This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.

Ordained individuals are not obligated by law to officiate marriages that conflict with their beliefs. However, initially, there was no law mandating their involvement in such ceremonies.

Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee (R) has approved a bill affirming that individuals cannot be compelled to officiate a marriage if it conflicts with their conscience or religious convictions.

H.B. 878 specifically addresses “solemnization,” referring to the act of conducting a wedding ceremony. Under Tennessee law, those authorized to solemnize a marriage encompass religious leaders, judges, county clerks, notary publics, as well as certain mayors and legislative members.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights argue that the legislation aims to grant officials the ability to discriminate against LGBTQ+ couples. However, according to state Representative Monty Fritts (R), the bill’s primary House sponsor, its purpose is to prevent instances of elder abuse, where young individuals marry elderly persons to gain access to their financial assets.

When the legislation was introduced last year, there were concerns that clerks could potentially refuse to grant marriage licenses to certain couples, including same-sex couples. However, according to state Senator Mark Pody (R), the bill’s primary sponsor, it does not permit government officials to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Pody has a history of advocating against LGBTQ+ rights, having previously proposed legislation to allow state officials to disregard the legalization of marriage equality by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, and supporting transphobic bathroom bans.

Officiant Eric A. Patton clarified that “solemnization” does not involve issuing a marriage license. He emphasized that when a clerk issues a license, they are not performing the marriage ceremony.

Critics argue that the legislation serves no purpose other than to enable discrimination, as there is currently no requirement in Tennessee for ordained individuals to officiate marriages they object to.

Patton suggested that the legislation might be an attempt to challenge marriage equality laws. He expressed concerns that the vague wording of the bill could invite lawsuits similar to those involving Kim Davis, who famously refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Kentucky.

Governor Lee has not issued a statement regarding his decision to sign the legislation. Previously, he signed several anti-LGBTQ+ bills, including bans on drag performances, gender-affirming care, and trans athletes participating in women’s and girls’ sports teams.

In January 2023, Governor Lee announced the rejection of $8.8 million in federal funds allocated for HIV prevention and treatment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of these funds supported programs associated with transgender healthcare. This decision, made amidst pressure from right-wing media, resulted in the loss of critical federal funding for the state’s healthcare initiatives.

This blog originally appeared at THEM.

Mike DeWine announced a state “emergency,” prompting the implementation of new regulations regarding transgender medical care.

Following his applauded veto of an anti-transgender bill late last year, Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, has now issued an executive order imposing stringent limitations on gender-affirming care for both minors and adults. Despite vetoing House Bill 46 on December 29, which aimed to restrict gender-affirming care and sports participation for transgender minors, DeWine emphasized in his veto message the life-saving impact of such care, based on discussions with the trans community.

However, DeWine hinted at concerns and the necessity for action regarding various issues, directing a cautionary note toward the Republican-dominated state legislature. In anticipation of a potential override of his veto by the Ohio House, DeWine signed an executive order last Friday, imposing even stricter restrictions on gender-affirming care compared to those outlined in HB 46.

The executive order, citing an “emergency,” mandates the immediate adoption of new restrictions by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) without standard rule-making procedures. Effective immediately, these regulations prohibit gender-affirming surgeries for individuals under 18 for a 120-day period—a duration permissible under executive order procedures.

Additionally, the order introduces draft rules necessitating a public comment period, extending beyond youth to encompass all individuals receiving transition-related medical care. Under these proposed regulations, healthcare providers must report new diagnoses of “gender-related conditions” to the ODH within 30 days and disclose details of a patient’s gender-affirming care plan. Providers are also mandated to complete new forms prior to initiating or modifying a patient’s care, including information such as age, sex assigned at birth, and specifics regarding diagnosis or treatment.

The proposed regulations additionally stipulate that the Department of Health intends to release this aggregated data to the public from January 31, 2025, arguing that non-identifying information is not considered protected health information.

