A blog for LGBTQIA+ migrating to more welcoming states or counties
Author: Bob McCranie
I am so proud to run Texas Pride Realty Group. We set out on a mission in 2009 to serve the diverse communities of Texas and to hire kick-ass agents who practice the highest ethics and professionalism. I believe that the agent's role is to help the consumer make well-educated decisions, even if those decisions lead away from a purchase or sale.
I believe that education is vital in this industry. I currently have over 1300 hours of real estate courses on my transcript with the State of Texas. Additionally, I am a Real Estate Business Coach at Tom Ferry International, the largest-real-estate specific coaching company in the world. I coach agents in the US and Canada, and have coached clients in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Switzerland. I also have knowledge of the UK and Irish markets.
Opening Texas Pride Realty was always a goal of mine and I am working night and day to be sure it is successful. The best way to do that is to be sure clients are satisfied and agents are busy. What better legacy could someone leave in this industry than a group of well-trained, high-quality brokers who do your job better than you?
Texas and Kansas are spearheading separate multi-state lawsuits contesting a recent ATF regulation aimed at criminalizing private firearm sales. They argue that the rule is unlawful, unconstitutional, and runs counter to congressional intent, Second Amendment rights, and principles of due process.
On Wednesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach revealed that they are spearheading two distinct multi-state lawsuits against a recent regulation issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This rule aims to criminalize private firearm sales.
The attorneys general contend that the rule, released on April 19, is both illegal and unconstitutional. They assert that it significantly broadens the definition of a firearm dealer and has the potential to unjustly cast hundreds of thousands of law-abiding gun owners as presumed guilty for engaging in private sales and trades of firearms.
Paxton declared at a press conference held at a Frisco, Texas gun range, “Joe Biden is attempting to alter this through regulatory redefinition, executive directives, and loopholes crafted to circumvent our Constitution. He has shown utter disrespect and disregard for the democratic process.”
In the Northern District of Texas, Texas is filing its lawsuit, while Kansas is spearheading a legal action in the Eastern District of Arkansas. Both lawsuits contend that the ATF rule breaches the statutory definition of a firearms dealer as established by Congress, encroaches upon Second Amendment rights, and is sufficiently ambiguous to contravene due process.
He purportedly aimed his firearm at a homosexual couple, uttering, “I’m going to kill you fking fgots.”
Larry Walraven, a 75-year-old Las Vegas man, allegedly pointed a gun at his gay male neighbors and said, “I hope you f**gots die.” He then allegedly said, “I’m going to kill you f**king f**gots,” and fired the weapon four times — none of the shots hit the men.
Following the purported incident, one of the men dialed 911 to report the alleged assault. Upon police interrogation, Walraven claimed he had no knowledge of the events and asserted that he had spent the entire night tending to his mother within his residence, as per KLAS-TV.
Authorities determined that the weapon in question was a BB gun, which statistically accounts for an average of four fatalities annually. Subsequently, Walraven was apprehended by law enforcement and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, with an added hate crime enhancement. This offense carries a potential sentence of six years in prison and fines reaching $5,000. The hate crime enhancement could further extend the imprisonment period by up to 20 years. Given Walraven’s previous parole status as a repeat offender, a judge ruled to detain him in police custody without bail.
While it’s uncertain what Walraven’s sexual orientation is, heterosexual individuals tend to possess firearms at home more frequently than gay and bisexual individuals, as indicated by research from the Williams Institute. While 19% of LGB adults report having a firearm in their residence, the figure rises to 35% among heterosexual individuals.
Guns are used in nearly 60% of bias-motivated homicides against LGBTQ+ people, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects. LGBTQ+ people are more than twice as likely to be victims of gun violence than their cisgender and straight peers, according to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. LGBTQ+ people also experience person-based violence at higher rates than victims of religiously or racially motivated crimes, according to the Williams Institute.
The incidence of hate crimes targeting sexual orientation in Nevada has varied over the past three years, as per data from the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2020, there were 14 reported hate crimes against LGB individuals. This figure increased to 30 in 2021 but decreased to 18 in 2022.
The GOP couldn’t get its act together before a key legislative deadline.
