District of Columbia | August 10, 2021
A Pediatric Association Stifles Debate on Gender Dysphoria
District of Columbia | August 10, 2021
Is it safe for adolescents to undergo gender “transition”? Is it wise for children to take hormones that block puberty? The American Academy of Pediatrics not only has answered these questions in the affirmative but is determined to stifle any debate. On Friday the AAP told an international consortium of more than 100 clinicians and researchers who doubt the reigning orthodoxy that they couldn’t set up an information booth at the association’s national conference. The cosmetics company L’Oreal and the National Peanut Board will be there, but not the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine. SEGM’s members object to the widespread use of “affirmative care” protocols, which mandate that adolescent and even pediatric patients who claim to have gender dysphoria—severe discomfort with their biological sex—receive immediate “affirmation” from their physicians. These young people are then frequently encouraged along a path of rapid “transition” via hormone treatments and surgery… (Excerpts from the WSJ)
District of Columbia | June 30, 2021
Biden Administration Warns Government Schools to Allow Boys to Access Girls’ Restrooms and Locker Rooms
District of Columbia | June 30, 2021
The U.S. Department of Education last week published a “Notice of Interpretation” essentially redefining the word “sex” in Title IX of the Educational Amendments to include sexual orientation and “gender identity” in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. The court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In that case, a male funeral home employee wanted to dress as a woman at work, and his employer refused to allow it.
The American College of Pediatricians said schools “will now be forced to allow biologically male students access to all female-only spaces. They will be housed with females during overnight school trips and events, participate in female-only sports, and displace females from female-only sports teams. This interpretation is unscientific and a clear threat to the health and safety of female students.”
Now the Biden administration has issued a “Dear Educator” letter (PDF) to government schools. The department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) warns them:..
(Excerpts from Black Community News)
District of Columbia | June 18, 2021
DOJ asserts West Virginia, Arkansas laws limiting transgender rights are unconstitutional
District of Columbia | June 18, 2021
The Justice Department argued in court filings Thursday that GOP-backed laws related to the rights of transgender youth in West Virginia and Arkansas are unconstitutional, setting up a likely legal clash in the coming months.
Federal attorneys asserted in a statement of interest filing that a West Virginia law banning transgender youth athletes from participating in women’s sports was unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972. The Justice Department argued the law should be overturned.
“The United States has a significant interest in ensuring that all students, including students who are transgender, can participate in an educational environment free of unlawful discrimination and that the proper legal standards are applied to claims under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause,” the DOJ said in its filing…
(Excerpts from Fox News)
District of Columbia | June 17, 2021
Supreme Court sides with Catholic agency in foster care dispute
District of Columbia | June 17, 2021
WASHINGTON —
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the city of Philadelphia violated the Constitution by limiting its relationship with a Catholic foster care agency over the group’s refusal to certify same-sex couples as foster parents.
The justices came down unanimously against Philadelphia and for Catholic Social Services.
“The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with CSS for the provision of foster care services unless it agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents cannot survive strict scrutiny, and violates the First Amendment,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COURT’S DECISION
Catholic Social Services is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The agency has said that its Catholic beliefs prevent it from certifying same-sex couples as foster parents.
Philadelphia learned in 2018 from a newspaper reporter that the agency would not work with same-sex couples. The city has said it requires that the two dozen-plus foster care agencies it works with not to discriminate as part of their contracts. The city asked the Catholic agency to change its policy, but the group declined. As a result, Philadelphia stopped referring additional child..
(Excerpts from NBC WGAL 8)
District of Columbia | May 28, 2021
GOP senators asking religious groups to help craft Equality Act compromise, sources say
District of Columbia | May 28, 2021
The offices of three Republican senators met with conservative religious groups late last month to ask for their help in crafting a bill similar to the controversial Equality Act, but one that includes protections for religious groups, sources familiar with the meeting told Fox News.
Representatives from the offices of Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; Rob Portman, R-Ohio and Susan Collins, R-Maine, met with groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Council and American Principles Project, sources said.
LAUREN BOEBERT CALLS EQUALITY ACT ‘ANYTHING BUT EQUALITY’
One source familiar with the approximately 2-hour meeting said that groups were asked to come up with “guiding principles” for a bill that would include the discrimination protections of the Equality Act while including guardrails to protect religious groups…
(Excerpts from Fox News)
District of Columbia | May 25, 2021
‘I Still Felt Incomplete’: Detransitioned Men, Women Describe How Frighteningly Easy it Was to Get Trans Surgeries, Hormones
District of Columbia | May 25, 2021
Multiple men and women who have detransitioned described how easy it was for them to get transgender surgeries and hormones in a new CBS segment — and how the surgeries or treatment negatively impacted them.
As lawmakers across the country introduce and pass bills focused on gender transitions, Lesley Stahl interviewed multiple medical experts and former or current transgender people who expressed fear that transgender surgeries and hormone treatments, often irreversible, are too easily attainable.
The CBS host said that the program “interviewed more than 30 detransitioners, who say they also had experienced regret, including these four, who hadn’t met before now.”
“I can’t believe that I transitioned and detransitioned, including hormones and surgery, in the course of, like, less than one year,” one young woman said. “It’s completely crazy.”..
(Excerpts from the Virginia Star)