In a stunning reversal of his long-standing reputation as a champion of LGBTQ+ rights, California Governor Gavin Newsom has aligned himself with radical right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ hate in the ongoing debate over LGBTQ+ rights— specifically with regards to transgender athletes in women’s sports
Today, a federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland blocked the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting gender-affirming care for individuals under 19. The preliminary injunction applies nationwide, marking a stark contrast to an earlier lawsuit filed by Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, which only secured protections in those three states.
In his address to Congress on March 4, 2025, President Donald Trump defended his recent anti-transgender executive orders and criticized what he described as wasteful government spending on projects like «making mice transgender.»
Fact-checkers have refuted this claim, noting that the National Institutes of Health allocated approximately $477,000 between fiscal years 2021 and 2022 to studies involving feminizing hormone therapy in monkeys to assess its impact on the immune system and susceptibility to HIV; no funding was directed toward transgender research involving mice.
A federal judge in Seattle has blocked two executive orders from President Donald Trump that aimed to strip federal funding from programs “promoting gender ideology” and cut off research grants to healthcare providers offering gender transition care to minors. U.S. District Judge Lauren King ruled that the orders were discriminatory and breached the separation of powers between Congress and the president. The orders, issued in January, sought to eliminate access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery for individuals under 19.
Photo: Demonstrators rally in support of trans youth at Seattle Children’s Hospital after President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to deny federal funding for pediatric gender-affirming care on Feb. 8. (David Ryder/Reuters/Washington Post)
New York Attorney General Letitia James and 20 state attorneys general filed an amicus curiae or “friend of the court” brief supporting a lawsuit trying to block President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender service members. According to the brief, such a ban would weaken our military, damage public safety, and force New York to choose between fairness and security.
Amid growing fears and increasing violence against the transgender community, many transgender Americans are turning to firearms for protection. A Washington Post article highlights the experiences of several transgender individuals who have chosen to arm themselves in response to the rising transphobia and anti-trans legislation, particularly during and after the Trump administration.
May Alejandro Rodriguez, a 21-year-old trans woman, illustrates this shift in mindset. Initially a supporter of gun control, Rodriguez bought her first gun after witnessing the rollback of transgender rights and the surge in hate crimes. She and others in the community are learning firearm safety and self-defense as a means to feel secure.
We suspect this is an anti-Trump video, but that Trump had not been able to detect the irony, and that he therefore reposted it after falling in love with the golden statue and Elon Musk’s money.