Two bills deemed transphobic in the Mississippi legislature failed to advance after Republican legislators couldn’t reconcile their differences before a Monday cutoff, as per the Associated Press. One bill aimed to mandate that transgender individuals use facilities in public establishments corresponding to the gender assigned on their birth certificates. The other sought to affirm the binary notion of sex, stipulating that sex is determined solely at birth and consists of either male or female genders.
The Republican factions in the state House and Senate had previously approved distinct iterations of both bills. However, they failed to reach a consensus on a unified version of each bill to present to Gov. Tate Reeves (R). Reeves had previously endorsed laws prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in competitive sports teams corresponding to their gender identities and banning transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming healthcare.
State Rep. Joey Hood (R) argued that the bills, now defunct, were crucial “to ensure boys utilize boys’ bathrooms and girls utilize girls’ bathrooms.” The proposed bathroom legislation would have empowered individuals to file lawsuits against transgender individuals using bathrooms or changing areas aligned with their gender identity. However, the bill included exemptions for children under 12, emergency medical personnel, custodial staff, janitors, and individuals requiring assistance, as per the AP. Stay engaged with your community.
State Representative Zakiya Summers (D), who is Black, drew parallels between the bathroom bill and discriminatory legislation from the Jim Crow era, which imposed restrictions on which bathrooms Black people were permitted to use.
Summers remarked, “It brought to mind the struggles my ancestors faced when they were barred from using certain bathrooms and wouldn’t even consider dipping a toe in a pool.”
The second bill, now defunct, titled the “Mississippi Women’s Bill of Rights,” aimed to define gendered terms such as “woman,” “man,” “mother,” “father,” “female,” “male,” and “sex” based on the sex assigned by doctors at birth. This legislation would have hindered transgender individuals from altering the gender designation on their official government documents.
In March, when Reeves signed the prohibition on gender-affirming care into law, he was accompanied at the signing event by anti-trans filmmaker and Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh, along with activists from Alliance Defending Freedom and Madison County Moms for Liberty, two organizations known for their opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
A statement from The Spectrum Center, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in Hattiesburg, characterized Reeves’s approval of the bill as “an act of violence,” asserting that he and the legislators advocating for it are deliberately disregarding the specific requirements of transgender youth, obstructing their access to medical treatment, and conveying a stigmatizing and exclusionary message.
Professional medical organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychiatric Association, among others, have unequivocally supported gender-affirming care, deeming it safe, effective, and vital for the overall health of transgender individuals. Research indicates that gender-affirming care significantly enhances the mental well-being of transgender youth.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law last year prohibiting Florida College System schools from sustaining DEI programs such as LGBTQ+ centers.
This week, the University of North Florida (UNF) closed three offices focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in compliance with a law enacted last year that bars state funding for such initiatives.
As reported by WTLV, the Intercultural Center, Interfaith Center, LGBTQ Center, Women’s Center, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UNF have been closed this week. Additionally, the Victim Advocacy Program, responsible for addressing sexual misconduct on campus, has been transferred to the office of the Dean of Students, according to UNF Media Relations Manager Amanda Ennis.
Since last year, the University of North Florida (UNF) has been gradually closing all five offices, including the LGBTQ+ center, following the enactment of Senate Bill 266 by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This bill prohibits Florida College System schools from maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs like LGBTQ+ centers. Additionally, state-funded schools are barred from engaging in political or social activism and offering courses based on theories of systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege. The legislation, authored by state Sen. Erin Grall, who previously served in the state House of Representatives, has been part of a series of DeSantis-approved bills, including various abortion restrictions and the anti-trans “Safety in Private Spaces Act.”
In January, the Florida Board of Governors, responsible for overseeing the state university system, announced plans to gradually eliminate these programs, prompting protests on campuses. Carlos Guillermo Smith, a policy director at Equality Florida, a LGBTQ+ advocacy group, condemned the Board for complying with Governor DeSantis’ directives. Smith expressed disappointment, stating, “The Board of Governors had the opportunity to hit the brakes, but instead, shamefully followed their censorship agenda off a cliff in service to DeSantis’s failed political ambitions,” in an interview with NBC.