TransOhio, an advocacy group, raised concerns about the executive order on social media over the weekend, urging individuals to submit feedback on the regulations to both the ODH and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The latter recently published a similarly restrictive set of proposed rules on January 5, mandating, among other provisions, that providers must engage or have contractual arrangements with board-certified psychiatrists and endocrinologists. They also necessitate the submission of a detailed detransition plan for trans patients’ treatment approval by a medical ethicist. Additionally, individuals under 21 must undergo six months of psychological counseling before commencing care.

TransOhio outlined in their suggested message to the departments that these guidelines would fundamentally alter Ohio’s operational systems, placing burdens on providers and adversely impacting patients. The organization condemned the rules as unwanted, unnecessary, and potentially unconstitutional.

This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.

“Banning books — it’s wrong! Instead of erasing history, let’s make history!”

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address told transgender Americans, “I have your back.” He also spoke against book-banning and “erasing history,” and told Congress to pass the Equality Act, legislation that would enshrine LGBTQ+ civil rights into federal law.

“Stop denying another core value of America our diversity across American life,” Biden said, about midway through his speech. “Banning books — it’s wrong! Instead of erasing history, let’s make history! I want to protect other fundamental rights! Pass the Equality Act, and my message to transgender Americans: I have your back!”

“To all the transgender Americans watching at home – especially the young people – you are so brave. I want you to know your president has your back,” he added.

In his speech, he drew a sharp distinction between the American principles of “honesty, decency, dignity, [and] equality” and the attitudes of “resentment, revenge, and retribution” harbored by “some other people my age,” subtly alluding to former President Donald Trump without directly mentioning him by name.

“I know the American story,” Biden said. “Again and again, I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation: between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future.”

“Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today,” he noted. Then, after mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued invasion of Ukraine — something Putin has justified with anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry — Biden then mentioned the January 6, 2001 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol carried out by Trump’s followers.

“Insurrectionists stormed this very Capitol and placed a dagger at the throat of American democracy,” Biden said. “We all saw with our own eyes these insurrectionists were not patriots. They had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power and to overturn the will of the people. “

“January 6th and the lies about the 2020 election, and the plots to steal the election, posed the gravest threat to our democracy since the Civil War,” Biden continued. “But they failed. America stood strong and democracy prevailed.”

“But we must be honest,” he added, “the threat remains and democracy must be defended. My predecessor and some of you here [in Congress] seek to bury the truth of January 6th. I will not do that. This is a moment to speak the truth and bury the lies. And here’s the simplest truth: You can’t love your country only when you win.”

Acknowledging public doubts about his ability to do his job as an 81-year-old, Biden said, “In my career, I’ve been told I’m too young and I’m too old. Whether young or old, I’ve always known what endures, our North Star: The very idea of America, that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.” 

“We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either,” he said. “And I won’t walk away from it now. I’m optimistic.”

“My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old our ideas are,” he continued. “Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among the oldest of ideas. But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back.”

“To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future of what America can and should be,” he added. “Tonight you’ve heard mine. “

“Above all, I see a future for all Americans,” he concluded. “I see a country for all Americans. And I will always be a president for all Americans. Because I believe in America. I believe in you the American people….So let’s build that future together. Let’s remember who we are…. There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.”

The Queer Migration: Exploring the Journey of Identity, Community, and Advocacy in Pursuit of Belonging and Liberation

The erosion of LGBTQ rights and the rise of anti-LGBTQ legislation has led LGBTQ families and couples to leave their home (red) state and relocate to safer, more welcoming communities. The trend has led to an unexpected point of service for clients and Alliance members.

Ryan Weyandt – CEO @ The Alliance (Moderator)
Bob McCranie – Real Estate Agent & Founder of FleeRedStates.com
Callen Jones – Real Estate Agent & 2022/23 Tampa Area Chapter President
Brandon Beston – Real Estate Agent & 2024 Denver Chapter President

This blog originally appeared at THEM.

A man from South Carolina is potentially facing a life sentence for purportedly being involved in the death of a Black transgender woman in 2019.

The following contains descriptions of anti-transgender violence.

A South Carolina man is now facing murder charges nearly five years after the alleged killing of a Black transgender woman, marking the first instance in U.S. history where a federal grand jury will consider a gender-based hate crime.

