The LGBTQ community continues to mourn those killed at a shooting at a Colorado nightclub over the weekend. In South Dakota, advocates said such attacks make members feel unsafe at a time when they are trying to have a stronger voice.

Investigators are still looking into the attack at the LGBTQ venue, which happened on the eve of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, and many dignitaries were quick to condemn violence linked with hateful rhetoric.

Jack Fonder, community health worker and community outreach manager for the Transformation Project, said a South Dakota gathering for the Day of Remembrance included a tribute to those killed. He noted community members are faced with a difficult reality right now.

"It's a thin line, right?" Fonder pointed out. "We do need to stand up, we need to be strong, we need to be seen, we need to be visible. But it's scary; not everybody is OK being out because that does, in essence, put a target on your back."

Fonder added he is convinced recent attacks and threats of violence are fueled by conservative politicians and special-interest groups pushing anti-LGBTQ laws. Supporters of the policies cited motivations such as religious freedom, and South Dakota has seen several bills considered or adopted. Fonder stressed his group is trying to educate lawmakers about the need to protect and support the community.

Fonder acknowledged many lawmakers in question have not shown a willingness to engage with advocates, but he emphasized through protests and testimony at the state Capitol, there is a coalition which will not back down, even in a difficult environment.

"We're trying to do as much as we can to be visible with as many folks that are comfortable doing so," Fonder asserted.

Saturday's shooting in Colorado Springs left at least five people dead and more than two dozen others injured. Six years ago, nearly 50 people were killed in a shooting at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, making it the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history.

Advocates for the LGBTQ community are celebrating following New Hampshire's rejection of a so-called "parental bill of rights."

Two Republicans crossed party lines to help defeat the bill, which would have required educators to inform inquiring parents whether their children are using a different gender identity or name.

Attorney Chris Erchull with GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders said it was the right move to ensure schools remain a safe and supportive place, especially for transgender kids.

"So many allies, so many faith leaders, so many parents all coming together to stand united to tell the legislature this is not what we want in our state," said Erchull. "It was a beautiful thing to see."

Supporters of the bill say it was needed to ensure greater transparency and communication between teachers and parents. The final vote to "indefinitely postpone" the bill means the issue can not be reintroduced this session.

Advocates for LGBTQ youth say vulnerable kids are being targeted by lawmakers, putting them at greater risk of neglect and abuse by unapproving parents.

Erin George-Kelly, director of Homeless Youth and Young Adult Services at Waypoint, said some of the most impactful testimony against the bill came from young adults who've experienced that rejection firsthand.

"I'm really glad that this is where we landed with this," said George-Kelly, "and that New Hampshire really stood up for young people when they took this vote."

George-Kelly said LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide compared to their straight peers, and face higher rates of homelessness.

At least 62 "parental bill of rights" measures have been introduced in 24 states this year, so far.





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The culture war over transgender identity is spreading in GOP-led states, and Texas is among those passing the harshest laws.

The Human Rights Campaign said almost 30% of trans youth live in states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care.

Last week, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 14, which essentially bans such care for kids under 18.

Brian Klosterboer, attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said the ban allows trans teens already receiving hormone therapy to temporarily continue, but requires they "wean" themselves off the treatments.

"We are preparing a lawsuit against SB 14, the bill that bans health care for transgender youth," Klosterboer stated. "We will be taking the state to court if Abbott signs that bill into law."

Some "blue" states are moving in the opposite direction from Texas, including neighboring Colorado, which passed its own legislation protecting people's access to reproductive health services and facilities.

Senate Bill 14 was authored by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, who argued youth under 18 who receive gender-affirming treatments may regret their decision at a later age.

Meanwhile, the Texas House last week gave initial approval to Senate Bill 12, originally aimed at restricting children from seeing drag performances, but as worded now, gives officials the power to target any performance.

Klosterboer contended the law is overly broad, and censors free expression by threatening to ban and criminalize any performance which "appeals to the prurient interest in sex," without defining the term.

"And even though drag has been explicitly removed from the bill, the fact that the definitions are so expansive, and that it comes with criminal penalties, will have a major effect on free expression in our state," Klosterboer asserted.

Texas is home to one of the largest trans communities in the country, including an estimated 30,000 teens between ages 13 and 17.


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In North Carolina, advocates and health care professionals are voicing their opposition to recent medical care restrictions they call legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.

The House rules committee approved House Bill 808, legislation limiting the access of transgender youths to gender-affirming care. Initially, the bill proposed a complete ban on all gender-affirming care, but it eventually passed as a restriction on gender-transition surgeries for minors.

Kendra R. Johnson, executive director of Equality North Carolina, said the measure action ignores the recommendations of medical experts and prevents individuals from making personal choices.

"You go to professionals every day because you trust that they study, they understand market standards," Johnson pointed out. "The legislature, which does not have a significant number of medical professionals, is overstepping the bounds of what they should be covering."

Although supporters of the bill claim it is necessary to safeguard children from making irreversible choices about their bodies, more than 450 North Carolina doctors and mental health providers have signed a letter objecting to the ban.

In the letter, health care providers assert their deep commitment to upholding an informed relationship between patients and providers when it comes to accessing lifesaving, gender-affirming care.

Furthermore, Johnson asserted the bill does not just strip away crucial care; it exacerbates an already challenging situation for transgender youths.

"Trans folks already face a lot of discrimination in health care, even when they are seeking care for, say, a broken bone, diabetes," Johnson noted. "We have a lot of refusal to provide care for basic health care coverage."

Johnson emphasized now more than ever, the need for increased mental health resources and supportive groups for transgender youths in the state is growing.

She added even under the current ban, children can still access hormone treatments. According to the Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles, gender-affirming care has been restricted or under consideration in 30 states, putting approximately 150,000 transgender youths at risk of losing their access to care.


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