According to Ennis’s statement to WTLV, employees who previously worked at the now-closed offices “have transitioned to other available positions within the university.” Prior to the closure of the programs, several staff members chose to depart from the university. Some of them joined OneJax Inc., an interfaith diversity nonprofit that separated from its affiliation with UNF in July last year.
“I realized I needed to find another avenue for this important work, or it would simply cease to exist,” explained Matt Hartley, who previously served as the director of UNF’s Interfaith Center and now holds the position of director of interfaith programs at OneJax. This statement was made in an interview with the Florida Times-Union back in November.
With a history of opposing LGBTQ+ rights, DeSantis has directed his political agenda towards DEI programs as a central component of his ongoing “anti-woke” campaign in Florida. In early 2023, he effectively gained control of the board of New College, a progressive liberal arts institution, and in August of the same year, he eliminated the university’s gender studies program through a motion proposed by board member Christopher Rufo, known for his involvement in the anti-LGBTQ+ “groomer” panic. DeSantis’ actions have sparked frequent protests from students, some of whom have alleged experiencing police brutality during demonstrations.
Over the past few years, anti-DEI policies have become increasingly common, particularly in conservative strongholds. In March, Alabama enacted a law prohibiting DEI programs and courses, labeling them as “divisive concepts.” Additionally, the law mandated strict segregation of multi-stall restrooms based on sex assigned at birth. In another instance, Republicans in March attempted to defund DEI programs through multiple amendments to the omnibus spending package. However, these efforts were thwarted, and the final budget did not include such provisions.
They assert that the recently implemented Title IX regulations, which prohibit harassment and discrimination, infringe upon the rights of parents.
Four Southern states, in collaboration with four conservative organizations, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration regarding a recent regulation prohibiting discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in education.
Earlier this month, the Department of Education (DOE) introduced new Title IX regulations aimed at addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ students. These regulations interpret Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education, as providing legal protection against anti-LGBTQ+ school policies.
The argument posits that discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity inherently involves considering sex, a legal reasoning previously employed by the Supreme Court in its 2020 Bostock v. Clayton Co. decision regarding workplace discrimination.
The new regulation stipulates that any educational institution receiving federal funding must refrain from discriminating against LGBTQ+ students. This could impact states and school districts with policies that either disclose LGBTQ+ students’ identities to parents or restrict transgender students’ access to bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity. Additionally, the regulations could offer students facing discrimination a legal recourse through federal courts.
Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia are contesting the Biden administration’s authority to enact this rule, arguing that it exceeds the original scope of Title IX, as reported by CBS News. These states are joined in the lawsuit by the Independent Women’s Network, Parents Defending Education, Speech First, and the Independent Women’s Law Center.
Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, criticized the rule, stating, “The role of Cabinet agencies is to interpret laws as written by Congress – not to redefine the meaning of words to suit a fringe group of activists.” She further argued that the rule undermines parents’ rights and freedom of speech.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody emphasized the need to protect biological females and claimed that the rule deviates significantly from the original intent of Title IX.
The lawsuit alleges that the rule clashes with state laws governing various aspects of education, including harassment, bathroom policies, sports participation, and parental rights.
Notably, the new rules do not address transgender student-athletes and their eligibility for sports teams. The Department of Education is reportedly planning to issue a separate rule specifically addressing this matter.
In a separate lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the new rule, arguing that Biden misinterpreted Title IX. Paxton claimed that the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling, which interpreted Title VII, differs from Title IX’s language and scope.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas directed the Texas Education Agency to disregard the new Title IX rules, echoing similar actions taken by other states such as Louisiana, Florida, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Paxton asserted that the Biden administration’s actions endanger women’s legal protections and vowed to oppose what he described as “extremist, destructive policies.”
The governor of Texas declares that the state will disregard the Biden administration’s Title IX revisions, deeming them “illegal.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced on Monday that his state will refuse to comply with the Biden administration’s extensive revisions to Title IX, a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in government-funded schools.
In a letter addressed to President Biden, Abbott strongly criticized the amended regulations, particularly those offering enhanced protections for transgender students. He labeled these changes as “illegal” and condemned them as a “clumsy attempt to impose leftist ideology onto Title IX,” asserting that they surpass the President’s authority.
In his letter, Abbott accused the administration of rewriting Title IX to compel schools to treat boys as girls and accept students’ self-declared gender identities, arguing that such actions exceed the President’s constitutional powers.
A growing number of states led by Republican governors have expressed opposition to the finalized Title IX rules issued by the Education Department earlier this month. Education officials in Florida, Louisiana, Wyoming, South Carolina, and Oklahoma have publicly criticized the Biden administration’s alterations to Title IX, contending that the new policies undermine the rights of women and girls by broadening the law’s definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity.
Abbott affirmed in his letter that he will direct the Texas Education Agency to disregard the new policies, citing concerns about their compatibility with Texas state law.
“I am directing the Texas Education Agency to disregard your unlawful mandate,” Abbott declared. “Your revision of Title IX not only exceeds your constitutional authority but also disregards laws that I signed to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports by preventing men from competing against female athletes. Texas will vigorously defend these laws and oppose your abuse of authority.”
More than a dozen Republican-led states have passed laws that prevent transgender students from using restrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity or prohibit teachers and students from acknowledging a transgender individual’s chosen name and pronouns. Compliance with such laws may run counter to the new Title IX regulations, a senior administration official informed The Hill, particularly if it fosters a hostile environment.
In Texas, Abbott enacted two laws aimed at barring transgender women from participating in sports teams consistent with their gender identity in public schools and universities. While the Education Department introduced a proposal last April governing athletic eligibility that would prohibit policies like those in Texas, the Biden administration has not yet finalized the rule.
Texas Attorney General files lawsuit against Biden administration regarding Title IX regulations broadening protections for transgender students.
On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) initiated legal action against the Biden administration, challenging the newly established federal nondiscrimination safeguards for transgender students. This lawsuit targets alterations made to Title IX by the Education Department, which, after more than a year of postponements, recently solidified comprehensive amendments. Scheduled for implementation on August 1, these revisions encompass protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, provoking discontent among certain conservative circles.
Paxton, in a press release announcing the lawsuit, vehemently opposed what he termed Joe Biden’s arbitrary alteration of Title IX, alleging it compromises legal safeguards for women in favor of an extreme fixation on gender ideology. He characterized this endeavor as patently unlawful, undemocratic, and detached from reality.
Notably, the Education Department refrained from immediate comment on the matter.
The lawsuit was filed in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas, where U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk is likely to preside. Kacsmaryk, the sole federal judge in the division, has publicly voiced opposition to laws safeguarding LGBTQ individuals, including the Equality Act, which endeavors to designate sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.
Before his appointment to the federal bench in 2019 by former President Trump, Kacsmaryk submitted a brief in support of the Gloucester County School Board in Virginia in 2016. This brief contested a lawsuit filed by Gavin Grimm, a transgender student who was denied access to the boys’ restroom at his school, alleging discrimination under Title IX.
In his brief, Kacsmaryk advocated against interpreting “sex” in Title IX to include gender identity.
In the lawsuit filed on Monday, Paxton criticized the Biden administration’s new Title IX regulations as ambiguous and excessively broad, contending they misconstrue the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. He asserted that these regulations wrongly conflate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity with sex discrimination.
The Biden administration frequently cites the landmark 2020 Supreme Court ruling as a basis for fortifying federal protections for transgender individuals. A recent rule finalized by the Health Department that enhances the Affordable Care Act’s ban on sex discrimination similarly relies on this precedent.
Paxton, alongside America First Legal, raised concerns in the lawsuit about the adverse impacts of the final Title IX rule, arguing that expanding the definition of sex discrimination to encompass gender identity will detrimentally affect women and girls. Moreover, Republican-led states, including Louisiana, have vowed to challenge the administration’s new Title IX rules, asserting they will penalize individuals who decline to use a transgender person’s preferred name or pronouns.
Louisiana, joined by Montana, Idaho, and Mississippi, filed a lawsuit on Monday, contending that the new regulations significantly weaken Title IX. It’s worth noting that all federally funded schools must adhere to these final regulations to receive government funding.
