mixed-sex toilets for pupils were unlawful, but schools, councils and the Scottish government ignored it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now taxpayers face a huge bill to rip out gender-neutral toilets and restore single-sex facilities. As Trina Budge, a director of For Women Scotland, said after the ruling, 'Girls' privacy, dignity and safety should never have been compromised and we hope lessons will be learned from this.' I for one am looking forward to the city's education convenor Cllr Joan Griffiths telling Edinburgh's parents how the council is going to make sure that from now on the dignity and safety of every pupil is guaranteed.
South Wales Argus
22-04-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Transgender women's rights protesters gather in Cardiff
Huge crowds of LGBTQ+ protesters and allies gathered today in Cardiff to take a stand against new legislation surrounding transgender rights. Thousands of protesters in disagreement with the supreme court's definition of 'a woman' took the streets. Thousands of protesters in disagreement with the supreme court's definition of 'a woman' took the streets (Image: Supplied) According to the court the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act only 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex.' The new controversial motion passed on April 16 now means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. Equalities minister Bridget Phillipson said the ruling means transgender women should use male toilets, but suggested businesses should ensure 'they have appropriate provision in place' for all customers. That could mean the wider use of unisex facilities in cafes, pubs and restaurants in order to ensure 'dignity' for all people. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the court's ruling was clear that 'services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex', meaning transwomen should usually use male toilets if there is no alternative provision. Thousands of protesters in disagreement with the supreme court's definition of 'a woman' took the streets (Image: Supplied) In his first public comments since the justices' decision on April 16, the Prime Minister said he is 'really pleased' with the clarity that the court's ruling offers. Sir Keir, who has previously said 'transwomen are women', was asked to repeat that statement but instead said: 'I think the Supreme Court has answered that question.' A member of Wales LBGTQ+ community said: 'In the last few days a following a massive step back in transgender rights following a recent supreme court ruling, thousands of people across the UK have been protesting in support of Transgender rights. 'In Cardiff today thousands of people marched in support of Transgender Women's rights to exist and women. 'Recent events across the world have rocked LGBTQIA+ rights, today's protest demonstrated the volume of support to Trans people.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Llano County settles librarian's wrongful termination suit over book removals for $225,000
Former librarian Suzette Baker will receive $225,000 in a settlement of her wrongful termination lawsuit against Llano County, according to an agreement shared with the American-Statesman. The settlement, which will be paid by the Texas Association of Counties, marks the end of a yearlong legal battle between Baker and Llano County officials. The 58-year-old accused them of firing her in 2022 because she refused to pull library materials that a group of conservative activists had deemed inappropriate for children. Several of the books focused on race and LGBTQ+ experiences, including "They Called Us the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group" and "Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen." The targeted titles were chosen from a list compiled in 2021 by former state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth. Baker also accused county officials of suppressing her First Amendment rights by barring her and other librarians from attending public Library Advisory Board meetings during their personal and vacation time. Baker, a veteran and mom of five adult kids, has worked as a cashier at a hardware store for more than a year. While relieved the lawsuit is over, she isn't celebrating. "It's saddening that it had to come to this," she said in a phone interview with the Statesman. "But I hope it's enough to make the county stop and pay attention to the citizens and their rights and the people who know what they're doing in the libraries." Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham said the county "wholly denies" Baker's claims and was "prepared to prove it in court," he told the Statesman in a statement Friday. The Texas Association of Counties resolved the case to avoid the expense of a trial or other continuing litigation, which would have exceeded the settlement amount, he added. Cunningham also said the suit's resolution will allow the county to concentrate on everyday business, including "emergency services, maintaining our county road system, and offering vital rural health care to our citizens.' Under the terms of the agreement, Baker will never again work as a librarian in the Texas Hill Country county of Llano, roughly 80 miles northwest of Austin. She also cannot apply to or work in any other Llano County job. "I would love to be a librarian again. I wanted to be a librarian, and (the county) took that away from me," Baker said. But "that's not to say that I couldn't go someplace else and do it." More: Texas county challenges First Amendment ruling on library book bans in 5th Circuit hearing The $225,000 lump sum includes Baker's attorney's fees and all other damages, fees and costs. It could account for the expected gap between the $35,500 annual salary Baker earned as a librarian and what she has made and can expect to make in other jobs. It sends the "loud and clear" message that 'if government officials are going to trample all over their community's constitutional and civil rights, there will be financial consequences," said Iris Halpern, Baker's attorney. As part of the settlement, Baker agreed to drop all claims against the defendants in the lawsuit, who include Cunningham, county Commissioner Jerry Don Moss, Library Director Amber Milum and four women who pushed for the book removals and were later appointed to the county's Library Advisory Board. News of the book removal campaign and the resulting litigation have drawn national attention to Llano. Outside of Baker's lawsuit, the county is still waiting on a decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a First Amendment lawsuit over the book removals. A group of Llano County library patrons sued the county in April 2022, arguing that it violated a precedent barring government officials and librarians in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana from removing books 'simply because they dislike the ideas within them.' An Austin federal district judge partly ruled in their favor before the county appealed that decision. Led by attorney Jonathan Mitchell, the county has argued that the precedent lets federal courts meddle too much in local public libraries' book purchases and removals. Mitchell has also argued that those county curation decisions are 'government speech, immune from First Amendment scrutiny.' While the case is pending, officials have frozen book purchases for the county's three public libraries. According to Mitchell, a former Texas solicitor general who represented President Donald Trump in a case over Colorado ballot eligibility, the dispute could eventually make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. More: How a national dispute over library books is fracturing a small Texas town In August, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman found that Baker had plausible claims for First Amendment retaliation, wrongful termination and employment discrimination in an order denying the county's motion to dismiss the case. The ruling made clear that officials would have to settle or take the matter to trial. Baker's lawsuit was seeking back pay, attorney's fees and an injunction ordering the county to cease behavior that discriminates against minorities and suppresses residents' First Amendment rights. As their defense against the lawsuit, the county's lawyers argued that Baker was fired for setting up a display about the "highly charged and emotional issue" of censorship in the library and posting on the library's social media account against orders from higher-ups, according to court filings. They also argued Baker did not have sufficient evidence to prove Llano County officials had unconstitutional or discriminatory motivations for their actions. The settlement was first announced in early March, days before a documentary film about Baker's story was featured at the South by Southwest festival in Austin. Cunningham said county officials are "glad to put this behind us and focus our energy on the important government services that Llano County provides." Baker, for her part, said the payout proves "there is legal recourse if we stand up for the rights of the citizens in this state. There is protection for the librarians in this state." However, she sees a long road ahead for those who oppose restrictions on library books. "The war is on," she said. "But we won this battle." More: A conservative nonprofit got $80k for a Texas book-ban battle. Llano County hasn't seen it This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas county settles fired librarian's lawsuit for $225,000
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Federal court blocks Trump administration from separating 2 transgender airmen
A federal court on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from separating two transgender service members from the military under a pair of executive orders while another case moves forward. Two transgender men, Master Sgt. Logan Ireland and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Bear Bade, had argued in a lawsuit that President Trump's executive orders proclaiming the government recognizes only two sexes — male and female — and barring trans people from serving openly in the military subject them and other trans service members 'to unequal, harmful, and demeaning treatment.' Ireland and Bade, both members of the U.S. Air Force, also challenged the implementation of those orders by acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who over the weekend mocked on social media the Washington, D.C., judge who said Trump's ban on trans military service is 'soaked in animus' and blocked it nationwide. In a March 19 post on the social platform X, Hegseth wrote that the Pentagon is appealing that decision, 'and we will win.' The Pentagon in February instructed military leaders to begin identifying transgender service members within 30 days and begin 'separation actions' within 60 days. Like Trump's Jan. 27 executive order on transgender troops, the Feb. 26 policy memo from the Defense Department suggests a history of gender dysphoria — severe psychological distress that stems from a mismatch between a person's gender identity and sex at birth — is incompatible with military service. A 2016 RAND Corp. study commissioned by the Pentagon found that allowing trans individuals to serve had no negative impact on unit cohesion, operational effectiveness or readiness. Because of Trump's orders and the Pentagon's policies effectuating them, Ireland and Bade have been placed on administrative absence, which their lawsuit claims 'is the way the U.S. Military fires people.' 'It is a process typically used for misconduct or failing to meet standards, not for treatable medical conditions where the service member meets the requirements for service, including both job performance and fitness standards,' states the lawsuit, filed this month in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. 'As such, involuntary administrative separation carries with it a stigma that can follow a service member beyond their time in the military.' Ireland, 37, has served with distinction in the Air Force for more than 14 years, including tours in Afghanistan, Qatar, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. The 2015 New York Times short documentary 'Transgender, at War, and in Love' chronicled part of his coming-out journey. Bade, 44, has served with distinction in the Air Force for six years and was, until recently, deployed to the Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait as a member of the base's Security Forces. In her ruling on Monday, U.S. District Judge Christine O'Hearn, an appointee of former President Biden, wrote that both Ireland and Bade 'have exemplary service records' and 'face severe personal and professional harm absent a preliminary injunction.' 'In contrast,' she wrote, 'Defendants have not demonstrated any compelling justification whatsoever for immediate implementation of the Orders, particularly since transgender persons have been openly serving in the military for a number of years.' Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, one of the organizations representing Ireland and Bade in court, said Monday in a statement that the group is 'relieved' by O'Hearn's ruling. 'Staff Sergeant Bade and Master Sergeant Ireland had both already fallen victim to this administration's aggressive implementation of the ban, being yanked from key deployments and forced onto administrative absence against their will,' she said. 'These Airmen have risked everything to protect American freedoms—they deserve better than becoming the targets of a calculated, political purge.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