Daqua Lameek Ritter, 26, stands accused of murder as a hate crime, using a firearm in the commission of a hate crime, and obstruction of justice, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of South Carolina. The charges, as stated by DOJ investigators, could lead to a maximum combined sentence of life imprisonment plus 25 years. Notably, prosecutors are currently not pursuing the death penalty.

In August 2019, Ritter purportedly enticed a Black trans woman, identified in court documents as Dime Doe, with whom prosecutors assert he was involved in an affair, to a secluded area of South Carolina in a vehicle, where he allegedly shot her to death. Prosecutors in the ongoing trial have argued that Ritter grew enraged and humiliated after his girlfriend and others discovered his relationship with Doe, leading him to murder Doe in an effort to “silence” her and quell further rumors, according to the Associated Press. Following the incident, Ritter purportedly destroyed his clothing, misled investigators about his whereabouts at the time of Doe’s demise, and subsequently fled to New York to evade apprehension.

Additionally, the indictment charges Xavier Pinckney, 24, with obstructing justice for allegedly providing false information to investigators on Ritter’s behalf. Both individuals were initially charged last year, with Pinckney individually pleading guilty in October.

While a separate case resulted in a 49-year sentence for the murder of a transgender woman in 2017, Ritter’s trial signifies the inaugural instance of a gender-based hate crime being tried at the federal level, as noted by the AP. Notably, due to South Carolina being one of only two states yet to enact its own hate crimes legislation, the federal government retains jurisdiction to pursue Doe’s murder as an anti-transgender hate crime, as constitutional law professor Kenji Yoshino explained to NBC.

Ritter’s defense team asserts that Ritter was not present in the vehicle when Doe was killed, and implores jurors to look beyond the “sensational” aspects of the case. However, prosecutors contend that Ritter can be identified by a distinctive tattoo visible in contemporaneous photographs, and have indicated that text messages will establish a motive.

As per the latest Trans Murder Monitoring report by advocacy network Transgender Europe, between October 2022 and September 2023, a minimum of 321 trans and gender-diverse individuals were tragically murdered worldwide. The overwhelming majority were trans women or transfeminine individuals, with approximately half falling victim to fatal shootings. Shockingly, 80% of the reported murders involved trans individuals who also faced racism. In the United States, incidents of anti-trans hate crimes saw a notable increase of approximately 40% in 2022, as revealed by an FBI report released in October.

Friends and family fondly recall Doe as a vibrant and larger-than-life personality who consistently brought joy to those around her. Reflecting on her life in a memorial for the online magazine ZORA months after her passing, one friend shared, “She was never a sad person. You could barely catch her mad. She always kept it energetic.”

This blog originally appeared at THEM.

Ron Causby was deemed ineligible for a position at Owasso Public Schools — the school district where Nex Benedict attends — due to advocating violence against transgender individuals.

Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, has come under renewed scrutiny for his anti-transgender stance following the recent passing of Nex Benedict. A fresh report from Media Matters for America has linked Walters to a far-right podcaster who advocated violence against transgender youth.

According to the nonprofit media watchdog, Walters, known for his staunch anti-trans beliefs and advocacy for Christianity in educational settings, was elected in 2022 with considerable support from Ron “The Real Ron Ron” Causby, an Oklahoma podcaster and social media figure. Causby, who claims a close relationship with Walters, had actively supported Walters’ 2022 campaign, hosting various events including a meet-and-greet and a summer barbecue at his home. However, Media Matters discovered that Causby himself had faced rejection from positions as a school bus driver and substitute teacher due in part to his podcast’s violent rhetoric targeting transgender individuals.

Emails from January 2022, obtained by Media Matters and shared by Causby on his Facebook page, revealed that Causby was turned down for roles at Owasso Public Schools, the same district attended by Nex Benedict. This decision was influenced by Causby’s inflammatory anti-trans statements on social media and his podcast “Loud Mouths.” Causby had openly expressed on his podcast that he permitted his daughter to physically confront any transgender student using school facilities and insisted that transgender children should “legitimately” use restrooms, as highlighted in a speech to the Owasso school board.

