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REUTERS/Hannah BeierJuly 3 (Reuters) - In state after state, conservative lawmakers this year have banned medical procedures for transgender youth. Now, a growing number of federal judges are blocking those laws from taking effect. The court rulings offer temporary relief from the recent rush of bills banning transgender youth from receiving treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Democrats, LGBTQ advocacy groups and health providers say the bans unjustly target a vulnerable community for whom gender-affirming care can be life-saving. The judges also have said laws banning such care violate a parent's right to make healthcare decisions for their children.

Persons: Hannah Beier, Tobias Wolff, Kevin Jennings, Donald Trump, Cynthia Cheng, Wun Weaver, Matt Sharp, Sharp, Jay Richards, " Richards, Barack Obama, Daniel Trotta, Brendan Pierson, Colleen Jenkins, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, University of Pennsylvania, Lambda, Republican, Human Rights, Alliance Defending, Foundation's, for Religion, Civil Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Democratic, American Civil Liberties Union, Thomson Locations: Doylestown , Pennsylvania, U.S, Alabama , Arkansas, Florida , Indiana , Kentucky, Tennessee, Montana, Georgia, Oklahoma, United States, Arkansas

June 30 (Reuters) - Four Georgia families sued the state in federal court on Friday to stop a law that bans transgender youth from receiving hormone therapy, joining a wave of challenges to similar laws across the United States. A host of Georgia state health officials and agencies are named as defendants. Unlike other states, Georgia does not also ban puberty blockers, typically the first medical intervention for transgender youth, who normally would next receive hormone therapy. Republican-led legislatures in 20 states have passed some type of ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Decisions on whether to block such bans in Montana and now Georgia are pending.

Persons: Carden Summers, Daniel Trotta, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Georgia, Human Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Republican, Georgia Senate, Federal, Thomson Locations: United States, Georgia, Montana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas , Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma

Reverse discrimination lawsuits are common, but there is little court precedent on the legality of whole diversity programs. The Supreme Court in a 1979 ruling upheld a chemical company's policy that at least half of its trainees for skilled craft positions be Black. By calling out specific admissions policies, such as giving "pluses" to minority students, the court's decision is likely to embolden critics who claim workforce diversity programs similarly give unfair advantages to certain groups. The Pfizer case was brought by Do No Harm, a conservative activist group that has challenged several diversity programs in healthcare. Those broad policies are likely insulated from legal challenges, according to Doug Brayley, a Boston-based partner at law firm Ropes & Gray.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Gray, Thursday’s, John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, “, ”, Dan Morenoff, George Floyd, Andrea Lucas, Lucas, Donald Trump, Roberts, Edward Blum, Blum, Doug Brayley, ” Brayley, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Alistair Bell Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Harvard University, University of North, REUTERS, American Civil Rights, Opportunity Commission, Republican, Democratic, Pfizer Inc, Pfizer, Conservative, Gray, Thomson Locations: University of North Carolina, Washington , U.S, Boston, Albany , New York

But under a Colorado public accommodations law, she said she cannot post the statement because the state considers it illegal. The ruling – rooted in free speech grounds – will pierce state public accommodation laws for those businesses who sell so-called “expressive” goods. It is the latest victory for religious conservatives at the high court and will alarm critics who fear the current court is setting its sights on overturning the 2015 marriage case. When the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in February 2022, the justices sidestepped whether the law violated Smith’s free exercise of religion. In court, Waggoner said that the law works to compel speech in violation of the First Amendment.

Persons: Justice Neil Gorsuch, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Lorie Smith, Gorsuch, ”, Smith’s, ” Gorsuch, Sotomayor, “, ’, Kristen Waggoner, Matthew Shepard, ” Sotomayor, Bostock, Trump, Kelley Robinson, Ritchie Torres, ” Torres, Waggoner, Smith, Smith –, –, ” Smith, ” Waggoner, Eric Olson Organizations: CNN, Chief, U.S, Supreme, Pride Month, Civil, American Civil Liberties Union, ”, Democratic, Twitter, Appeals Locations: Colorado, United States, Clayton County

☆ Opinion | Harvard Undermined Itself on Affirmative Action
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( David French | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

There’s an old saying in the legal profession: Bad facts make bad law. Sometimes, however, bad facts highlight the need for better law. On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that, in the case of college admissions, the bad facts of racial discrimination created the necessity of a new standard. The defendant, Harvard University, had repeatedly undermined its own case for race-conscious affirmative action, and the court’s new precedent outlaws racial discrimination in admissions while still preserving the state’s ability to respond to the legacy of past injustice. To understand why Harvard lost — and why race-based affirmative action in public colleges and federally-funded private schools is now unlawful — it’s necessary to understand two key facts about the case.

