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San Francisco Chronicle
22-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Climbers find upside-down American flag signaling ‘distress' on Tahoe summit
An upside-down American flag atop Flagpole Peak above Echo Lakes near Lake Tahoe is drawing attention after two climbers encountered the display during a summit last week. Tadd Perkins of South Lake Tahoe and Nicholas Schwab of San Francisco climbed the peak on June 10, initially noticing the flagpole from a distance. As they neared the summit, they saw the flag was flying upside down — a symbol of distress under the U.S. Flag Code. Visible from Meyers (El Dorado County) and the Echo Lake trailhead into Desolation Wilderness, the flag appears to be part of a broader wave of symbolic protest on public lands. In recent months, upside-down flags and large banners have been used to criticize cuts to environmental and emergency services carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency, a federal group led until recently by Elon Musk. In February, an upside-down U.S. flag was unfurled on Yosemite's El Capitan during the park's annual firefall spectacle. In May, a 1,925-square-foot Transgender Pride flag was draped over the same cliff face, prompting Yosemite officials to ban banners larger than 15 square feet in designated wilderness areas. Perkins, a retired Federal Emergency Management Agency official and firefighter, said he wasn't involved in the Flagpole Peak display but empathized with its message. 'Even prior to recent DOGE cuts, public lands staffing was in decline while recreational visitation was at or near all-time highs,' Perkins said. 'Most of us can see why this is not a good equation for the health of the resources over time.' He warned against the long-term impact of slashing public service jobs that support outdoor infrastructure. Last month, 16 AmeriCorps members in the Tahoe Basin were laid off mid-term due to canceled federal grants — a decision tied up in litigation. Although a U.S. District Court has ordered some AmeriCorps funding restored, the Trump administration is expected to appeal by August. 'We can't use a chain saw against the places that sustain us and the agencies and workforce that support them,' Perkins said, referencing Musk's widely publicized appearance wielding a chain saw at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February. 'These public lands are so great because they have had tireless public servants dedicated to them.' The U.S. Forest Service, which manages Flagpole Peak, acknowledged the display and noted it could be considered abandoned property under federal regulations. However, no national policy prohibits such symbolic expressions. 'We are aware of the public attention surrounding the display of an upside-down United States flag at this location,' said Lisa Herron, a spokesperson for the USDA Forest Service's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. 'On the national level, there is no policy prohibiting hanging of banners, flags or signs, and it is considered a protected form of speech.' Perkins pointed out that outdoor recreation contributes an estimated $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. 'When I'm climbing and hiking, I admittedly am not thinking about the economic benefit from time outside,' Perkins said. 'I am thinking about the person it's helped me become and how it has brought me the best experiences and friends in my life.' He added that this is why 'someone might want to hang an American flag on public lands, to signal the distress we are in.'
USA Today
03-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Trump promises 'large scale fines' after California trans athlete wins two state titles
Trump promises 'large scale fines' after California trans athlete wins two state titles The president of the United States singled out AB Hernandez, a transgender high school athlete who placed first in the high jump and triple jump in California's track and field finals Show Caption Hide Caption See as rock climbers hang Transgender Pride flag in Yosemite Rock climbers unfurled a large Transgender Pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has since removed it. WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump said he plans to impose "large scale fines" on California as his Justice Department threatened to sue the state's public schools after a transgender athlete was allowed to compete and won two medals in last weekend's track and field state championship. Trump promised the financial penalties in an overnight June 3 post on Truth Social after AB Hernandez, a transgender high school, placed first in the high jump and triple jump in California's track and field finals. Hernandez shared the podium with her cisgender competitors following a rule change enacted last week that allowed athletes assigned as female at birth to receive medals based on where they would have finished if a transgender athlete had not competed. More: Transgender athlete shares 2 titles at California state track and field meet "Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so," Trump wrote in a 12:56 a.m. ET post. "As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!" he added, referring to California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump did not quantify the amount he will seek to fine California or specify which federal funding stream he might target. A spokesperson from Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a June 2 letter to California's public schools, a Justice Department official said to "avoid legal liability" the state must assure by June 9 it will no longer implement a bylaw requiring transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity. The policy was adopted in 2012 under a law passed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat. Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's civil rights division, argued allowing transgender athletes in female competitions is sex discrimination in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. "Scientific evidence shows that upsetting the historical status quo and forcing girls to compete against males would deprive them of athletic opportunities and benefits because of their sex," Dhillon said. "Therefore, you cannot implement a policy allowing males to compete alongside girls, because such a policy would deprive girls of athletic opportunities and benefits based solely on their biological sex." The controversy in California has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's efforts to target transgender athletes ‒ a wedge issue that Trump and other Republicans have pushed aggressively in recent elections. More: Trump warns Newsom after California transgender athlete qualifies for state championship Ahead of the track meet, Trump instructed local authorities in California not to allow Hernandez to compete in the championship. The president warned Newsom that he would cut his state off from federal funding if an executive order he signed Feb. 5 seeking to bar transgender student athletes from playing women's sports is not followed. Trump's "keeping men out of sports" executive order directed the Department of Education to pursue "enforcement actions" under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sex in educational institutions, and adopt rules "clearly specifying and clarifying that women's sports are reserved for women." More: Supreme Court sides with a lawmaker who made a controversial Facebook post about a trans athlete Trump has butted heads with multiple Democratic governors over the implementation the order. In April, the Trump Justice Department sued Maine, alleging Title IX violations for refusing to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. California is one of 22 states with laws that allow transgender athletes to compete other athletes who match their gender identity. Newsom, a longtime Trump adversary and potential 2028 Democratic contender for president, broke from many progressives in his party when he said allowing transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports is "deeply unfair" during a recent podcast interview with conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people
These are the safest places in America for gay and transgender people Which states are the best and worst for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans to live and work? More and more, it's a question of partisan politics. Here's why. Show Caption Hide Caption See as rock climbers hang Transgender Pride flag in Yosemite Rock climbers unfurled a large Transgender Pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has since removed it. As Oklahoman legislators push to restrict trans rights and overturn the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, Zane Eaves says his identity as a transgender man has put a target on his back in his home state. One of 18,900 trans adults in Oklahoma, Eaves has received death threats as has his wife of 10 years and their two children. 'All the hatred and political stuff going on' are driving this Oklahoma lifer from the place he was born and raised, Eaves, 35, said. He has only crossed the state line three times in his life, but in recent weeks, he made the difficult decision to move his family to North Carolina to be closer to friends and allies. 'I am just trying to stay alive and keep my marriage,' Eaves said. Oklahoma ranks 44th in the nation on a list released Monday of the most and least welcoming states for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans. More and more, the question of where LGBTQ+ people feel safe is one of blue vs. red, according to advocacy group Out Leadership. LGBTQ+ equality fell across the board for the third straight year, according to Out Leadership's State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index shared exclusively with USA TODAY. But the sharpest declines came in Republican-led states. While progressive strongholds championed supportive policies and protections, conservative states elected a slate of leaders who openly oppose gay and trans rights and sponsored an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Out Leadership CEO and founder Todd Sears said. So-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills, religious exemptions and other legislation tanked the rankings of 19 red states in the Out Leadership index, according to Sears. Today, the divide between states that roll out the welcome mat and less hospitable parts of the country is wider than ever, he said. The least and most welcoming LGBTQ+ states Each year for the last seven, Out Leadership has released the State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index to gauge the overall climate for gay and transgender people state by state, mapping out where they will face the most and the least discrimination and hardship. Out Leadership's index measures the impact of state government policies and prevalent attitudes about the LGBTQ+ community, weighing factors such as support for young people and families, health access and safety, political and religious attitudes, work environment and employment and nondiscrimination protections. The Northeast had six of the 10 highest-ranked states, while the Southeast had six of the lowest-ranked. Massachusetts, led by the nation's first openly lesbian governor, Democrat Maura Healey and New York, which guaranteed gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ refugee protections, tied for first place in this year's index, with Connecticut and New Jersey close behind. The least LGBTQ+ friendly state was Arkansas, which ranked last for the third straight year. South Carolina, Louisiana, South Dakota and Alabama also received low scores. The states that had the largest gains in the index were Kentucky and Michigan, which Out Leadership attributed to 'pro-equality' leadership from governors Andy Beshear and Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats. The steepest declines were in Ohio, Florida and Utah, all led by Republican governors. Where are the safest places to live? The Out Leadership index was created as a LGBTQ+ inclusion reference guide for business leaders. But gay and trans people soon began using it to figure out where they should – and should not – live and work, never more so than now as rights rollbacks from the Trump administration and red statehouses hit close to home. Opposition to transgender rights was a central plank in Trump's presidential campaign and since taking office he has signed a series of executive orders recognizing only male and female genders, keeping trans athletes out of women's sports, banning trans people from serving in the military and restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19. Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes. Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if a trans girl competed in a state track and field event held Saturday. AB Hernandez, a junior from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, shared first place in the high jump and triple jump and second in the long jump. She shared the awards podium with her cisgender competitors under a new rule drafted by state athletics officials days before the event to mollify critics. Republican-led states have been in the vanguard of anti-trans legislation, causing greater geographic polarization and prompting fears among LGBTQ+ residents, even those who live in liberal cities. Jordan McGuire, a 27-year-old gay man in North Dakota, said the years he spent living in the Deep South taught him about the repressive discrimination routinely faced by gay and genderqueer people. At the same time, socially progressive cities in conservative states like Fargo and Grand Forks are no longer the safe havens they once were, he said. Now that his fiancee is transitioning to female, the couple is exploring a move to a 'sanctuary' state that will be safer for them. 'It feels like five or 10 years ago, trans people were not under the same microscope they are now and that has definitely influenced our move,' McGuire said. 'Yeah, people were prejudiced but it wasn't a witch hunt. They weren't looking for people in bathrooms and schools. But now things are so polarized.' That rising anxiety was captured in a post-election survey from UCLA's Williams Institute which found that nearly half of transgender people had already fled unsupportive communities and nearly 1 in 4 were considering uprooting their lives. The most frequently cited reasons for wanting to move were concerns about LGBTQ+ rights – 76% – the sociopolitical climate – 71% – anti-trans rhetoric and climate – 60% – and anti-trans laws and policies – 47%. LGBTQ+ Americans on the move Interest in relocating to friendlier states is even higher today than it was after Trump's reelection, say nonprofit workers who aid trans and gender-diverse people relocate to more liberal states with broader protections. So far in 2025, Rainbow Railroad in Canada has received more than 3,000 requests from LGBTQ+ people living in the United States, up more than 1,000% from the same time last year, according to communications director Timothy Chan. Nearly all requested international relocation support. For now, Rainbow Railroad can't aid Americans with resettlement services because of immigration restrictions, Chan said. TRACTION has heard from a record number of people from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas with many of them reporting being threatened or feeling unsafe in their homes and neighborhoods, said Michael Woodward, the executive director of the trans-led organization in Washington state. Trans and gender-diverse people historically face financial hardship due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and need assistance finding jobs and housing as well as with interstate moving expenses that can run tens of thousands, Woodward said. TRACTION used to get a few applications a week until Trump won a second term. In the two weeks following the election, 'we received as many requests for assistance as we'd received in the entire life of the project thus far,' he said. After the inauguration, TRACTION started getting three to five applications every day. With one employee and a handful of volunteers, his organization is struggling to keep up with demand, Woodward said.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
What does the 'T' in LGBTQ+ mean? Transgender, nonbinary communities explained.
What does the 'T' in LGBTQ+ mean? Transgender, nonbinary communities explained. Show Caption Hide Caption See as rock climbers hang Transgender Pride flag in Yosemite Rock climbers unfurled a large Transgender Pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has since removed it. It's Pride Month, which means it's a good time to brush up on your knowledge of the different Pride flags you may see at parades this year and the identities within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. The best first step is to learn about the community. Asking your LGBTQ+ friends and family is an option, but be mindful of placing the burden of your education on others when there are so many resources at your disposal. What does the 'T' in LGBTQ+ stand for? The T in LGBTQ+ stands for transgender. LGBTQ+ is an acronym of identities related to sexual orientation and gender identity. What each letter in LGBTQ+ means: In recent years, many have added I and A (intersex and asexual) to the lineup. The plus sign is another addition to the acronym to represent identities in the community that perhaps don't fit into the other letters like pansexual, polyamorous, Two-Spirit or others who don't want to label their sexuality. What does transgender mean? Transgender is a term used to describe those whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Cisgender people are individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth. Before we dive in more, let's take a look at the difference between sex and gender: Sex . Infants are assigned "male" or "female" at birth based on the appearance of their external genitalia. It's important to remember that there are people born with sex traits outside of binary male and female anatomy, known as intersex. It's estimated up to 1.7% of the population is born with an intersex trait. The federal government, as of 2025, only recognizes two sexes, male and female. . Infants are assigned "male" or "female" at birth based on the appearance of their external genitalia. It's important to remember that there are people born with sex traits outside of binary male and female anatomy, known as intersex. It's estimated up to 1.7% of the population is born with an intersex trait. The federal government, as of 2025, only recognizes two sexes, male and female. Gender. Everyone has a gender identity, and that's an individual knowing of one's gender. We may express our gender through name, pronouns, clothing, haircut, voice or behavior in ways that society has classified as masculine or feminine. But gender identity is not something that you can point out and classify, because there isn't a "right" or "wrong" way when it comes to gender identity. It's important to remember that our idea of masculinity and femininity has changed (and will continue to change) throughout history, and many people's gender identity doesn't fit neatly into masculinity and femininity. The T in LGBTQ+ differs from some of the other letters in the acronym because it is not related to sexual orientation; Being transgender has everything to do with gender identity and nothing to do with sexuality. A trans person can be straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer or any other sexuality. Trans people may undergo a transition process to more closely align their gender expression and gender identity. This can include telling family and friends to use a different name or pronouns, dressing differently, pursuing sex and name changes on legal documents, starting hormone replacement therapy or undergoing medical procedures. But they also may not, and shouldn't be expected to by family, friends or others. Because gender identity is about internal understanding, someone who is trans does not need to do anything to their appearance to be trans; They are trans the moment they realize their gender identity is different from their assigned sex at birth. Learn them all: Breaking down each letter in LGBTQ+ What are the colors of the trans Pride flag? The trans flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, an American trans woman. The colors are light blue and light pink to represent the traditional colors for baby girls and boys and a white stripe in the middle to represent "intersex, gender neutral or transitioning" members. What is a deadname?: Why experts say it's 'a matter of physical safety' What does nonbinary mean? Nonbinary is an umbrella term used to describe those whose gender identity and expression fall outside the binary categories of "man" and "woman." Like all gender identity, there is no one way to "be" nonbinary. Gender is an entirely individual understanding. Nonbinary folks may consider themselves part of the transgender community, and may use words like genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, bigender or others. Some also use the shortened word "enby." Many nonbinary people use they/them pronouns or neopronouns. They also may ask for the gender neutral honorific Mx as opposed to Mr. or Mrs.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
Pride flag colors: What genderqueer, gender-fluid and nonbinary flags represent
Pride flag colors: What genderqueer, gender-fluid and nonbinary flags represent Show Caption Hide Caption See as rock climbers hang Transgender Pride flag in Yosemite Rock climbers unfurled a large Transgender Pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service has since removed it. With June pride parades approaching, it's time to refresh your knowledge of the many pride flags you may see waving in windows and on the street. It's more than the classic rainbow flag – variations and updated versions of the original design represent the vastness of the LGBTQ+ community. Some flags represent pride in gender identity diversity, including the nonbinary, genderqueer and gender-fluid communities. Here's a guide to those flags. What do the colors of the nonbinary flag mean? The nonbinary flag was created by Kye Rowan in 2014 as an addition to the genderqueer flag, not a replacement. People who are nonbinary don't identify exclusively as female or male. The flag has four stripes – yellow, white, purple and black: Yellow: Those who exist outside of and without reference to the binary White: All or multiple genders Purple: A mix of the traditional binary colors for boys and girls to represent those who feel their gender falls somewhere between the gender binary Black: Those without gender What are colors of the pansexual flag? Get to know the Pride flag's meaning, history What do the colors of the genderqueer flag mean? The genderqueer flag was created in 2011 by artist Marilyn Roxie. People who are genderqueer reject conventional gender categories in favor of fluidity. Their gender identity could be both male and female, neither male nor female or a combination. The flag has three stripes of lavender, white and dark green chartreuse. Lavender has been historically associated with queerness. Lavender: Mixes together the blue and pink of the traditional gender binary and represents androgyny White: Represents agender identity, gender neutrality Dark green: Represents identities outside of the gender binary, the inverse of lavender 'The three colors are not meant to indicate that any of these identities are entirely separate or opposites of one another conceptually,' Roxie wrote on their website. 'They are all interrelated as well as key concepts in their own right.' This one, too: What do the colors of the bisexual pride flag mean? Here's who created the design. What do the colors of the gender-fluid flag mean? The gender-fluid flag was designed by JJ Poole in 2012. Someone who identifies as gender-fluid doesn't identify with a single, fixed gender – their identity and expression may change over time. The flag contains five colored stripes: pink, white, purple, black and blue.