Additionally, the Biden administration has yet to finalize a separate rule regarding athletics eligibility. A proposal disclosed by the Education Department last April seeks to prevent schools from implementing policies that outrightly bar transgender student-athletes from participating in sports teams aligned with their gender identity.
“Maryland takes a bold step forward in safeguarding the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ youth and educators.”
On Thursday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) enacted HB 0785, known as the Freedom to Read Act, into law, prohibiting libraries that receive state funding from banning books.
“Schools should be working to build inclusive environments that reflect the diversity of their student body and community. It is especially critical that state leaders like Governor Moore rise up for policies that foster inclusive learning when resources and supports for LGBTQI+ youth continue to be targeted by extremists across the country,” GLSEN’s Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jagger said in a statement emailed to Truthout.
HB 0785 safeguards the autonomy of libraries that receive state funding by prohibiting the censorship of books based on the creator’s background, origin, or viewpoints, as well as partisan disapproval. The bill also ensures protection for school and public library staff who adhere to the state library standards outlined in the bill, shielding them from retaliation. Violation of these provisions could result in the loss of state funding for libraries.
“This session, I wanted to put some safeguards and best practices in place to prevent intolerance and hate from taking further root in our state institutions and schools,” said Speaker Adrienne Jones (D), one of the sponsors of the bill.
In the previous year, Maryland witnessed 148 book challenges in both public schools and libraries, placing the state among the 17 nationwide to exceed 100 contested titles. According to the Maryland State Library Agency, there has been a 133 percent surge in formal challenges to library collections since 2019. The agency’s research revealed that 53 percent of librarians felt hesitant about acquiring specific books, despite believing they would benefit students, while 52 percent expressed that book challenges have added complexity to their roles.
“We are protecting libraries, librarians and literature,” said state House Delegate Dana Jones (D).
According to the American Library Association, nearly half of the challenged titles in 2023 revolved around themes involving LGBTQ+ individuals or Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. Banning books with these themes leads to the “othering” of students who share these identities, advocates say.
“Our public schools should help our children pursue their dreams, learn new ideas, and understand different perspectives. That means giving students an honest and accurate education without banning books and politically motivated censorship,” the Maryland State Education Association said in a statement. “At a time when we’re seeing record levels of attempted book bans, which are all too often motivated by extremist politics, it’s time to take a stand for an honest and accurate education by supporting the Freedom to Read Act.”
Moore also signed HB 1386, a bill requiring anti-bias training for all school employees, into law. The bill mandates the implementation of a program developed in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board. These guidelines must be culturally sensitive and inclusive, meeting the diverse needs of educators and students. Additionally, school boards are tasked with providing training to public school employees who frequently interact with students as part of their duties.
“With Governor Moore’s signature on HB785, the ‘Freedom to Read Act,’ and HB1386, instituting vital anti-bias training for school employees, Maryland takes a bold step forward in safeguarding the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ youth and educators,” Willingham-Jagger said.
This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license.
Following this crime, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel strongly criticized the state legislature for its failure to designate LGBTQ+ individuals as a protected class.
Michigan State University police have pinpointed seven suspects linked to an assault on two university students inside the school library on Monday. The group reportedly made derogatory comments regarding the victims’ sexual identity before the attack occurred.
“The suspects assaulted two victims, with indications suggesting they targeted the victims due to their sexual orientation,” stated MSU Police and Public Safety in a release on Tuesday.
University officials confirmed that “none of the suspects are affiliated with MSU” and stated they will request prosecutors to press charges once the investigation concludes.
The victims faced harassment near the library’s entrance on the first floor, as reported by MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant. “The two MSU students then retreated to the third-floor study area to meet with some other friends,” Guerrant told MSU radio station WKAR, detailing how the group of high school-age boys pursued them upstairs. “An altercation ensued at that point,” Guerrant added.
MSU’s library remains open to the public until 6:00 p.m., and the attack occurred at 5:50 p.m. on Monday. Although school officials did not specify the extent of the victims’ injuries, a disturbing video shared on an anonymous message board depicts the altercation amid the library stacks.