Persons: John Roberts, Justice Roberts, —, Clarence Thomas Organizations: Harvard University, Harvard, University of North Locations: University of North Carolina

☆ Dylan Mulvaney says Bud Light’s backlash response was ‘worse than not hiring a trans person at all’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Dylan Mulvaney on Thursday broke her silence about the fallout that occurred after the trans influencer made two Instagram posts sponsored by Bud Light earlier this year. Bud Light’s sponsorship of an April 1 Instagram post by Mulvaney set off a firestorm of anti-trans backlash and calls for a boycott. But later it released a vague statement from the CEO that failed to offer support for Mulvaney or the trans community. The Bud Light backlash also coincided with anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns against other big brands, including Target. “I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive, and Bud Light really does not belong there, Bud Light should be about bringing people together,” Whitworth said.

Persons: New York CNN — Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light, Bud Light’s, Mulvaney, ” Mulvaney, Bud, Brendan Whitworth, ” Whitworth, I’ve, ” –, Danielle Wiener, Bronner Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Civil Liberties Union, UCLA School of Law, Target, Bud Light, Anheuser, Busch, CBS, CNN Locations: New York

Jackson and Thomas, reflecting a deep divide in the United States, diverged on how race must be treated in the law. Thomas wrote a concurring opinion accompanying the ruling that said Jackson's "race-infused world view falls flat at each step." "Our country has never been colorblind," Jackson wrote in her dissenting opinion, which was joined by the two other liberal justices. Much of what Thomas wrote on Thursday was directed at Jackson. "Justice Thomas ignited too many straw men to list, or fully extinguish," Jackson wrote.

Persons: Ketanji Brown Jackson, Clarence Thomas, Jackson, Thomas, Jackson myopically, Ilya Somin, Jim Crow, Michael Dorf, Justice Jackson, John Roberts, Black, Joe Biden, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Constitution, George Mason University, Black, Cornell Law, Harvard, UNC, Democratic, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Southern, New York

☆ Judge Blocks Kentucky’s Transgender Care Ban for Minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Anna Betts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The NewsA federal judge temporarily blocked part of a Kentucky state law from taking effect that would ban the prescription and administration of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender people younger than 18. The judge said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their challenge to the law on constitutional grounds. The preliminary injunction was issued Wednesday afternoon by Judge David J. Hale of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. It comes almost two months after the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky filed a lawsuit on behalf of seven transgender children and their parents. Judge Hale, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014, said in his ruling that, based on the evidence, the treatments barred by the law “are medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children” according to major medical organizations.

Persons: Judge David J, Hale, Judge Hale, Barack Obama Organizations: U.S, Western, of, American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky Locations: Kentucky, of Kentucky

DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania, June 24 (Reuters) - On May 12, the library coordinator for Pennsylvania's Central Bucks School District sent an email to colleagues that some conservative parents and Christian advocacy groups had long prayed to see. Liberal groups say the effort amounts to censorship and even bigotry, with disproportionate harm to LGBT students and those in other minority groups. Dana Hunter, a Republican and the chair of the school board, said she sought advice from Jeremy Samek, senior counsel at the Independence Law Center and the Pennsylvania Family Institute. "There are things that everybody would agree, including the ACLU, that you shouldn't be giving to kids," said Samek, who does not live in the school district. Dell'Angelo, one of the board's Democrats, said it was wrong to involve groups that oppose LGBT rights in public school policy, and unethical to do so in secret.

Persons: Maia Kobabe, Juno Dawson, curriculums, Tabitha Dell'Angelo, Dana Hunter, Jeremy Samek, Hunter, Dell'Angelo, Samek, Hannah Beier, Leo Burchell, Shannon Harris, Harris, Jonathan Allen, Paul Thomasch, Claudia Parsons Organizations: Pennsylvania's Central Bucks School District, Republican, Liberal, Family Research Council, Independence Law Center, Pennsylvania Family Institute, Reuters, Republicans, American Association of School Librarians, Liberty, Museum, American, REUTERS, American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, U.S . Department of Education's, Civil Rights, U.S, ACLU, Pennsylvania Family, Family Research, Thomson Locations: DOYLESTOWN , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Bucks, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S, Central Bucks

