Latest news with #transgenderrights
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters demand Gov. Abbott focus more on flood relief in special session
Dozens gathered Sunday in front of the Texas Governor's Mansion to kick off a week of protests and public comments against the Texas Legislature's special session. The group gathered to hear speakers address a range of issues that will be brought up in the special session including: the slated redistricting of the state's congressional seats; transgender bathroom usage; and access to abortion pills. But the overarching demand they had was for lawmakers to 'focus on flooding' — a phrase the group chanted multiple times throughout the evening. '[Abbott] is bringing folks back to the Capitol to ram through an agenda that attacks women's rights, that attacks LGBTQIA+ Texans, and attacks various communities of color that are still drying out from the storm,' Austin City Councilperson Zohaib Qadri said from the podium. Gov. Greg Abbott last month called a special session, using his authority to bring lawmakers back to Austin to tackle conservative priorities that stalled earlier this year. In Texas, only the governor can call a such a session and set its agenda. This was the first in a string of protests and gatherings organized against the special session this week. On Monday, a protest is scheduled at the Capitol building from noon to 2 p.m. centering disaster prevention. On Wednesday, organizers are holding a "pack the House' event where they encourage citizens to show up to watch House proceedings from the public gallery. Organizers also encouraged protestors to speak to their state representatives and make public comments at hearings during the special session. Many in the group of about 100 at the protest focused on the redrawing of congressional districts. This key item on Abbott's agenda — added after pressure from the White House — that could boost the number of Republican-majority seats, potentially expanding the party's slim U.S. House edge after the 2026 elections. The speaker juxtaposed the issues like redistricting with the state's response to the flash floods that swept through Central Texas earlier this month. Issues surrounding emergency preparedness and the flood relief are on the governor's docket for the special session, but speakers argued that the political issues are overshadowing the flood. While the redistricting is legal, most of the speakers painted it as unfair and a selfish use of power. Pooja Sethi, former chair of the Travis County Democratic Party and candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, called the redistricting "dishonest," "rushed" and "cheating." 'Do not hijack the special session for your own personal gain,' said Pam King, vice president of the Black Austin Democrats PAC. Amanda Jaroski, a reproductive rights advocate in Austin, called on lawmakers to 'focus their efforts on passing legislation that will aid and relieve people's devastating claims' from the Central Texas floods. She encouraged them not to prioritize restricting abortion medication, which is 'commonly used in life-saving critical maternal health care.' Protestors showed to stand against the diverse array of issues. Lynne Lively, a regular attendee of Capitol protests, said she thought the redistricting was a power grab by Republicans. She said it was so unfair that a first-grader could understand it. Ayaann Moledina, the 16-year-old policy director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, showed up to criticize the special session's focus on eliminating the STAAR test, calling it a political move to avoid addressing school funding. Those who support the move say the assessment does little to actually improve student outcomes. Other speakers included Nancy Thompson, founder of Mothers Against Greg Abbott; Javi Andrade, a Democratic congressional candidate for the 10th Congressional District; Kristin Hook, a former congressional candidate for the 21st Congressional District; and Sophia Mirto, president of Hands Off Central Texas, which is a coalition of people and organizations that "defend democracy and engage the civic power of the people." Sunday's protest was organized by Sethi and Idona Griffith in conjunction with advocacy groups Indivisible Rosedale and Mother for Democracy. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: In Texas, protesters demand Abbott focus more on floods during session
CBC
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Judge halts non-binary person's deportation to the U.S. as Trump dismantles trans rights
Social Sharing When Angel Jenkel first came to Canada from the U.S. three years ago, the world was a different place. Their Canadian boyfriend, who they were visiting, was in good health. And back home, the U.S. was making progress on transgender rights under president Joe Biden. Now, their financé is ill and requires regular care. And back home, U.S. President Donald Trump is rapidly scaling back the rights of trans people, which could put Jenkel, who is non-binary, in the crosshairs. So Jenkel overstayed their visa. "It was just really stressful for me to think of going back to such an environment that was changing and escalating constantly," they told CBC. Jenkel was scheduled to be deported from Canada this month. But a Federal Court judge issued a stay of removal, arguing the immigration officer who examined their case failed to take into account their role in caring for their fiancé, or the "current conditions for LGBTQ, non-binary and transgender persons" in the U.S. Advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ migrants say this could set a precedent for other cases like Jenkel's, and help change the way Canada's immigration system deals with applications from the U.S. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRRC) declined to comment on Jenkel's case, citing privacy concerns. Trump's anti-trans executive orders Jenkel, a 24-year-old artist from Minnesota, came to Canada on a visa in August 2022 to visit their then-boyfriend, now fiancé, a social media influencer and Door Dash driver in Thunder Bay, Ont. At first, Jenkel says they planned to stay for six months. But their fiancé epilepsy took a sudden turn for the worst, and Jenkel has become his primary source of at-home care. The couple is now living in London, Ont., so he can be closer to the medical care he needs for his frequent seizures. Meanwhile, the political climate for transgender people in the U.S. has dramatically changed under Trump's second presidency. The Republican president has issued a series of executive orders declaring the U.S. will only recognize "two sexes, male and female," halting gender-affirming care for minors, restricting transgender women and girls from participating in sports, and banning transgender people from serving in the military. As Jenkel watched this unfold from afar, their loved ones in the U.S. warned them to stay in Canada. "What is weird is hearing my grandma telling me that she's scared for me to come back and, like, people that I would have, in the past, thought of as hardcore America-lovers," Jenkel said. "They are terrified of me coming back to the country." Deportation order 'failed to reflect the current reality' Jenkel was ordered to be deported on July 3 after an initial risk assessment determined they didn't face a credible threat in the U.S. But Justice Julie Blackhawk halted that deportation, pending review. In her ruling, she wrote Jenkel's risk assessment was "flawed and unreasonable." That's because the immigration officer conducting the review used outdated information — a government dossier on the United States that was last updated in January 2024, says Jenkel's lawyer. "It's a marked recognition that the conditions have deteriorated ... since the Biden administration has left office," Sarah Mikhail, of Smith Immigration Law in Toronto, told As It Happens host Nil Kӧksal. "These changes are significant enough that, when assessing trans and non-binary individuals' circumstances in Canada, this is something that needs to be taken into consideration." Devon Matthews, head of programs at Rainbow Railroad, hailed the ruling. The non-profit organization, which helps 2SLGBTQ+ refugees, stopped resettling people in the U.S. earlier this year. "We've seen firsthand the deteriorating conditions for LGBTQI+ people in the U.S., from the escalation of anti-trans legislation to targeted violence and growing legal uncertainty," Matthews said in an emailed statement. Rainbow Railroad is one of several organizations that asked the Canadian government to re-think how it assesses asylum seekers and immigrants who come to Canada from, or through, the U.S. It called on Canada to repeal or exempt 2SLGBTQ+ applicants from the Safe Third Country Act (STCA), which prevents refugees from claiming asylum in Canada if they come through the U.S. "This case could set an important precedent in acknowledging that countries traditionally seen as 'safe' cannot be treated as such without scrutiny, especially for marginalized communities," Matthews said. In an emailed statement, IRCC called the STCA an "important tool for our two countries to work together on the orderly management of asylum claims along our shared border." The STCA does not apply to U.S. citizens like Jenkel. What's next? Mikhail says she's hopeful Blackhawk's ruling will set a precedent, but cautioned that immigration claims are handled on a case-by-case basis. "At this point, we're not advising people to file for asylum claims, necessarily," she said. The ruling gives Jenkel a temporary reprieve pending a judicial review of their case, and carves out some time for them to apply for permanent residency, with their fiancé as a sponsor. They're hopeful they can get on the path to Canadian citizenship, but remain worried about their friends back home. "Things are actually getting scary," they said. "We thought we were seeing progress and now we're seeing all that progress wiped away."
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Nurse suspended after complaining about doctor using female changing room is cleared of gross misconduct - as employment tribunal continues today
The nurse at the centre of a landmark employment tribunal has been cleared of all gross-misconduct allegations against her, her lawyer has said. Sandie Peggie was suspended after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton at the NHS Fife hospital where they both worked.
CBC
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Canadian singer Matthew Good says 'big political correction' needed before he'll tour U.S. again
Social Sharing Canadian rocker Matthew Good has cut upcoming U.S. shows from his summer tour, saying he can't support government policies and political divisions south of the border and that he's unlikely to perform in the country again until political tides turn. Good, 54, announced the cancellations in a Facebook post on Friday morning, saying he's willing to "risk my future US career, to stand up against things today." Since coming to office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has made repeated comments about making Canada the "51st state," launched a trade war against Canada and dozens of other nations, implemented policies affecting the rights of transgender people and ordered mass deportations of undocumented migrants. Good was due to play in Cleveland on Tuesday, Pittsburgh on Wednesday and Buffalo on Thursday, before returning to Canada to perform in Gravenhurst, Ont., on Friday. "I'm a very proud Canadian," the Burnaby, B.C.-born singer and songwriter told Radio West guest host Brady Strachan of CBC Kelowna on Friday, hours after posting the announcement. "I think, really, the divisionism that I'm seeing in the United States is something that has really gotten to me." He said he understands that people are entitled to different political views, but that "right now, that nation doesn't reflect the commonality that this one has." "I think there are several things going on down there that ... I don't feel that I can economically support," said Good, who rose to fame in the 1990s with the Matthew Good Band and hits like Apparition and Hello Time Bomb. He has performed as a solo artist since the band broke up in 2002. Upset by trade war, tax attack Among the sticking points for Good was Trump's tariff threats and the attack on Canada's now-scuttled digital services tax (DST), which was due to go into effect last month. "[Canada is] backing down from that, to appease Mr. Trump's government. This was approximately two billion dollars in revenue that has been accumulating, and we're walking away from that," Good wrote in his Facebook post. The DST was set to affect large companies that offer digital services — like online advertising or shopping — and earn more than $20 million in revenue from Canadian sources. The three per cent levy had been in place since last year, but the first payments were due June 30. Since it was retroactive to 2022, U.S. companies were looking at a $2-billion US tax bill. Prime Minister Mark Carney turfed the tax in a bid to continue trade talks and bring an end to the months-long tariff war that Trump initiated. But the U.S. president continued to throw the talks into turmoil. His latest volley, on Thursday, was to threaten 35 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods on Aug. 1 — and even higher levies if Canada retaliates. Trump threatens 35% tariff on all Canadian goods 4 days ago Duration 3:54 Other musicians skip U.S. over anti-trans policies Good isn't the first Canadian artist to back away from performing in the U.S. this year. Toronto musician Bells Larsen told followers in April he would not tour U.S. cities due to safety concerns and visa policies that discriminate against transgender people. "I received an email on Tuesday [April 8] from the American Federation of Musicians stating that I am no longer able to apply for a visa because U.S. Immigration now only recognizes identification that corresponds with one's assigned sex at birth," Larsen posted on Instagram. "To put it super plainly, because I'm trans (and have an M on my passport), I can't tour in the States." Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office stating the U.S. government will only recognize two genders, male and female, and that they cannot be changed. He directed the State Department to identify U.S. passport holders by their assigned sex at birth, denying transgender and non-binary people the ability to select their gender marker. Foreign travellers have also been warned they could be denied visas if their gender identity does not match their assigned sex at birth. Halifax musician T. Thomason cancelled his May performance at a music festival in Maine, saying he doesn't feel safe crossing the border "as a Canadian trans guy," despite having a valid visa issued prior to Trump's inauguration in January. Good says he also has concerns about his ability to travel to the U.S. after sharing his political stances. He told Strachan that it's entirely possible he and his band could run into trouble crossing the border should customs agents search his phone, see his social media comments and deny him entry — something the Canadian government even warned travellers about earlier this year. "That's one of the highest forms of censorship," he said. "It's tyrannical. There's not really another word to use." WATCH | Why some transgender people are leery of crossing Canada-U.S. border: B.C. transgender activist says border crossing risky amid U.S. crackdown 3 months ago Duration 5:55 Fans support Good's principled stance Good said he's not afraid of any backlash, but that most of the reaction had been supportive, which was largely evident in the comments below his Facebook post. "Buffalo, NY resident/US citizen here, who has a deep disdain for what is going here politically as well, and I totally understand and support your decision. Hope to see you back here in 3-ish years," read a comment from Mallory Czum. "I have nothing but respect for you as an artist, but even more as a man of principle. I am an American, but I hate what this administration is doing to our relationships with our closest friends," wrote Jeff Gallagher, a fan in Portland, Ore. Commenter Martin Prokopinski, however, criticized Good for taking a political stance. "Absolutely the wrong thing to do. Your fans are your fans — not your political messages. Lame," Prokopinski wrote. But Good says it would take a "pretty big political correction" for him to go back to performing in the U.S. "I'm not sure whether it's a change in the presidency or, you know, see what happens with the mid-terms," he told CBC Radio. "There's a lot of things that are going on down there right now that simply have to change." WATCH | How much has Canadian travel to the U.S. declined: Canadians are avoiding the U.S. Will its economy suffer? 10 days ago Duration 25:46 Andrew Chang explains how much Canadian travel to the U.S. has declined — and who might feel it most. Then, why despite cooling inflation and a falling interest rate, more Canadians are missing payments on their loans and mortgages.