Officials emphasized the significance of the attack happening during MSU’s LGBTQ Pride Month. “Discrimination or harassment, including hate crimes, based on protected identities can have a significant impact,” stated school administrators, asserting that everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.
Currently, Michigan state law only considers racial bias for hate crime classification. Legislators have debated expanding these protections to include other groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, but no proposal has reached Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel highlighted the inability of prosecutors to charge the suspects with a hate crime solely based on anti-LGBTQ+ bias. “It’s not an included class under the Ethnic Intimidation Act,” Nessel explained at a press availability on Tuesday, advocating for legislative action to address this gap.
Nessel criticized proposed bills in the Democrat-controlled Michigan House and Senate as insufficient, particularly regarding sentencing guidelines for hate crime convictions. “Two years is nothing,” Nessel remarked, expressing her dissatisfaction with the proposed penalties.
Last year, Michigan lawmakers passed an “institutional desecration” bill targeting hate-motivated vandalism to various institutions, including those related to the LGBTQ+ community. However, this law only covers anti-LGBTQ+ bias in specific contexts.
As of now, twenty-two states and jurisdictions have LGBTQ+-inclusive hate crime laws, while eleven have laws protecting “sexual orientation” but not “gender identity.”
Governor DeSantis reaffirms Florida’s stance against Biden administration’s updated Title IX regulations, citing concerns over state sovereignty and due process rights. His declaration signals a potential clash between federal directives and state autonomy in matters of education policy.
On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) firmly declared his state’s stance against the recently revealed alterations to Title IX by the Biden administration.
In a video shared on the social platform X, DeSantis stated, “Florida outright rejects President Biden’s endeavor to amend Title IX. We stand firm in our refusal to comply and will actively oppose these changes.”
He emphasized, “We will not permit Joe Biden to interject men into women’s affairs nor undermine parental rights. Florida will not tolerate any misuse of constitutional authority to impose these policies upon us.”
Last week, the Biden administration unveiled finalized adjustments to Title IX, incorporating protections for transgender students into the federal law combating sex-based discrimination. These revisions are slated to become effective in early August.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona highlighted, “These concluding regulations uphold the spirit of Title IX, ensuring that all students across our nation have access to schools that prioritize safety, inclusivity, and the safeguarding of their rights.”
DeSantis has faced criticism from LGBTQ advocates in the past for enacting state laws perceived as detrimental to their community, including the contentious “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, which restricts discourse on LGBTQ topics within Florida’s public school system.
Last year, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the nation, joined forces with a Florida-based LGBTQ advocacy organization to issue a cautionary advisory against traveling to Florida.
The joint travel advisory from HRC and Equality Florida expressed concerns regarding Florida’s array of laws and policies targeting fundamental freedoms and rights, which collectively pose significant risks to the well-being and safety of individuals considering relocating to or visiting the state.
Brandon Wolf, the national press secretary for HRC, conveyed in an emailed statement to The Hill, “Politicians in Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and elsewhere are already rallying to oppose crucial protections for students in American schools.”
Wolf criticized these “MAGA politicians” for prioritizing theatrics and divisive rhetoric over safeguarding the needs of their state’s students, warning that non-compliance with Title IX could result in detrimental consequences for schools, including substantial loss of funding that should be allocated towards facilitating academic success.
Jon Harris Maurer, Equality Florida’s public policy director, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that Governor DeSantis cannot disregard federal protections designed to ensure the well-being of students and families, including LGBTQ students, survivors of sexual assault and harassment, and pregnant students. Maurer affirmed their commitment to collaborating with parents across the state to create an educational environment where every student can thrive.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education reaffirmed the department’s commitment to upholding the Title IX guarantee of nondiscrimination in schools, emphasizing that federally funded schools must adhere to the final Title IX regulations to receive federal funds.
In a memo dated Thursday and shared with The Hill, Florida’s Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz Jr., asserted that Florida will vigorously oppose the changes to Title IX. Diaz criticized the Biden administration for what he perceived as an attempt to distort the statute, accusing them of disregarding Congress’s clear directive to prevent discrimination based on biological sex.
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