☆ Uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ bills has left workers concerned for their safety and benefits: 'I worry that we're moving backwards'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This legislative trend has led to growing concerns for LGBTQ+ employees about their professional security, access to benefits and safety at work. For example, workers say they are worried that they may lose gender-affirming health care for themselves or their children. A Glassdoor report that polled over 6,000 employees in May found that 55% of LGBTQ+ workers say they have either experienced or witnessed their coworkers making anti-LGBTQ+ comments, a 53% increase from 2019. An Indeed survey of over 700 LGBTQ+ workers discovered that 65% are worried about the impact that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation will have on their employment opportunities. According to the Indeed report, more than three-quarters of LGBTQ+ workers would hesitate to apply to a job based in a state with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Persons: Radissen Ramoutar, Abby, …, LaFawn Davis Organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Companies Locations: U.S, Texas

☆ A bipartisan bill aims to protect journalists from being forced to reveal their sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Journalists could soon enjoy greater protections under federal law. A bipartisan group of US senators and congressmen united this week to reintroduce the Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying Act, or as it is more commonly known, the PRESS Act. First, it would prevent the government from compelling reporters from being forced to disclose their sources. “The PRESS Act is the strongest federal shield bill for journalists we’ve ever seen,” Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said in a statement. The PRESS Act would solve for that by enshrining protections into federal law.

Persons: we’ve, ” Seth Stern, Donald Trump, General Merrick Garland, Republican Sen, Mike Lee, ” Lee, Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, ”, ” Wyden Organizations: CNN — Journalists, Exploitive, Press Foundation, News / Media Alliance, Radio Television Digital News Association, National Association of Broadcasters, American Civil Liberties Union, Department of Justice, CNN, Washington Post, The New York Times, DOJ, Republican, Democratic

June 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday struck down an Arkansas law prohibiting doctors from providing gender-affirming care including puberty blockers, hormones and surgery to transgender minors, a victory for families that had sued to challenge the law. Moody had last year blocked enforcement of the law in a preliminary order while he considered the case. Arkansas in 2021 became the first U.S. state to ban gender-affirming care for minors. The measures have been challenged in court, and have so far been fully or partially blocked in states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana and Florida. Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Moody, Moody, Dylan Brandt, Brandt, Tim Griffin, Griffin, Asa Hutchinson, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Sandra Maler Organizations: District, American Civil Liberties Union, Republican, Thomson Locations: U.S, Arkansas, Little, . Arkansas, Oklahoma , Arkansas , Alabama, Indiana, Florida, New York

☆ Judge Mostly Blocks Indiana Ban on Transition Care for Minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Families of transgender children sued to block the law, saying that it would have put transgender youth at immediate risk of unwanted changes to their bodies, which would have lifelong consequences. Their lawyers noted that major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support gender-transition care and have said that bans pose serious mental health risks to young people, infringing not only on their rights but also on the rights of doctors and parents. At least 17 states have passed laws this year banning or severely limiting transition care for minors as Republicans have made restrictions on transgender people a legislative focus. Still, supporters of transgender rights have had success countering those laws in the courts. Judge Hanlon, who heard arguments on the injunction on Wednesday in a wood-paneled courtroom in downtown Indianapolis, was appointed to the Federal District Court by President Donald J. Trump.

Persons: Kenneth J, Falk, Judge Hanlon, Donald J, Trump Organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, Federal, Court Locations: capitols, Indianapolis

June 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed civil rights lawyer Nusrat Choudhury to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, making her the first Bangladeshi-American and female Muslim federal judge in the United States. Choudhury, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois, was confirmed on a 50-49 vote. She will also be the first Bangladeshi-American federal judge. Biden also appointed the first Muslim judge in U.S. history, U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi. The Senate confirmed him to the New Jersey federal trial court in 2021.

Persons: Nusrat Choudhury, Choudhury, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, litigator, Biden, Zahid Quraishi, Jacqueline Thomsen, David Bario, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S, Senate, Eastern, of, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Top, Republicans, Princeton University, Southern District of, Appeals, Thomson Locations: of New York, United States, Illinois, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York , Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Washington

☆ The Failed Affirmative Action Campaign That Shook Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Michael Powell | Ilana Marcus | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The 2020 campaign to restore race-conscious affirmative action in California was close to gospel within the Democratic Party. It drew support from the governor, senators, state legislative leaders and a who’s who of business, nonprofit and labor elites, Black, Latino, white and Asian. Supporters raised many millions of dollars for the referendum and outspent opponents by 19 to 1. None of these efforts persuaded Jimmie Romero, a 63-year-old barber who grew up in the working-class Latino neighborhood of Wilmington in Los Angeles. Affirmative action was not one of those.

