Tina and her transgender teen, J.J., lived in Maine for nearly a decade, building a life filled with friends, pets, and a garden. But in January, an executive order from President Donald Trump—titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation”—shook Tina’s sense of safety. The order targeted gender-affirming care for minors, prompting Tina to consider leaving the U.S. to protect J.J.’s well-being.
The U.S. Air Force on Thursday said transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years would be denied the opportunity to retire early and instead will be separated from the military without benefits.
Senate Democrats have successfully blocked the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” a bill that sought to ban trans women from participating in women’s sports. The legislation, which passed the Republican-majority House in January, failed to secure enough votes in the Senate, with the vote split along party lines.
