La Legislatura de Nebraska inicia su nueva sesión dentro de unas semanas. Es probable que las cuestiones relacionadas con la identidad de género formen parte de la mezcla. Los defensores LGBTQ+ dicen que están en territorio familiar, tratando de establecer una voz en el debate. El año pasado, un proyecto de ley de Nebraska para prohibir a los estudiantes transgénero practicar deportes escolares compatibles con su identidad de género fracasó por poco. El gobernador republicano Jim Pillen menciona que lo intentará nuevamente este año. Grant Friedman, de la ACLU de Nebraska, agrega que cualquiera que se oponga debería intentar reservar tiempo con los legisladores para explicar sus preocupaciones. Desde su perspectiva, Friedman añade que los responsables de las políticas deberían saber que hay otros asuntos que necesitan atención.

"Lograr que la gente se de cuenta de que están allí para hacer de Nebraska un lugar mejor para todos y centrarse en los problemas que deben abordarse, y no en esos problemas "marginales" que se están exagerando en todo el país," insistió también Friedman.

Con el presupuesto de Nebraska en terreno inestable y la necesidad de abordar las brechas de vivienda asequible, explica que los defensores pueden identificar una serie de temas que quieren que los legisladores analicen. Las encuestas muestran que la mayoría de los estadounidenses se oponen a las restricciones a las personas transgénero, pero los recientes mensajes de campaña de los republicanos han encontrado algunas audiencias cautivas. Quienes respaldan estos proyectos de ley dicen que su misión es proteger a los estudiantes y las familias.

La ACLU es parte de una coalición que incluye OutNebraska, y sirve como guía para las personas LGBTQ+ que navegan en un entorno político divisivo. Friedman argumenta que el gobierno local es una vía para impulsar protecciones si los legisladores estatales y federales no muestran un interés colectivo en promover los derechos de esta población.

"Las tres áreas en las que usted tiende a ver protecciones en su ciudad serán el lugar de trabajo, la vivienda y los alojamientos públicos," enfatizó el entrevistado.

Friedman además indica que también han encontrado algunos aliados entre los líderes religiosos dispuestos a impulsar la unidad a medida que las comunidades marginadas caen bajo el foco político. Grupos como el Proyecto Trevor aseguran que los proyectos de ley considerados hostiles hacia las poblaciones LGBTQ+ pueden tener un efecto perjudicial en la salud mental de estos miembros de la comunidad.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a measure that removes gender identity protections for LGBTQ+ people from Iowa's civil rights code. Opponents call it "mean spirited."

Senate File 418 makes Iowa the first state in the country to remove civil rights protections for a group of people who have been protected by law, taking the words "gender identity" out of its code.

Anne Discher, executive director of the group Common Good Iowa, said the measure belies Iowa's open-minded reputation and sends the wrong message to the rest of the nation.

"Basically, it is saying that it's OK to discriminate against trans people in the workplace, in housing, in school and in their financial lives," Discher explained.

Supporters of the measure, which was the first bill Reynolds signed in 2025, said including gender identity in Iowa's civil rights code threatens "common sense" laws banning transgender participation in sports and clarify who can use which public restrooms. Iowa passed its Civil Rights Act in 1965.

Hundreds of protesters rallied against the bill at the Statehouse in Des Moines before Reynolds signed it. Discher argued Iowa lawmakers are not representing their constituents.

"I really firmly believe this bill does not reflect the true beliefs of most Iowans," Discher stressed. "I think it's
incredibly more extreme than Iowans truly are in their hearts."

If it is not challenged in court, the measure is scheduled to take effect July 1.


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A coalition of New Mexico groups is supporting a bill this session to require "Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education" for public school students.

New Mexico is among 40 states to require sex-education instruction but according to Planned Parenthood, there is no guarantee the instruction is high quality or covers topics young people need to stay healthy, including information about HIV.

Nathan Saavedra, program manager for Equality New Mexico, said Senate Bill 258 would require sex education curricula is medically accurate.

"Our hope mostly is to save lives," Saavedra emphasized. "We know that sex education does save lives and it improves the health of all youth. It decreases bullying and harassment. Sex education is harm reduction, from our perspective."

In addition to Equality New Mexico, the state's ACLU organization and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs support the more comprehensive approach. By contrast, last fall the Florida Department of Education ordered local school districts teaching sex education to promote abstinence and exclude discussion of contraception.

Saavedra noted many students, including those who are LGBTQ+, do not know what they should be doing to protect themselves and would benefit from discussions covering sexual orientation and gender identity.

"We're trying to get the point across and the law in place so those students no longer have to feel less than, or know less than, their peers," Saavedra stressed.

New Mexico's current standards for sex education surpass many other states but access is often dependent on where a student lives. As written, the bill would provide resources to rural and smaller districts to launch comprehensive programs. The proposed legislation still would allow parents to exempt their children from the sex-ed portion of required health courses.

Montana lawmakers are considering three bills on gender. They are all versions of previous bills, which either failed or were struck down in court, but some new drafts have higher stakes.

Two bills would determine if or how transgender people can use certain bathrooms and changing rooms and participate in school sports. A third seeks to prohibit access to gender-affirming health care and to criminalize doctors and parents who, according to the bill, "knowingly procure or provide" such care.

Zuri Moreno, state legislative director for the advocacy group Forward Montana, said some lawmakers have described transgender people as "out of compliance."

"It's an overreach of our government to try to force people across our communities to comply with what they think is correct gender presentation," Moreno argued.

Proponents said the bills would "prevent harassment" and protect the "welfare of children." Moreno countered the proposition that lawmakers should have a say in families' private medical decisions or they understand athletes' needs more than teachers and coaches, is a dangerous one.

The bills parallel a January executive order from President Donald Trump defining "sex" and directs federal agencies to rescind materials discussing "gender ideology." Moreno pointed out organizers across Montana have been preparing for the state bills.

"The governor, in his State of the State, did direct the legislature to get these types of bills to his desk," Moreno noted. "But I think it's important for everyone to remember that our legislature doesn't work for the governor. They work for their constituents."

Legislators have referred all three bills to committee after hearings last week. Moreno stressed regardless of the fate of the bills, debates on them are harmful. Among LGBTQ+ youth, 90% said their well-being has been negatively affected by recent politics, according to a 2024 survey from The Trevor Project.