Persons: Kamala Harris, ”, Jimmie Romero, Mr, Romero Organizations: Democratic Party, Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, 49ers, Oakland Athletics, American Civil Liberties Union of, Homelessness Locations: California, U.S, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, Wilmington, Los Angeles

☆ Voting Rights Act survives at US Supreme Court but more challenges loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Election law expert Ned Foley of Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law called the ruling "a hugely important development for both the Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court more broadly." The decision requires Alabama to draw a second U.S. House of Representatives district where Black voters comprise a majority or close to it. The Voting Rights Act was passed at a time when Southern states including Alabama enforced policies blocking Black people from casting ballots. Nearly six decades later, the Supreme Court continues to hear cases involving Black voters suing over electoral maps they argue diminish their influence. Thursday's ruling centered upon Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a provision aimed at countering measures that result in racial bias in voting even absent racist intent.

Persons: John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Ned Foley, Roberts, Kavanaugh, Foley, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Terri Sewell, Marc Elias, Elias, Brennan, Alabama, Deuel Ross, Ross, Gotell Faulks, Faulks, John Kruzel, Moira Warburton, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Conservative, Republican, Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, Alabama, U.S . House, Representatives, Black House Democrat, Democratic, Black voters, Black, Brennan Center for Justice, New York, American Civil Liberties, Thomson Locations: Alabama, U.S, Black, Louisiana, Constitution's, Montgomery, Jackson, Baton Rouge

☆ Human Rights Campaign declares a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Holly Yan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —For the first time in its four-decade history, America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization has declared a national state of emergency for members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Human Rights Campaign said Tuesday. “LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency. The historic announcement – just a few days into Pride Month – follows “an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in 2023,” according to the Human Rights Campaign, as violence against LGBTQ people continues and the community’s rights have become a flashpoint in the 2024 election. They include pronoun refusal laws, forced student outing laws, anti-drag bans and “don’t say LGBTQ+” laws. But even as Human Rights Campaign trumpets warnings, the group insists it will not back down from any attempts to stymie the community: “LGBTQ+ people nationwide will not be erased – not now, not ever,” the group said.

Persons: Kelley Robinson, “, Ron DeSantis, who’s, “ don’t, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds Organizations: CNN, Human, Human Rights, GOP Gov, American Civil Liberties Union, Station, Capitol, Getty Locations: Florida, Colorado, Washington , DC, AFP

June 2 (Reuters) - Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday signed a bill that bans transgender healthcare including puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors, making Texas the largest of the 20 states to have outlawed gender-affirming care. Republican lawmakers across the country have promoted similar bills, saying they mistrust the consensus among major medical associations that endorse gender-affirming care as needed and even life-saving for trans youth after extensive evaluation. Texas, the second most-populous U.S. state, has an estimated 29,800 transgender youth aged 13 to 17, according to the Williams Institute of UCLA. The Texas law creates exceptions for minors who began treatment before June 1 or for those who attended 12 or more sessions of mental health counseling or psychotherapy for at least six months. Groups including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics oppose the legislation.

Persons: Greg Abbott, Daniel Trotta, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Williams Institute of UCLA, American Civil Liberties Union, American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Republicans, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Texas, U.S

☆ Queer people in history: Figures to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Leah Asmelash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

To commemorate the month, CNN is highlighting five major LGBTQ elders – some who have passed on, and some who haven’t – highlighting their achievements. From a drag king who fought discrimination on the streets of New York to a famous mathematician who stood up to adversity despite legal limitations, here are five LGBTQ figures to know. Miss Major Griffin-GracyMiss Major in the film "Major," a documentary about her life and campaigns. But a year after Stonewall, Miss Major was arrested for robbery, landing her with a five-year prison sentence. Decades after her release, Miss Major spent time as the executive director of the Transgender Gender Variant Intersex Justice Project.

Persons: Bayard Rustin, Martin Luther King Jr, Patrick A, Burns, Rustin wasn’t, Rustin, King, Sen, Strom Thurmond, Gavin Newsom, Larry Kramer Larry Kramer, Catherine McGann, Larry Kramer, “, ”, Kramer, Anthony Fauci, Miss Major Griffin, Major, Marsha P, Johnson, Miss Major, Mama, Michelle V, Stormé DeLarverie, DeLarverie, White, “ That’s, Alan Turing, Alan Turing’s, Turing, it’s Organizations: CNN, New York Times Co, Getty, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, California Gov, Village Voice, AIDS, Centers for Disease Control, ACT UP, AIDS Coalition, National Institute of Allergy, Miss, Stonewall, New York Times, Physical Laboratory Locations: New York, India, Montgomery, Washington, Chicago, Greenwich, New Orleans, England

REUTERS/Baz RatnerMay 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled late on Tuesday that relatives of those killed in a 2019 Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX Ethiopian Airlines crash may seek compensation for pain and suffering of passengers before the plane hit the ground. Boeing in 2021 agreed to acknowledge liability for compensatory damages in lawsuits filed by families of the 157 people killed in the fatal Ethiopian 737 MAX crash. A total of 346 people were killed in two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes - including the earlier October 2018 Lion Air crash in Indonesia. The Ethiopian Airlines crash prompted the worldwide grounding of the MAX in March 2019 for 20 months, costing Boeing more than $20 billion. As a result of the 2021 agreement, lawyers for the Ethiopian Airlines victims agreed not to seek punitive damages and Boeing did not challenge the lawsuits being filed in Illinois.

Persons: Baz Ratner, planemaker, Jorge Alonso, Alonso, District Judge Reed O'Connor, David Shepardson, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines, REUTERS, U.S, District, MAX, Justice, Thomson Locations: Bishoftu, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, U.S, Illinois, Indonesia, Texas

[1/2] Former U.S. President Donald Trump visits an unfinished section of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in Pharr, Texas, June 30, 2021. While president in 2018, Trump said he planned to issue an executive order to limit birthright citizenship, but never followed through. Many legal scholars at the time were skeptical that Trump could use executive authority to roll back the right. Trump noted that many countries restrict birthright citizenship for non-citizens. As president, Trump pursued hardline policies toward immigration and took steps toward building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that he had promised as a candidate in 2016.

Persons: Donald Trump, Callaghan O'Hare, Trump, Joe Biden, Ted Hesson, Will Dunham, Mica Rosenberg Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Callaghan O'Hare WASHINGTON, Republican, Twitter, Trump, Democrat, Thomson Locations: U.S, Mexico, Pharr , Texas, United States, Southern, American, Washington

☆ An LGBTQ+ creator got death threats after working with Target
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —When a Target distributor reached out to Erik Carnell last year about possibly placing his brand, Abprallen, in Target stores, he was thrilled. In the following months, Carnell pitched Target and came up with designs that would be appropriate for the big box store, he said. Ultimately, Target started selling three Abprallen items for adults: A sweatshirt, a tote bag and a messenger bag, each emblazoned with a different phrase. By Wednesday, Target had pulled Abprallen items from its US stores and online market, Reuters reported. Pride month merchandise is displayed at the front of a Target store in Hackensack, N.J., Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

☆ Florida sued over law blocking Chinese citizens, other foreigners from buying property
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A group of Chinese citizens living and working in Florida sued the state Monday over a new law that bans Chinese nationals from purchasing property in large swaths of the state. The suit says the law unfairly equates Chinese people with the actions of their government and there is no evidence of national security risk from Chinese citizens buying Florida property. The number of states restricting foreign ownership of agricultural land has risen by 50% this year. Foreign land ownership has become "a political flashpoint," said Micah Brown, a staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas. Brown said the recent surge in state laws targeting land ownership by foreign entities stems from some highly publicized cases of Chinese-connected companies purchasing land near military bases.

☆ Transgender Mississippi girl misses graduation after judge's ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 20 (Reuters) - A transgender Mississippi girl declined to participate in high school graduation on Saturday after a U.S. District Judge said the school district could bar her unless she dressed in clothes required for boys, a lawyer for the girl said. The school district's dress code requires boys to wear a white button-down shirt, black dress plants, black shoes and a tie or bowtie. Mississippi lawmakers have introduced more than 30 bills this year seeking to limit rights of LGBTQ citizens. In 2021, Mississippi became the first U.S. state to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's and girl's sports, when Republican Governor Tate Reeves signed legislation. Efforts to reach the school district and Clark on Saturday were unsuccessful.

☆ Why Montana’s TikTok ban may not work
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The TikTok ban immediately prompted one lawsuit from TikTok users who allege it violates their First Amendment rights, with more legal challenges expected. How can a state ban TikTok? Montana’s new law, SB419, makes it illegal for TikTok and app marketplaces to offer the TikTok service within state lines. How can Montana enforce a TikTok ban? But internet providers are not named as a type of entity subject to the TikTok ban.

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