Times
10-07-2025
- Health
- Times
NHS Fife spends £220,000 defending Sandie Peggie tribunal
NHS Fife has quietly revealed it has spent £220,500 defending the highly contentious Sandie Peggie employment tribunal. The health board's legal fees came to light only after it was forced to comply with a ruling from Scotland's information commissioner, following persistent freedom of information requests. The legal battle centres on an employment tribunal about a transgender doctor, who was born male but identifies as a woman, using a female changing room. Peggie was suspended from her work at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy on January 3 last year after she complained about having to share changing facilities with Dr Beth Upton, who is transgender. When she saw Upton in the female facilities for a third time, Peggie expressed her view that the doctor was a man and should not be in the female changing room. Upton then made an allegation of bullying and harassment. The incidents alleged by Upton took place before the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. Details of the spending followed pressure from media outlets, which were denied access to the sums involved by NHS Fife. The information watchdog discovered the health officials failed to undertake any searches in response to the request for information. Tess White, equalities spokeswoman for the Scottish Tories, accused NHS Fife of a 'sleekit' move by trying to 'slip out [the costs] in the hope nobody will see it'. 'They have spent months rejecting legitimate requests to reveal how much taxpayers' money they are squandering on this case,' she said. 'The sum spent so far taking Sandie Peggie to a tribunal could have gone to frontline healthcare services which are overwhelmed due to 18 years of SNP mismanagement. 'Senior figures within the health board must come clean about why this figure was not revealed sooner and how much more money from the public purse they expect to waste when the case resumes.' The £220,000 spent on the employment tribunal is more than the £160,000 that the Scottish government spent on legal costs for its Supreme Court case on the definition of a woman, though the sum may rise further because the issue of costs is unresolved. David Hamilton, Scotland's information commissioner, ordered NHS Fife to 'carry out adequate, proportionate searches' and provide a response by July 14 this year. However, rather than directly addressing the media, NHS Fife chose to discreetly publish the financial details on its website. In a statement, the health board said: 'NHS Fife can confirm that, as of May 31, 2025, a total of £220,465.93 has been incurred in legal costs relating to an ongoing employment tribunal case brought against the board.' Peggie is suing the health board as well as Upton after being suspended following the row. She was placed on 'special leave' in late December 2023 and suspended pending an investigation into 'alleged unwanted behaviours towards another member of NHS Fife staff'. Although her suspension was lifted in April, the disciplinary process against her remains active. Peggie subsequently lodged legal proceedings against NHS Fife and Upton, alleging 'multiple breaches of the Equality Act 2010'. What was initially scheduled to be a ten-day tribunal concluding in February has now dragged on and was adjourned until next Wednesday, with an additional 11 days of hearings anticipated. This extension is partly attributed to NHS Fife's apparent failure to disclose crucial documentation as ordered by the tribunal judge, further prolonging the costly proceedings. Adding to the controversy are serious questions regarding NHS Fife's compliance with legal obligations. Specifically, concerns have been raised about whether the board acted lawfully in allowing Upton, who does not hold a gender recognition certificate, to use a single-sex facility. The spotlight on NHS Fife intensified after the Supreme Court's ruling that the terms 'man' and 'woman' in the Equality Act refer to biological sex, not acquired gender. This landmark decision has amplified calls for the health board to concede the case, raising further questions about its continuing legal strategy and the financial implications for public healthcare.