In an internal email dated January 20, Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates expressed concerns about Causby potentially encountering a transgender student while serving as a substitute teacher. Despite this rejection, Causby’s event supporting Ryan Walters, organized by the right-wing group Tulsa Parents Voice, went ahead the following month.

Causby’s legal issues further compounded the controversy, with his arrest and subsequent charges of burglary and stalking against his ex-wife in August of the previous year. These charges were later dismissed.

Walters had previously faced criticism for his anti-trans remarks in light of Nex Benedict’s tragic passing, attributing Benedict’s death to a bullying incident in an Owasso High School bathroom. In response, Walters accused “the left” and unspecified media outlets of distorting facts to advance a political agenda, asserting his unwavering stance against perceived “woke mobs.”

Prior to the tragedy in Owasso, Walters faced criticism for appointing Chaya Raichik, a non-Oklahoma resident and founder of the controversial anti-trans propaganda network “Libs of TikTok,” to a state advisory committee on school libraries. Raichik has been linked to numerous schools across the U.S. experiencing bomb threats and death threats shortly after being featured on Libs of TikTok. Although she denies responsibility for any violence, Raichik has posted photos of herself on X (formerly Twitter), seemingly pleased by reports linking her to the threats. (Causby has dismissed such threats as “fake,” as noted by Media Matters.)

According to Oklahoma Representative Mauree Turner, the first openly nonbinary person to hold state office in the U.S., Walters and Raichik’s rhetoric endangers transgender and gender-nonconforming youth in multiple ways. Turner expressed this concern in an interview with MSNBC on Sunday, questioning why anyone would seek political office that exposes children to hate and bigotry.

https://www.them.us/story/ryan-walters-ron-causby-top-oklahoma-schools-official-under-fire-ties-anti-trans-influencer?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=them&utm_mailing=THEM_weekly_022824&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=647003a05dfaff5d630fbb31&cndid=74113754&hasha=90d5433b1347095329a6ab5df0bd392d&hashb=555b342b6918faf1a5515da1bc4cf5731fa62fa0&hashc=f4ee38a7ae4ef690cecccbdd27678ec522f6d3c6f45bef0cc5001fd7abe7557b&esrc=bouncex-test&utm_term=THEM_Daily

This originally appeared at THE GUARDIAN.

Proposed new laws carry the risk of up to five years of imprisonment for individuals found guilty of deliberately endorsing, sponsoring, or backing LGBTQ+ initiatives.

The legislation garners widespread support in Ghana, particularly under President Akufo-Addo’s leadership, who has firmly stated his opposition to gay marriage during his tenure. Often dubbed the anti-gay bill, this comprehensive legislation received backing from a coalition composed of Christian, Muslim, and traditional Ghanaian leaders, passing through parliament without opposition via a voice vote. While discrimination against LGBTQ individuals is prevalent, there have been no prosecutions under the colonial-era law to date.

Under the proposed bill, same-sex relations could result in imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, with harsher penalties extending to three to five years for advocates of LGBTQ rights. The United Nations rights chief, Volker Türk, denounced the bill, emphasizing that consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalized and warning of the potential for hate crimes.

A human rights coalition known as the Big 18, comprising lawyers and activists in Ghana, has also condemned the bill, asserting that it violates the fundamental human rights of the LGBT community. Despite opposition, sponsor Sam George, an opposition lawmaker, urges President Akufo-Addo to endorse the bill, claiming it offers the most comprehensive approach to addressing LGBTQ issues.

Members of Ghana’s LGBTQ community express deep concerns about the bill’s ramifications. Alex Kofi Donkor, founder of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, believes its passing would exacerbate marginalization and endanger individuals in the LGBTQ community, fostering an environment of fear and persecution.

Globally, about 30 African countries currently outlaw homosexuality, with punishments ranging from harsh imprisonment to the death penalty in countries like Uganda, Mauritania, and certain Nigerian states. South Africa stands as the sole nation on the continent permitting gay marriage, while a handful of countries have decriminalized gay sex, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA).