#Christian LGBTQIA+ resources

[selkies-world]

Me, in the UK, preparing to watch the USA get turned into a fully fledged Christian ethnostate thanks to the fact they willingly voted a Christian Nationalist into power:

Meanwhile, USAmericans:

Here's what's going to happen, now that the orange bastard is on America's throne.

First, it'll be trans people & immigrants that will get the brunt of it. They'll be treated worse than they have this century.

Then it'll be BIPOC and disabled people. It'll be the women & girls who get it the worst, out of these groups.

Then it'll be the gays, and marriage will be returned to the state, Roe & Wade style.

Then it'll be women.

Along the way, they'll also be taking money and funding out of education and the workforce, and putting it into the military, weapons, tech for the pet elongated muskrat, and the church. Funding for climate and science and medicine will be taken away and relocated.

Your weather reports will be privatised, and if you pay to be able to view them, they will give you false information, and will intentionally fail to mention climate change. You will not know when a wildfire is predicted, or a flood, or a hurricane. Likewise, you will not know when those events happen in other states. You will not know what the weather is like in the rest of the world because the news will be heavily censored and filtered.

You will also lose porn. All LGBTQIA+ content, including shows and resources and books, will be classified as pornography, and banned. You will lose the general Internet, and anonymity, and privacy. Spyware will be mandatory on your devices. Anyone caught looking at banned material will be prosecuted, and labeled as a monster - someone looking at gay porn, or reading gay fanfic, or reading up on safe gay sex, will be branded as a pedophile or a sexual deviant.

You will also find that sex ed is removed from schools. Even anatomy & biology classes will be different. You can't miss something if you're never taught it in the first place, surely. Teen pregnancies will increase, as birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy complications, child deaths, miscarriages and teen parents will be very commonplace. Sexual diseases will also become more prevalent as the medication for them will become scarce; PReP will be next to impossible to access, so a small AIDS epidemic will resurface. Antibiotics and vaccines will become rarer and rarer.

All porn will be deigned as a threat to children, and kink safespaces for adults will be hunted and shut down as being a threat to society. Gay clubs, too. Pride will be canceled, as will pride clubs in schools and colleges. Funding for therapy & mental health resources will dry up.

Families will be torn up, children will be tortured and abused, and adults will be forced to go along with it, face the same treatment, enact the abuse, or go to jail for child abuse because they tried to help their child. Gay adoptions will stop, as will family support for families with gay children.

Meanwhile, the UK will be in a political war with the USA. Palestinians will be bombed more, and so will most countries in the middle East. Egypt will become a target, and a few other parts of Africa. Russia and Ukraine will continue to attack each other, but Russia will be watching the USA and UK. So will North Korea and China.

None of you will be told if there's another pandemic. None of you will be told if there are millions or hundreds of millions of deaths. None of you will be told about loved ones in danger in other countries or states. None of you will be told the truth about anything.

Congratulations, America. You've built your walls high, and fortified your country. But you haven't just shut the rest of the world out; you've shut yourselves in.

If you don't believe me, save this post and come back to it 1 year from now. 2 years. 3 years. 4. Take a screenshot of it. And let's see which of us is right.

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

Advent Devotionals, 2023

I wanted to share some devotionals for this coming Advent (it starts December 3!) that are queer affirming & center marginalized perspectives. If you know of others, please add on!

What Are You Waiting For? An LGBTQIA+ Affirming Advent Devotional

Format: A short written devotional or poem for every day of Advent, shared as one PDF document linked above

Creators: The Collective of Queer Christian Leaders, including Rev. Nicole Garcia of the National LGBTQ Task Force and members of the Transmission Ministry Network

Another Starry Black Night: A Womanist Advent Devotional

Format: Short written devotionals, one for each Sunday & Wednesday of Advent, as well as Christmas day

Creators: Black women, most of whom are ordained Presbyterian ministers, some of whom are queer

Posted on Unbound: An Interactive Journal of Christian Social Justice

Abolition Advent Calendar: "Freedom for All Bodies"

Format: daily written devotionals that you can sign up to receive as emails. Each week expands the theme of abolition & racial justice to include 1) reproductive justice; 2) trans/nonbinary justice; 3) disability justice; and 4) body positivity

Shared by Join the Movement, a UCC organization

"Todos! Todos! Todos! Advent Reflections and Meditations on the Scriptures

Format: Zoom calls with a reflection followed by discussion groups every Wednesday of Advent, 8pm-9pm EST

Creators: DignityUSA, a Catholic LGBT-advocacy organization

An Advent Guide with Reflections on Palestine/Israel

Format: a devotional for each Sunday of Advent, shared as one PDF linked above

Creators: "Each week during Advent read firsthand accounts from recently returned Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) of their experiences during their deployment with the World Council of Churches�� Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (WCC-EAPPI). Along with their stories and photos are bible readings, further resources and prayers to offer."

[aro-ace-christian]

Ok, so, I'm curious: what are your views on Christianity and the LGBTQ+ community's relationship, per se, and like what is it like being part of both (for you)? I'm aroace as well, and I'm struggling with my faith a lot currently but was raised Christian. I'm just really curious as to what your views are on everything I guess, as I've never met another aroace, or LGBTQ+ member in general, who also considers themselves a Christian. 💜

Honestly, I've noticed that the God I serve, the One I have a relationship with cannot be the same that others serve. Because my God is all about love. And that is abundant in scripture.

I spent a lot of time in prayer and research when I was figuring myself out. A great site that helped me reconcile how I've felt about myself lining up with Christianity is Hope Remains. It goes through scripture that people quote against the LGBTQIA+ community and shows translations that are much closer to the original Hebrew and Greek.

Because, the thing is, there are two major problems with how people view the Bible in today's world:

1) They don't look at context.

People tend to look at one verse only. They don't look at the verses or even story around that verse.

A lot of time things are said to a specific people (Levitcus was for the Hebrews), in a specific time (Old Testiment laws were overwritten by Christ's death), or due to a specific circumstance.

2) People don't realize that the different translations in English aren't always exactly accurate.

There are words, phrases, and concepts that get lost when translated from language to language, from time period to time period, and from place to place.

If you've ever taken a foreign language you know this to be true. Even a simple children's book can have these issues. Compare that to thousands of years of translating scripture. That's why it's so important to go back to the original Hebrew and Greek.

For being AroAce specifically, I love to quote 1 Corinthians 7 to people. Paul never married. He says he wish others could be like him and stay single.

"I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.  But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion."

But as I stated above, even Paul's thoughts in scripture are all about context. He's speaking to the church in Corinth. He didn't know we'd be reading it 2000 years later. But even with that context, I find comfort there.

So TLDR: There are some great resources out there. But nothing beats prayer and research. I suggest digging into scripture and translations yourself and then through prayer deciding what it is you believe for yourself.

I hope that helps!

[incorrect-jojolands-quotes]

Mun, give me your shot on Usagi Headcannons :crying & fire emoji: the world needs it

Of course! Here's what I got so far in terms of backstory and tidbits about him too:

Usagi's parents are Robert Alohaoe and Donna Therese Alohaoe (née Nakashima). Both are Japanese-Hawaiian descent and Usagi is their only child. Usagi had a twin sister that didn't make it to term but neither of his parents told Usagi her name or that she existed, not wanting their son to feel guilty or sad about the matter in any way.

Robert was a construction worker who was also the local construction union's president. Donna works as a receptionist for a retail tax office in Downtown Honolulu. After Robert's death, Donna quit her job due to grief and now stays at home. She's able to manage the payout for Robert's death so she and Usagi could live comfortably and more and is rather frugal too.

Growing up, the Alohaoes were a close, loving family. They were actually involved in a local church in Honolulu and Usagi's early years were him being involved in things like the children's choir and plays done in celebration of Christmas and Easter. The church itself was a nondenominational Christian church that the Alohaoes met through and got married in.

Both parents wanted Usagi to have some exposure to the arts but lacked the resources to give him professional classes or have him try out auditions for agencies, so Usagi's time in the performing arts involved him taking free community classes or attending volunteer-run events. It's there that he learned how to dance, sing, and act.

Usagi was a rather popular kid with many friends from church, despite his father worrying that being a theater/dance kid would mean kids were going to bully him. His rise to fame among the church kids was when he showed that he could do the splits during a free ballet class. He was also, at the time, strong enough to lift the girls trying to pretend to be ballerinas.

Robert's death threw more than just a wrench into things. Despite the church doing what they can to help and comfort, both Donna and Usagi lost their faith and stopped attending services like before. Usagi briefly stopped doing theater stuff and stopped seeing his friends at church. He became a loner in school that people thought was weird. He often brushes off his father's death as a means of coping with it. But, secretly, he misses his dad a lot.

Usagi himself isn't religious anymore as he started getting involved in scientific research and not agreeing with sentiments that various religions have towards marginalized groups (women, lgbtqia+, indigenous, etc.). But, when he misses his dad or really needs divine intervention, he will say a little prayer and hope it gets answered.

To satisfy his itch for performing later in life, he turned to learning Kpop choreography and making Kpop content. He has a secret social media account where he dresses up with his face and body covered and films himself doing dance covers. He would also attend Random Kpop Dance Plays anonymous as well to talk to other stans. Everyone knows him as his dance persona but no one really knew who he is under the all-black fits and surgical masks he wears.

He's massive in the forums related to BTS. Online, ARMYs knew him as an i-lovely with wacky theories about the BTS universe and his love for Suga. His biaswrecker is Jimin and he eventually bonds with Charming Man over BTS as the two start to become more friendly with each other. Usagi also runs an anonymous stan twitter account to help him keep up with Kpop news and is really involved in voting during awards season.

Since his father's death, Donna has been way more overprotective than before. Usagi himself was a sheltered kid and sometimes feels suffocated by her actions. He does understand that he is arguably the only physical reminder of Robert and her intentions are well-meaning, but it has caused him to rebel secretly. It's part of why he accepted work from Meryl Mei and experimented with drugs. He does it behind her back because he doesn't want to disappoint his mom in the end.

Usagi wishes to be a researcher of sorts after high school, but he's not sure what field to go into. He's considered being an ornithologist because he loves birds but also a pharmaceutical scientist, hydrologists, research physiologist, and, when he was younger, he thought about being a marine biologist. His passion in being a researcher led him to learn a lot of stuff online and that's why he has so much information.

His experimentation with drugs came from his initial desire to be a pharmaceutical scientist and curiosity on how chemicals can affect a body's function. He also wanted to see which drugs would enhance his academic performance the most, so he extensively researches on the drugs and how to safely use them before actually trying it on himself. It's also where he gets his extensive medical knowledge.

Donna used to be someone who wanted to make sure Usagi has a home cook meal and the family used to bond over cooking. However, since Robert's passing, Donna stopped cooking out of grief and Usagi can't bring himself to cook for similar reasons. He's mostly eaten takeout fast-food or quick meals like instant ramen since then. Donna is trying to get back into cooking meals again for Usagi's health but it's still a struggle.

Usagi doesn't know much about his dad's past but is interested in Robert's dadlore; Donna herself only knew so much. The bits and pieces of the lore Usagi knows is that Robert used to be close friends in high school with some guy name Dean. The two separated after a terrible fight but reconnected months before Robert passed away. Usagi knows it was this friend who helped his family receive the insurance payout but he doesn't know Dean's full name.

Usagi only knew Dean by the nickname Robert supposedly gave to him and the two had nicknames for each other; Robert was called "Fripp" and Dean was called "Belew". However, Usagi misheard these names and thought the nicknames were Pink and Blue.

Usagi vowed to be like Dean, someone who goes out of their way for others, and hopes to find his own Pink that he could help the way Dean did. What a coincidence that that Pink ended up being Dean's own child: Dragona.

That's all so far. I hope you enjoy it. :3

[stellae-de-baphometis]

🖤 ~ About Me ~ 🖤

+ Introduction +

Hey there! My name is Korvella Starlight, but you can also call me Kody or Korv. I'm in my 20's and I use both he/him and they/them pronouns interchangeably (I'm a non-binary trans guy).

This is a blog dedicated to Progressive Daemonolatry, Theistic Satanism / Luciferianism, Daemonism, and Paganism. I first got into Paganism when I was 14 years old. Throughout the years, I further expanded my beliefs and eventually got into Theistic Satanism. From there, I later got into Daemonolatry. Nowadays, I consider myself a Progressive Daemonolatrist/Daemonist (a form of Daemonolatry that respects closed practices and doesn't engage in cultural appropriation), Daemonologist, Polytheist, Panentheist, and Eclectic Pagan.

Please keep in mind that I am neurodivergent and mentally ill, and this severely affects my ability to function. I may take frequent breaks in between posts and I won't exactly be consistently active here all the time. I try to post as much as I can though!

+ Why I Made This Blog +

I made this blog so I could provide a safe space for people seeking resources and information on the Infernal/Daemonic Divine. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

There's a lot of appropriation and antisemitism in some "demonolatry" spaces nowadays, and I had the unfortunate displeasure of being brainwashed and indoctrinated into thinking that cultural appropriation was completely fine at the beginning of my Daemonolatry path in 2022, because of an echo-chamber subreddit I was a part of. When a friend of mine explained to me how harmful it was, I vowed to change my perspective and I educated myself, changing for the better.

I wanted to try and counteract some of the appropriation and make up for my past mistakes, as well as help prevent others from falling down the same pipeline I did, by blogging about my personal experiences and providing info and resources that don't appropriate closed practises.

+ DO NOT INTERACT +

✧ Exclusionists of any kind. ✧ T3RFs, SW3RFs, m1s0gyn1sts, s3x1sts/ tr4nsm3ds, etc. ✧ Anything anti-LGBTQIA+. I'm a non-binary trans guy and a demi-grey-pansexual. As a queer person, I won't tolerate any bigotry or hate directed towards my community. ✧ Anything involving H3lluva B0ss and H4zb1n H0tel. I highly dislike the series as it portrays daemons (beings I have a lot of respect for) in a very poor light. No disrespect or anything, I just personally don't want anything to do with it. ✧ Appropriators of any kind. This especially goes for gentiles who appropriate Lilith from Judaism. She's not a "Mesopotamian Pagan Goddess" and she's not the same as Lamashtu. Stop making excuses for stealing shit from closed practices. ✧ Racists, antisemites, islamophobes, n4z1s and neo-n4z1s, xenophobes, anti-BLM, anti-ACAB, white supremacists, etc. ✧ M4Ps, p3d0ph1l3s, z00ph1l3s, b3ast1al1ty, etc. ✧ Right-Wingers, Conservatives, etc. ✧ P0rn0gr4ph1c and/or NSFW content that fetishises or objectifies Satanism, Luciferianism, Daemonolatry, and the Infernal/Daemonic Divine. ✧ Religious extremists/radicalists. If you're a regular old religious person and progressive, that's completely fine and I have no problem with you. It's just the extremists that I want absolutely nothing to do with; For example, those Christian radicalists that try to shove their beliefs down everyone's throats, or the ones who try to justify bigotry in the name of God. ✧ Ableism of any kind. This includes ableism towards mental illness, neurodiversity, and all personality disorders. ✧ New Agers. That shit contributed to my Schizotypal psychotic-like experiences and mental illness when it leaked into my spiritual practices as a teenager. Plus it's just highly problematic in general. I want nothing to do with it whatsoever.

+ IMPORTANT NOTICE +

If you see any old posts of mine (specifically posts made prior to November/December of 2022) spouting antisemitic rhetoric regarding demons and/or the occult, please understand that it's not who I am anymore and that I have changed and educated myself since then. I sincerely and deeply apologise to the Jewish community for my blatant ignorance and antisemitic takes.

I used to be part of an antisemitic "Demonolatry" group back then (r/DemonolatryPractices, a terribly cultish space that I advise everyone avoid), and was brainwashed and severely misinformed on the amount of cultural appropriation and antisemitism that exists within the occult community. However, it is no excuse, and I am deeply sorry for the things I said and did in the past.

If you feel uncomfortable interacting with me and my content because of my past, that is 100% valid and completely okay. You are in no way obligated to forgive me if you are Jewish and/or were negatively affected by my previous content.

I have deleted my old posts, however some of them may still exist in the form of reblogs and reposts across Tumblr, hence why I've written this disclaimer to set things straight. I just want it to be abundantly clear that I am not like that anymore and I have changed. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and once again, I am sincerely sorry. 💙

Hope you like what I post here! I wish you well on your spiritual path, and may whoever you honour/venerate bless your soul. 🖤

❀༻ Ave Satanas ༺❀

+ Decor Credit + . . . Bat Divider . . . Blood Moon Divider V1 . . . Blood Moon Divider V2 . . . Ram Skull & Horns Divider . . . Baphomet Image . . .

[kismetharborapps]

Application Resubmitted Fixed My Blog

Out Of Character Information: 

name: Amy

preferred pronouns: she/her

age: 33

timezone: MST (Mountain Standard Time)

activity level: Every day. I am a teacher so some days I am drained after work. But, I will make time to log in and roleplay. It is how I de-stress myself.

triggers: Not asking for consent or even God modding. I will happily give you any information about my character. Don’t assume.

anything else?: Not at the moment

  name: Ryder Shadow Thornton

faceclaim: Dan Stevens

gender & pronouns: Cis Male, He/Him

age: 40

birthday: September 12, 1982

place of birth: Brisbane Australia

occupation:  Family Law Attorney at Legal Lighthouse

neighborhood: astra heights apartments in downtown

time since arriving in kismet harbor: since September of 2000

filling a wanted connection?:  None

biography: 

Ryder was born and raised in Brisbane Australia. He is an only child. His dad’s name is Christian, and his mom’s name is Emily. He always asked why he never had any other siblings. His mom said they just wanted one perfect child and that’s what they got. Or so they thought. Ryder gave mostly his dad a hard time. His mom is the one who babies him. She would let him get away with everything and anything.

  Ryder was a rebellious child. He was always pushing the boundaries and seeing what he could get away with. He was an only child after all. He got away with some things with his mom because he was, is, and always will be a mommy’s boy. His father on the other hand caught on very early to what Ryder was doing. His father was the more powerful and strict authority figure of the both of them. When he laid down the law, his word was final. Ryder hated that. He wanted to do what he wanted. So, he went against everything he said. It backfired a few times and his father would get angry with him, other times he didn’t even notice because he was so busy working.

  His rebellious attitude and phase spilled over into his school years. Especially in high school. He skipped class, hung out with the wrong crowd, and wasn’t going to graduate high school at one point. Ryder's dad Christian had accepted a new job in Kismet Harbor working at the local hospital. They packed up and left Brisbane and arrived at their new Kismet Harbor home.  Ryder wasn’t thrilled about leaving his friends and the life he built for himself and was accustomed to. He constantly thought each day “How dare they move someplace that he didn’t know and hadn’t even heard of before.” 

  Ryder sparked an idea in his head that if he turned his life around and started buckling down and working hard, graduating high school and college maybe his family would move back to Brisbane. Wishful thinking that was. Ryder's dad told him this was permanent. They weren’t moving again. This was their home now and he would grow to like it whether he liked it or not.  Ryder decided to make the most of it and try for his parents. They seemed to love their new home and didn’t want to stand in their way of happiness.

  To everyone’s surprise under the rebellious, don’t care, don’t want to be here, not going to put in the work attitude, Ryder is smart, resourceful, passionate, kind, adventurous, hard-working, and generous. He graduated high school with honors and went on to study family law. He graduated from the local university with the highest distinction summa cum laude. He found a local job with Legal Lighthouse fighting for those couples who are trying for adoption, amid custody battles, and even just standing up for all the families of Kismet Harbor. He has come to love living in Kismet Harbor and has become active in the community when he’s not working crazy hours.

other: Buck Matthews Parker (tumblr.com)

pets: No Pets at the moment but he’s a huge animal lover.

town activities: Compassionate Friends, elevated escapades, lgbtqia+, trivia nights

draw of luck: Yes

[the-lincyclopedia]

Some additions from my time in queer Christian circles:

Queer Grace describes itself as "an online encyclopedia for LGBTQIA+ and Christian life." They've got an article on how to find an affirming church as well as bunch of other articles and resources. It doesn't look like they've had new posts since 2021, but a lot of their stuff is still very relevant.

Church Clarity is an organization that verifies churches' stances on both queer rights and women in church leadership. You can put in your location or the name of a specific church you're checking out and see if they're listed and, if so, what their stances are. They seem to have not made a new blog post since 2020, but they were doing good work before that, and it's still available.

The Naming Project is a summer camp that describes itself as "a Christian ministry serving youth of all sexual and gender identities. We provide a safe place for youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning or allied to learn, grow, and share their experiences." Basically, it's a place where queer Christian teens can come together and be comfortable being both queer and Christian at the same time. Unlike the other two, they are currently active and are planning for summer 2025.

Introducing "Queersources USA," a collection of online resources for queer people USians covering a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to:

Crisis hotlines

Student's rights

Worker's rights

Affirming healthcare and patient's rights

Legal aid

Hormone therapy, surgery, voice training, and shapewear

Traveling safely with hormones

Voting while trans

Black-centered resources

Intersex and a-spectrum resources

Online community spaces

Queer history

Religion and spirituality across different traditions

I had started working on this before the election but in light of the results, I wanted to put it out here as soon as possible. All the resources are either active, or still useful even if they have not been updated recently.

[scottiestoybox]

Trans information and medical resource material.

Viced Rhino is an atheist YouTuber who mostly does debunking of Christian apologist.  But as a father of three children including one out lesbian teenager, he has covered a lot of the anti-LGBTQIA stuff.  He has compiled a pretty great list of studies and medical information.  He broke it out into categories.  I love it as it is easy to use and all the material to respond to anti-trans haters is…

[transsolidarityproject]

Legal Resources, Part 2/4

RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION

Laws that permit people, churches, nonprofit organizations, and corporations to use religious belief to exclude LGBTQIA+ people regardless of existing laws are called religious exemption laws, which have become more popular over the past three decades through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Through religious exemption, businesses and organizations deny reproductive healthcare, marriage, public business, and employee benefits. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as well as the decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, and Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston, give federal religious exemption to private businesses and organizations – including the use of “No Gays Allowed” public signage. However, government-sanctioned organizations are not entitled to claim religious exemption, as decided in Benitez v. North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group.

Outside of this use, religious exemption laws protect minority religions from discrimination – such as allowing Muslims or Sikhs to maintain grooming habits in US prisons. The foundation of religious exemption is to protect marginalized groups who practice faiths other than dominant Christianity, although religious exemption laws have been extremely warped in the United States to give excess power to Christians.

--

HOUSING

While there are no explicit laws regarding LGBTQIA+ people, sexual orientation and gender identity have been well-understood as included in housing anti-discrimination guidelines. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity bans discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people and protect queer and transgender people from unfair evictions and denials of housing. If you believe you have experienced housing discrimination, you can file a report with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Department uses the same understanding that sex-based discrimination protections include sexual orientation and gender identity as Supreme Court cases over Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Fair Housing Act has prohibited discrimination in federally-assisted housing since 2012 and has included gender identity and sexual orientation since Bostock v. Clayton County, while Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 prohibit discrimination in both private and public housing.

Federal discrimination law also applies to residential service programs and temporary shelters. Homeless shelters cannot refuse to admit someone because they are LGBTQIA+, and cannot deny services and programs offered to cisgender heterosexual members.

LGBTQIA+ individuals are also protected from discrimination in credit and lending, as sexual orientation and gender identity are protected under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These protections give queer and transgender people protection in opening bank accounts, taking loans, and using other credit services. Discrimination reports should be filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In Braschi v. Stahl Associates Co. (1989), same-sex couples were given housing and rent control protection as “family” or “household” units under housing law, regardless of marriage status.

--

MILITARY

Queer people have been allowed to openly serve in the United States armed forces since the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in 2011. Additionally, queer individuals have been granted equal access to military services and veterans benefits since the official pardon of anti-LGBTQIA+ dishonorable charges by President Biden in October 2024. Queer active members and veterans in need of assistance or support should contact Military OneSource.

Transgender individuals have been allowed to serve in the United States military since 2021 after the repeal of the Trump administration ban in 2017 – although this ban is expected to go back into effect when Trump returns to office. The services and veterans benefits transgender members can get vary – although they should be granted equal access to both the military and their benefits for serving, the Trump ban(s) places them under dishonorable discharge and therefore ineligible for veteran status. Additionally, the services given to transgender service members are unequal, since the Veterans Administration has issued its final ruling that gender-affirming care is not covered as of February 2024.

Everyone assigned male at birth, including transgender women, is required to register with the national military conscription service known as the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. Failure to do so can result in up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. People assigned female at birth, including transgender men, are not required to register with the Service – although they may opt-in due to the federal ruling in National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System. However, transgender men who do not register with the Selective Service will have difficulty using government services and programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and college assistance and will be required to obtain a Status Information Letter to receive government benefits. In the event the draft is resumed, any/all transgender people may file a claim for exemption from military service if they receive an order to report for examination.

--

CONVERSION THERAPY

The pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity is known as conversion therapy. There are no federal laws regarding conversion therapy, although there have been multiple attempts to both enforce and ban conversion therapy.

Over half of US states and territories have at least partial bans on conversion therapy’s use on minors – as well as more than 100 cities with additional laws protecting young people from the harmful effects of conversion therapy. Only one district, Washington D.C., bans conversion therapy entirely for both minors and adults.

Conversion therapy laws only affect licensed practitioners, not unlicensed or religion-based providers – although some states have additional protections against unlicensed and religious practitioners.

--

HATE CRIME PROTECTION

Also known as bias crime laws, hate crime laws prohibit and prosecute crimes based on opposition/hostility against a protected class such as race, color, religion, or national origin. In 2009, sexual orientation and gender identity were added to federal hate crime law under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.Brandon v. Richardson County also established that law enforcement officers have a legal responsibility to protect LGBTQIA+ people when reporting hate crimes. Wisconsin v. Mitchell ruled that increased penalties on hate-based crimes are constitutional – which became federal law in 1994 with the passage of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.

The law makes a distinction between hate speech and speech that is broadly protected under the First Amendment. Most hateful speech is generally protected under the First Amendment, it becomes illegal and prosecutable if it can be proven to incite violence, hostility, or discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Unless it is proven as such, hate speech cannot be lawfully censored, punished, or unduly burdened by the government. The limitations and protections of hateful speech were a primary focus in Snyder v. Phelps, establishing the limits of non-violent hate speech in private and public settings.

The Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990 and Campus Hate Crimes Right to Know Act of 1997 mandate the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to collect, maintain, and publish hate crime statistics to the general public.

Gay panic dense, trans panic defense, and homosexual advance defense is a victim-blaming legal defense strategy where a person claims to commit a violent crime against an LGBTQIA+ person because they allegedly made an unwanted sexual advance on them. The defense holds that the defendant was so offended or frightened that they were forced into attacking violently. The related trans panic defense is most often employed by cisgender heterosexuals who reacted violently upon learning their lover is transgender. There are no national bans on gay and trans panic defense, and the legal defense strategy can be employed in the majority of states that have not enacted their own ban.

SmithKline Beecham v. Abbott Laboratories ruled that jurors cannot be removed from a case due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, giving LGBTQIA+ Americans federal protection from jury discrimination.

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HIV/AIDS

There is no federal criminalization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), although many states have laws criminalizing HIV and its potential transmission due to the 1990 requirement in the Ryan White CARE Act that forced states to place criminal regulations on HIV to remain eligible for federal funding. Several efforts have been made to repeal all state criminalization laws, but they have all died in Congress despite overwhelming evidence since 1990 that HIV criminalization is ineffective in reducing transmission. At the time of this article, there have been no federal or Supreme Court cases that have brought the constitutionality of HIV criminalization to court – the closest was Rhoades v. Iowa in 2014, which was settled by the state-level Iowa Supreme Court.

Approximately half of US states have HIV criminalization laws, which penalize people living with HIV if they “potentially expose” other people to the virus. Even though HIV criminalization has been proven ineffective and disproportionally targets marginalized people, these laws range from misdemeanors to felonies attached to lifelong sex offender registry.

HIV and AIDS are considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, giving federal protection from all aspects of disability-related discrimination to anyone living with HIV/AIDS, as well as protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These protections cover employment, housing, and other aspects of living. United States employers are only allowed to ask potential employees if they are capable of performing tasks associated with the job, such as lifting heavy boxes, and cannot legally ask any applicant if they have a disability or medical condition. It is the employee’s right to (and if) tell an employer that they are living with HIV, such as to get workplace accommodations. Employers can only refuse to hire someone due to their HIV status if they can objectively prove they would be a direct threat to others during routine job duties, which usually only applies to healthcare. Lastly, employers must keep medical and disability information confidential – they are not allowed to tell other staff or employers about your HIV status. These protections are further ingrained through the decisions in Taylor v. Rice and Matter of Matthew Cusick and Cirque du Soleil.

The Americans with Disabilities Act makes anti-HIV discrimination in healthcare settings illegal. Medical providers are expected and required to use universal precautions on every patient they treat, so there are no additional or special protective procedures required to work on patients living with HIV. Depending on the state, a healthcare provider could argue religious exemption to refuse to treat a patient living with HIV based on the assumed sexual orientation or gender identity of the patient, but only if their practice does not use any government funding – people living with HIV are protected due to their disability status in hospitals, clinics, social service agencies, drug treatment centers, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, dentists’ offices, daycares, public pools, and fitness gyms. Healthcare insurance companies, Medicaid, and employers cannot discriminate because of HIV status and must provide the same standard of care as given to other employees, although this protection does not apply to people who obtain healthcare insurance without an employer.

The Fair Housing Act also covers the right to health and safety at home, and landlords cannot discriminate against people living with HIV. According to federal law, landlords must make reasonable accommodations as deemed medically necessary for tenants with HIV.

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PRISON

Compared to the rest of the public, those held in government custody such as in prison or jail have the least amount of rights. Even rights such as protection from enslavement are not guaranteed to United States prisons, due to the intentional language in the Thirteenth Amendment: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

While incarcerated individuals have a variety of rights listed below, the only rights maintained within the US Constitution are First Amendment rights. Prison officials are entitled to open non-privileged mail directed to inmates without probable cause or a warrant to preserve order, discipline, and security – although they are not permitted to censor portions they find merely controversial or rude, as decided in Thornburgh v. Abbot. Other than nudity, prisoners have the right to receive books, magazines, newspapers, and other mail as long as it does not affect prison safety. Prison officials cannot bar friends and relatives from buying you books or magazine subscriptions, and both you and the sender have the right to be notified if your mail will be censored or rejected. Mail cannot be censored because it is critical of the prison or its officials (Procunier v. Martinez), and prisons cannot ban mail simply because it contains material downloaded from the internet.

In the majority of the United States, inmates are not allowed to vote. The only districts where incarcerated individuals maintain their right to vote from jail or prison are Washington D.C., Vermont, and Maine. Most states reinstate voting rights after release, although felony convictions can further restrict individuals’ right to vote after completing their sentence. 10 states permanently strike voting rights from convicted felons in select cases.

Inmates are protected under the Due Process Clause of the Constitution from unauthorized and intentional deprivation of their personal belongings but are not given reasonable privacy and are liable to be searched at any time by prison officials. Strip searches must not be done in full view of other prisoners, and searches should only use staff of the same gender identity as the inmate unless there is an emergency. Federal laws protect the religious rights of prisoners, and prison officials must give objective proof that giving religious accommodation is dangerous to deny it. Officers cannot impose religious beliefs and cannot give special preference based on religion.

Both those detained pre-trial and convicted people incarcerated must be housed in humane facilities, and maintain the right to be free of “cruel or unusual punishment” through the Eighth Amendment. Before conviction, detainees must be treated as innocent while awaiting trial and cannot be “punished.” The limitations of what counts as cruel or unusual punishment are based on court discretion and are not in any explicit guidelines. Many correctional facilities place LGBTQIA+ in solidarity confinement to protect them from violence – however, inmates cannot be placed into solidarity against their will for more than 30 days, and inmates in protective solidarity must still have access to programs, privileges, education, and work opportunities to the fullest extent possible.

Incarcerated individuals are protected from sexual crimes and harassment under the Prison Rape Elimination Act. This also includes LGBTQIA+ inmates, and sexual orientation and gender identity have been classified as reasons to give inmates additional protection under the Prison Rape Elimination Act since the Supreme Court ruling in Farmer v. Brennan. The Eighth Amendment gives prison officials the legal obligation to protect prisoners from physical and sexual assault, including from other prisoners and prison officials. As elaborated in Farmer, officials aware of possible assault can be found violating the Eighth Amendment if they fail to take action. While prison officials are allowed to use force, they are not permitted to use force to cause harm – officers are only authorized to use force to maintain prison order. Additionally, the Prison Rape Elimination Act requires all prisons and jails to make individualized housing placements for all transgender and intersex inmates, including when assigning them to male or female facilities, and all inmates have the right to request a private shower according to the PREA.

Inmates cannot be racially segregated in prison except in objective circumstances for preserving prison security.

Being in prison does not take away your right to file official complaints and reports. Inmates maintain their right to report prison conditions and have access to court systems. The Prison Litigation Reform Act allows inmates to file lawsuits in federal court, although they must pay their own court filing fees and can be dismissed if the courts find their lawsuit to be “frivolous,” “malicious,” or false.

Disabled inmates hold their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and prisons must allow equal access to programs and facilities to qualified inmates. You have the right to have reasonable modifications to policies and procedures, and you are entitled to auxiliary aids and services like sign language interpreters, captioning, videophones, readers, Braille, and audio recordings. Prison officials are only allowed to deny accommodations if they can prove it would create immense an financial burden to the program or would create a safety risk that cannot be mitigated.

All incarcerated people have the right to appropriate and adequate mental healthcare and are further given the right to a hearing if they are to be moved to a mental health facility. However, federal law does not protect inmates from being forced to take anti-psychotic drugs before a hearing.

Lastly, inmates are entitled to adequate medical care to treat both short-term and long-term conditions. Prison and jail staff must evaluate transgender detainees for gender dysphoria within a reasonable timeframe, and diagnoses and treatments for gender dysphoria must be delivered according to accepted medical standards. Prisons are not allowed to instate general bans on types of treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy or gender confirmation surgery. Inmates also must have access to abortions as well as prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum care – and cannot be forced to pay before receiving necessary medical care. Those in incarceration also have the right to refuse sterilization or other unwanted birth control.

The Transgender Offender Manual contains the most up-to-date policies regarding transgender inmates, created by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. However, the TOM is subject to change depending on the presidential administration, so many of the following policies and rights may change as Trump resumes office. The TOM requires transgender inmates to be assigned an associate warden to ensure they have access to services and programs, similar to case management, and prisons that house transgender prisoners should have additional training required among staff. As of the time of this article, incarcerated transgender individuals are housed on a case-by-case basis to best ensure the inmate’s health and safety rather than biological sex assignment or surgery status. Prison officials are strictly prohibited from deliberately or repeatedly misgendering transgender inmates, and transgender prisoners must be allowed to choose the undergarments and accommodations best aligned with their gender identity.

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BLOOD DONATIONS

Under the policy of the United States Food and Drug Administration and American Red Cross, anyone who has not had anal sex with any new or multiple partners in the past three months is allowed to donate blood. Additionally, potential blood donors must not be taking any anti-HIV prevention medication such as PrEP or PEP, and must not have ever tested positive for HIV. If the donor meets these guidelines, they may donate blood, tissue, and organs regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Before 2023, the United States had strict limitations that barred LGBTQIA+ people from donating since the policies targeted individuals based on sexual orientation. In 2023, the FDA removed its sexual orientation-based restriction and instead uses a standardized questionnaire to approve or deny potential donors based on the latest research of HIV transmission risk. However, the current policy from the FDA and American Red Cross still discriminates against polyamorous individuals and makes no distinction between casual hook-ups and committed, exclusive relationships with multiple partners.

At this time, individuals who have ever had HIV or AIDS are ineligible to donate blood, even if their viral load is undetectable or untransmittable.

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GENDER DOCUMENTS

Transgender rights, such as the right to legal name and gender marker updates or gender-affirming care, are determined at the state level. There are no federal laws or guidelines related to the legal documents of transgender people in the United States. National documents, such as passports and Social Security cards, reflect the information used on state identification such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

For information on how to change your legal name or gender marker on court orders, birth certificates, or driver’s licenses, visit Advocates for Trans Equality’s Document Center. Their “Name Change, Driver’s License, & Birth Certificates” section gives detailed steps needed in all US states and territories.

Name Changes To change your legal name, you must file paperwork with your local court and appear before a judge. Unless you are filing for a name change due to marriage or divorce, your request will be categorized as a “court order name change.” After submitting your paperwork and paying your filing fee, you’ll be given a court date where you will explain your request to a judge – there are lots of reasons people change their legal names, so there aren’t as many limitations.

Half of US states require you to publish your upcoming name change in a local newspaper or related organization. These publication laws are meant to give notice to debt collection agencies and create a paper trail regarding your identity. Also, about half of the United States has additional barriers for individuals with criminal records.

To change your name on any of the other legal documents below, you must have a signed copy of your court order name change. Without it, you will be unable to change the legal name on your other identification items.

Birth Certificates 25 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, issue updated birth certificates with the gender marker aligned with your gender identity without medical requirements. You can only get a birth certificate update from the state where you were born, unlike driver licenses and state IDs. 16 states have written or unclear policies that require transgender people to have a gender affirmation surgery to update their birth certificate’s gender marker – although the “gender affirmation surgery” varies on state and can refer to any medical treatment such as hormone replacement therapy or bottom surgery. Consular Records of Birth Abroad for American citizens born outside of the United States uses self-attestation to update gender markers in the same process as passports are updated.

Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Illinois, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. allow residents to use M, F, or X on their birth certificates.

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Montana, and North Dakota fully ban transgender people from updating their birth certificates.

Driver License/State IDs 21 states, plus Washington D.C., issue updated driver licenses with the gender marker aligned with your gender identity without provider certification. The rest of US states and territories require provider certification – a process where a certified professional signs off on your transition and progress via a letter to be shown when updating your license. You can only get an updated driver’s license or state ID in the state you currently reside in, unlike birth certificates.

In addition to Washington D.C., 22 states allow residents to use M, F, or X on their driver’s licenses.

Texas, Florida, Kansas, and Tennessee fully ban transgender people from updating their driver’s licenses.

Social Security Card

While Social Security cards only show a name and do not physically show any gender marker associated with their owner, it has gender data that needs to be updated alongside other documents. Your updated court order name change, birth certificate, and/or driver’s license/state ID will be used to update this form. If available in your state, X gender markers can be used on federal documents.

Updating your gender associated with your Social Security card is easy – it’s based on self-attestation, where you confirm that you are changing your card to match your gender identity.

Legal name updates to Social Security has a longer process, where your updated forms above are used to update your Social Security card. If applicable, your name and gender information on Medicare will also be updated when your Social Security is updated.

Additionally, the IRS will be automatically updated on your gender marker and/or legal name change when you update Social Security. Your next tax filing will use your new name and gender marker. To avoid issues, make sure your employer updates your W2 and payroll information to eliminate potential discrepancies.

Voter Registration Your voter registration must match your legal name as associated with your state ID or driver’s license. As such, your ability to update your legal name or gender marker will depend on whether your state allows updates to either your birth certificate or driver’s license.

While not all states require ID to vote, your name information must match the records on file for your vote to be cast. Your gender identity and presentation do not need to match your name, photo, or gender marker listed on your ID. Updates to voter registration can almost always be completed online, and can often be done while also updating your driver’s license or state ID.

Healthcare & Benefit Programs The rules for updating your legal name and gender marker on state benefit programs like EBT/SNAP and Medicaid vary by state – like Social Security, there is an associated gender marker attached to your information even if one is not printed on your forms and ID.

You will also need to update healthcare insurance and Medicaid as needed. It is important to note that your insurance company and Medicaid base your eligibility to receive covered healthcare services as the gender marker associated with your account. Due to this reason, many transgender people update their name with healthcare insurance and Medicaid, but not their gender marker so that they can continue receiving care needed based on their sex assigned at birth (ex. hormone replacement therapy, cancer screenings). Healthcare insurance plans are not supposed to ban coverage based on sex, but that does not mean discrepancies will not affect your potential care.

Bank Accounts & Lending You will need to update all bank accounts and credit agencies of your legal name change using your court order name change. Failing to do so quickly may affect your credit score or payment methods. Since these updates largely use only your name and not gender marker, they are easier to complete.

While updating your financials, you should also update loans and agreements – as well as estate plans, trusts, wills, power of attorney, and advance directives.

Passport Changes to your national passport require a certified copy of your court order name change as well as a passport photo and your most recent passport. Like Social Security, gender markers are updated based on self-attestation and give you the option to select M, F, or X to best reflect your gender identity. You do not need a birth certificate or state ID to update your gender marker, making passports the easiest to update to reflect your identity – although this is subject to agency discretion and the presidential administration.

Selective Service As mentioned under Military, all people assigned male at birth are required to register with the national military conscription service known as Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. People assigned female at birth can opt-in for Selective Service but are not required to register – although transgender men may encounter barriers and difficulty using government programs without registering with the Service.

You are required to update the Selective Service of any legal name changes until your 26th birthday, which is done with the Change of Information Form (SSS Form 2) at any United States Post Office or Embassy. Updates to gender markers are inapplicable since the Selective Service only uses the gender you were assigned at birth and does not update gender information.

Immigration Documents For any immigration document, you will need your court order name change to update your legal name. To update your gender marker, you can either use a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, court order, or other government-issued document or get a provider certification letter from a licensed professional. Some immigration documents may allow you to bypass the provider certification and instead use self-attestation, while others may documents such as certificates of naturalization or certificates of citizenship require certification.

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GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

Roughly half of the United States requires gender-affirming care as a prerequisite to updating legal forms such as birth certificates or driver’s licenses. Gender-affirming care refers to a range of medical treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy, puberty blockers, top surgery, bottom surgery, etc. Like Gender Documents, gender-affirming care is determined on the state level and there are currently no national restrictions or protections on it. 24 states ban gender-affirming care such as hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers for minors under the age of 18, regardless of medical diagnosis or parental permission. However, the constitutionality of these laws will be determined by the ruling in United States v. Skrmetti. Even though these laws target minors, they often affect transgender adults as well – Missouri attempted to ban gender-affirming care for anyone with a mental health diagnosis, even though a mental health diagnosis was required as a prerequisite to have gender-affirming care. Elsewhere, transgender adults are affected by the mass wave of medical providers leaving anti-transgender states to continue their practice in sanctuary states.

On the opposite side of the political spectrum, 14 states and Washington D.C. have “shield laws” that give sanctuary status to anyone seeking gender-affirming care or abortion services. In response, some states have attempted to criminalize transit between states for care – although this is directly in violation of the US Constitution and Americans’ right to travel freely between states.

While employers are not allowed to discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation and are required to offer all their employees healthcare insurance, not all healthcare insurance companies cover gender-affirming care. 24 states and D.C. require transgender-related services to be covered by healthcare insurance plans and Medicaid, while the rest of the country has no requirement to include gender-affirming care. Health plans are not allowed to have blanket exclusions or limits on trans-related care. Medicare fully covers medically necessary care, veteran programs cover some, and the coverage provided by Medicaid is determined by each state. At the time of this article, Arkansas and Mississippi are the only US states to ban insurance companies from covering gender-affirming care entirely – which will have to be tested in court for constitutionality. For those living in areas without healthcare insurance coverage, IRS Publication 502 allows medical expenses to become tax-deductible if they are not paid by any insurance or third party, including gender transition services.

The majority of healthcare providers are not allowed to discriminate or claim a religious exemption in treating LGBTQIA+ people due to the high likelihood that their practice or hospital takes some sort of government funding. Due to this, providers are not allowed to refuse treatment, force unnecessary examinations, refuse access to gender-segregated restrooms, refuse counseling or referrals, isolate you, require conversion therapy, or generally harass you due to your sexual orientation or gender identity.

Like all LGBTQIA+ rights, transgender healthcare is a direct target for the Trump administration upon his resumption of office. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to sign an executive order banning gender transition at any age through federal agencies, including Medicaid.

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BATHROOMS & PUBLIC SPACES

Bathroom bills are the common term used about anti-transgender legislation that criminalizes transgender people who use the restroom as their gender identity rather than the sex assigned at birth. Bathroom bills fall under public accommodation, meaning these laws apply to any group, business, organization, or building that serves the public regardless of whether they are publicly or privately funded. Currently, public accommodations must adhere to the federal guidelines under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – but since the Civil Rights Act does not list gender identity as a protected category, bathroom bills seek to target the vulnerability of the law until their constitutionality is tested in court.

REFUGE is a free online directory of safe restrooms for transgender, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people available on desktop, Android, and Apple devices. It’s a great community resource that uses personal submissions to create a network of safety.

There are 14 states that have bathroom bills in place – the overwhelming majority of these states force transgender people to use the restroom as their sex assigned at birth regardless of transition status or expression at K-12 schools and result in up to six months of jail time and $500 to $1,000 in fines. These bathroom bills do not affect restrooms not within K-12 schools or the majority of public life – and as mentioned in Education, transgender and nonbinary students have the federal right to use the restroom as their aligned gender identity per Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District, but these school bathroom bills have not been successfully taken to court. Out of those 14 states, North Dakota, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Ohio also ban transgender people from using the restroom in some government-owned buildings, such as colleges and universities. These more aggressive anti-transgender laws have gained over the past year and have also not been tested for constitutionality. At the time of this article, two states make it a criminal offense to use the restroom other than as the sex you were assigned at birth.

Florida’s HB 1521 and SB 1674 allow for residents of Florida to report “non-compliance” by transgender people to the state government. Those convicted fact a second-degree misdemeanor charge, 60 days in jail, and fines up to $500 per offense. The Facility Requirements Based on Sex Act bars transgender people in approximately 20% of private establishments, over 50% of public facilities, and 60% of state-licensed facilities – including K-12 schools, colleges, universities, correctional institutions, domestic violence shelters, healthcare facilities, homeless shelters, state government buildings, assisted living facilities, massage establishments, optical and vision centers, pain management clinics, pharmacies, and substance abuse treatment facilities. The Act makes an explicit exception for intersex people receiving prescribed gender-affirming care from a doctor, and unlike other bathroom bills, makes zero exceptions for transgender people who have had gender affirmation surgery or updated their birth certificate. There are currently three active lawsuits that are challenging the Act’s legality: Doe v. Florida, Smith v. Orange County Public Schools, and ACLU v. Florida.

Utah enacted HB 257, also known as Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying, and Women’s Opportunities. Like Florida, everyday citizens and officials have a confidential tip line for reporting “non-compliance” by transgender people who do not use the restroom as the sex they were assigned at birth. Unlike Florida’s law, HB 257 only bars transgender people from changing rooms and locker rooms in government-owned buildings – not restrooms – and restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms within Utah public schools. In contrast to Florida, Utah’s bathroom criminalization law does not affect any non-public buildings or private businesses. Depending on the situation, violations of HB 257 can result in between $2,500 to $10,000 in fines and up to 15 years in prison. Additionally, HB 257 requires people to present proof of their birth certificate and gender-affirming surgery if challenged while using the restroom.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission holds federal guidelines that employers cannot deny an employee equal access to a bathroom, locker room, or shower that corresponds to that employee’s gender identity. While the EEOC is a federal agency and liable to change its guidelines, restroom access in the workplace has been relatively asserted in federal court.

All luggage and passengers must be screened by the Transportation Security Administration when boarding United States aircraft – airports are public spaces that often present additional challenges to transgender people. While TSA restricts a number of items during the screening process, medical equipment, prostheses, binders, packers, and other assistive devices are allowed. Passengers have the right to opt out of advanced imaging technology scanners for thorough pat-downs – AIT devices detect bodily anomalies based on assumed gender and often pick up prosthetics and binding garments. Pat-downs must be done by a TSA agent of the same gender as the traveler’s gender expression (not IDs or boarding passes). In the event a TSA agent is unsure of your gender presentation, they must ask you discreetly and respectfully which gender you’d prefer. You should never be required to lift, remove, or raise an article of clothing to reveal a prosthetic item, and travelers should never be asked to remove prosthetics, breast forms, or binding items.

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SPORTS

The legal right to participate in competitive sports (amateur or professional) varies by state legislation. There are no federal protections for LGBTQIA+ people’s rights to sports outside of education – non-academic sports hold their own league policies based on organizational beliefs and state law.

However, while in school, the US Department of Education has stated LGBTQIA+ people are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act since sex discrimination disproportionally affects gay and transgender students. However, Chevron USA Inc. v. National Resources Defense Council overruled that gender identity and transgender people are not inherently included within athletic Title IX protections. As such, transgender people’s access to sports is in constant legal fluctuation. To participate in competitive school athletics, transgender students must be approved by their state guidelines if applicable – such as getting certified by the state athletics agency. Approval is not needed for noncompetitive athletics such as school clubs or physical education classes.

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE As of 2021, individual sports within the Olympics determine their guidelines on whether transgender athletes can compete. Therefore, if athletes qualify under their sports guidelines, they qualify to compete in the Olympics without any additional restrictions – however, each sports federation has the power to create its own policies regarding transgender inclusion despite current scientific research.

Until 2021, the IOC used the 2015 International Olympic Committee Transgender Policy – a set of policies that most Olympic sports federations and leagues still use despite the 2021 change. The Policy states all transgender and nonbinary athletes are welcome to compete without any specific surgeries required or government documents proving their legal gender has been recognized.

Transgender men and individuals assigned female at birth have no limitations or qualifications to compete within the men’s category; transgender women and those assigned male at birth must demonstrate a total testosterone level in serum below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months before their first competition and maintain those levels throughout the Olympics.

CROSSFIT Transgender athletes are allowed to compete in competitive events such as the CrossFit Games – to do so, athletes must have their gender marker legally changed to correspond with their gender identity on an identifying document such as a birth certificate or driver’s license. CrossFit has maintained this policy since 2019.

Transgender men and individuals assigned female at birth have no additional requirements to compete, while transgender women and individuals assigned male at birth must demonstrate a total testosterone level in serum below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months before their first CrossFit competition and maintain those levels during competition.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL All athletes must be assigned male at birth to compete in Major League Baseball, and MLB has no exceptions for transgender athletes. While MLB has a strong anti-harassment policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, transgender men and people assigned female at birth are not eligible to play within the league. Other baseball and softball leagues are more lenient regarding trans competitors, such as Minor League Baseball.

MAJOR LEAGUE CRICKET Transgender athletes are barred entirely from playing competitive cricket due to a decision in 2023 by the International Cricket Council. The rules by ICC technically state that only transgender women who have gone through male puberty are ineligible, but Major League Cricket has banned transgender competitors as a whole.

Before 2023, transgender players were able to compete – Danielle McGahey was the only trans athlete to play before the rule was changed by the ICC.

MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY World Rugby does not allow transgender women to compete in any capacity within their leagues. Transgender men and individuals assigned female at birth are only eligible to compete if they can provide adequate medical documentation of their transition.

USA Rugby uses the 2015 IOC Transgender Policy, allowing transgender competitors that fall within those guidelines.

International Gay Rugby is fully inclusive of transgender competitors within their leagues.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER There are no written policies regarding transgender athletes within Major League Soccer. However, MLS would likely use the practices adopted by Major League Baseball of the 2015 IOC Transgender Policy. Similarly, no policies have been set in other soccer leagues such as FIFA – although this is not the case in NWSL, as detailed later.

The US Soccer Federation oversees American competitors in the Olympics and openly allows transgender players to compete as long as they submit sufficient documentation that their gender identity matches legal or medical standards. This policy is up to interpretation and does not strictly follow the 2015 IOC format.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in professional races like NASCAR, Formula 1, the Grand Prix, etc. since races are not sex-segregated. While not common, transgender racers are welcome to participate – such as former motorsports champion Terri Leigh O’Connell.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the National Basketball Association. NBA guidelines actually permit anyone to compete regardless of gender identity if they have the necessary skill. The NBA and WNBA are accepting of LGBTQIA+ players, unlike the NCAA and NAIA.

NATONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the National Football League. NFL guidelines allow for anyone to compete regardless of gender identity – however, NFL players are selected from college teams which generally do not permit transgender athletes in any capacity.

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the National Hockey League. NHL guidelines actually permit anyone to compete regardless of gender identity if they have the necessary skill. Only three cisgender women have broken into the male-dominant league: Manon Rhéaume, Hayley Wickenheiser, and Kendall Coyne. USA Hockey oversees American competitors in the Olympics and consists of hundreds of co-ed programs not restricted by gender. In 2019, USA Hockey created the policy that transgender individuals (men, women, and nonbinary individuals) can continue to compete in non-restricted co-ed programs. Players may compete in sex-segregated programs such as Men’s Hockey or Girls’ Competitive Hockey by providing documentation of at least one year of HRT or puberty blockers.

NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE Transgender players are openly allowed to compete within the National Lacrosse League, as noted by the NLL policy that inclusion is a core principle of the sport. Transgender athletes are allowed to compete in sex-segregated leagues that correspond with their gender identity, although specific leagues may have requirements for legal or medical documentation.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE As of 2021, transgender men and anyone assigned female at birth who has begun hormone replacement therapy are ineligible to compete in the National Women’s Soccer League. Transgender women and individuals assigned male at birth are allowed to compete within the NWSL under the 2015 IOC Transgender Policy guidelines.

PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the Pro Volleyball Federation, the leading professional volleyball league in the United States.

USA Volleyball oversees American competitors in the Olympics and updated their policy in 2021 to require all transgender competitors ages 13 and older to submit lab reports of their testosterone levels to be considered. If approved, transgender players are allowed to compete within their federation.

PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS’ ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Transgender athletes are allowed to compete in the Professional Golfers’ Association of America by submitting proof of their current gender status, such as an updated legal certificate or ID or medical reports on their hormone replacement therapy. However, leagues outside of the PGA (such as the NXXT) may have their own rules that limit transgender competitors.

US Golf Association still enforces the outdated 2003 IOC Stockholm Consensus that requires transgender competitors to submit proof of genital surgery to be considered eligible to play within the USGA.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE The Premier Hockey League or Professional Women’s Hockey League allows transgender competitors to play without any medical or legal documentation. Transgender women are eligible to play if they have been “living in their transgender identity for a minimum of two years,” transgender men are eligible if they are approved to use testosterone by the PWHL/PHL, and nonbinary individuals are eligible if they fall into either of the above categories assigned to transgender men and women.

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP The Ultimate Fighting Championship and its competitions allow transgender athletes to compete under the 2015 ICO Transgender Policy guidelines. Transgender fighters are subject to strict testosterone monitoring during competitions, along with other drug tests administered to all fighters in the UFC.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE ASSOCIATION There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the Ultimate Frisbee Association. Compared to other sports USA Ultimate has one of the most inclusive competitive sports policies and allows transgender players to self-attest their gender category to compete in the men’s, women’s, or mixed division.

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the Women’s National Basketball Association, permitting transgender athletes as long as they have the necessary skill. However, very few transgender athletes have made it to the WNBA – the only trans player thus far is Layshia Clarendon with the Indiana Fever.

This is in opposition to the policies of the NCAA and NAIA: The National Collegiate Athletics Association requires transgender players to submit medical documentation of suppressed testosterone levels throughout the season; the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes entirely bans transgender competitors who have begun medical transition in any capacity.

WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL FASTPITCH LEAGUE There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch League, especially since they are a relatively new league. However, they are expected to take the same policy approaches as used in volleyball.

WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION In 2022, the World Boxing Association installed its policy that transgender athletes must compete in separate divisions from cisgender men and women, utilizing a newly created transgender division. Due to this ruling, transgender fighters are banned from playing in cisgender divisions.

USA Boxing oversees American competitors in the Olympics and enforces the outdated 2003 IOC Stockholm Consensus that requires transgender competitors to submit proof of genital surgery to be considered eligible to play within USA Boxing.

WORLD KARATE FEDERATION There are no restrictions or policies that limit transgender competitors in the World Karate Federation. Instead, regulations are left to the discretion of individual tournaments and schools. As a general rule, transgender people are welcome to compete as long as they compete fairly as their gender identity.

USA Karate oversees American competitors in the Olympics and uses the 2015 IOC Transgender Policy regarding transgender competitors.

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INTERSEX

Intersex people are included in the same anti-discrimination protections as other LGBTQIA+ people. Intersex people are explicitly included under the US Department of Health and Human Services and Affordable Care Act, federally covering intersex identities within health and social services. Title IX of the Education Amendment also protects intersex people from discrimination and harassment in higher education.

There are no federal or state laws that prohibit non-consensual medical interventions/surgeries on intersex infants. In the United States, medical professionals reserve the right to perform “normalizing” genital surgeries on intersex infants – with or without the express consent and knowledge of the parents. Since 1996, the American Academy of Pediatrics has held the position that such surgeries and interventions are necessary for the benefit of intersex people.

The US Department of State will issue nonbinary or “X” passports for intersex and nonbinary individuals seeking to have their documents corrected. For additional information, review Gender Documents above.

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VOTING

You have the legal right to vote in United States federal, state, and local elections if:

You are a United States citizen.

Some areas allow non-citizens to vote in local elections, such as San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Burlington.

Citizens living abroad still have a right to vote in US elections, including citizens who were born abroad and have never lived in the US. Voter eligibility is determined by where you or your parents were last registered to vote within the United States.

You meet your state’s residency requirements.

Homeless individuals are still entitled to vote in the United States. Any mailing address complies with federal and state law to vote, including homeless shelters.

You are at least 18 years old on or before Election Day.

Nearly every state allows 17-year-olds to register in advance if they will be 18 by Election Day.

Some states allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries before their 18th birthday if they will be 18 by Election Day.

You are registered to vote by your state’s registration deadline. Each state has its own deadlines for early voting, absentee voting, and in-person voting.

You do not have the legal right to vote in the United States elections if:

You are not a United States citizen, regardless of whether you are a permanent legal resident. Some cities allow non-citizens to vote in local elections, but you must be a US citizen to vote in all state and federal elections.

You are a United States citizen but are residing in a US territory. Citizens in territories can vote in general elections but cannot vote for president.

Most (but not all) states prevent people currently incarcerated in jail or prison from voting. A select few states remove the right to vote permanently if you have a felony conviction.

Some states prevent people with disabilities from voting.

Federal law dictates that all first-time voters bring ID when voting, regardless of whether they registered by mail, online, or in-person. Each state has its own policies on whether additional identification is needed to cast your vote – even if it’s not your first time. Accepted forms of ID include driver’s licenses, state ID cards, passports, military IDs, college/school/work IDs, vehicle registration cards, leases, mortgages, house deeds, credit/debit cards, social security cards, Medicaid cards, Medicare cards, health care insurance cards, civic union and professional membership cards, utility and medical bills, school transcripts, bank statements, firearm registration cards, pay stubs, pension statements, and official mail from any government agency. Even if you do not have a form of ID, you may still be able to vote via a provisional ballot. You have the right to vote with a provisional ballot even if your name has a discrepancy or you are not in the poll book. US elections allow voters to cast their ballots either in person or by mail. The United States does not have any elections that are online. Your polling place is the physical location assigned to you based on your mailing address, where you will go to vote in federal, state, and local elections. To find your polling place, go to vote411.org. Eligibility to vote by mail or absentee voting is determined by state – mailed ballots must be postmarked or hand delivered to an election authority within two weeks of Election Day. As long as you are in line, you maintain the right to vote – even after the polls officially close. You also have the right to request a new ballot if you make a mistake and to understand your ballot in the language you are most familiar with. You have the right to be free from voter intimidation and coercion. Examples of voter intimidation include aggressive questions about your citizenship, criminal record, or qualifications to vote, false and misleading signs, and spreading false information about voting.

Know Your Rights: Legal Resources, Part 1/4

Looking for information about the law and your rights? Read up on what rights protect you - or skip to the end to find relevant court cases or resources.

Support the project by reblogging or visiting transsolidarityproject.wordpress.com. Updated last: 12/17/2024

Disclaimer: Most of these rights are centered on United States law. Please research your local laws and community organizations if you reside outside the US.

Glossary & Definitions

If there’s one thing people can agree on regarding the law, it’s that the legal system uses many confusing words with zero context for everyday people. Here are the top terms lawyers and legal experts want you to know.

PLAINTIFF: A person or group who initiates legal action by bringing up a lawsuit, claim, or complaint to court against someone else. Their job is to present their case, provide evidence, and seek some type of legal remedy – but they bear the “burden of proof,” which means they have to demonstrate that the defendant is responsible. Plaintiffs are in civil cases – court cases usually over money, injury, or personal rights between two groups. Criminal cases are led by government entities and use prosecutors instead of plaintiffs. In other words, anyone can be a plaintiff and go to civil court – only people representing the government such as “The United States of America” or “The State of Ohio” can lead criminal cases as prosecutors.

DEFENDANT: A person or group that a lawsuit has been filed against – someone else has filed legal action against you. In contrast to plaintiffs, defendants are in both civil and criminal cases and are given the task of defending themselves in court to undermine the plaintiff or prosecution’s allegations.

JURISDICTION: Whether or not a judge, court, or law has authority based on geographic location, subject matter, or the parties involved. GEOGRAPHIC JURISDICTION is based on the physical boundaries a law or court has power over. A court in Florida has the authority to pass judgment regarding a law in Florida, but they don’t have the authority to pass judgment on a case in Georgia. The legal system is separated into the federal (or national) level, state level, and local level – which is further separated into districts (also known as regions), counties, towns, and even neighborhoods. On the other end of the spectrum, cases involving international laws, wars, or countries themselves are judged in international court. Remember broad categories like international and national/federal refer to rights and laws that apply to everyone in the country, state rights and laws affect people who live in a specific state or territory, and local laws only apply in certain regions like cities or counties. SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION is based on the subject matter the court case is actually about. Not all courts are equal – even if they’re considered to be at the same level. There are specific courts for family law, tax law, criminal law, intellectual property law, etc. For example, family law courts can’t pass judgment over intellectual property cases and vice versa. PERSONAL JURISDICTION makes geographic jurisdiction more complicated. Personal jurisdiction applies to individuals when they break a law or commit some grievance – even if they’re physically outside of the geographic jurisdiction of that law. Prosecutors have to prove that they have a right to pursue personal jurisdiction cases that reside outside of their geographic boundaries. Within current events, personal jurisdiction is the most common force behind crimes and penalties put upon people seeking abortions or gender-affirming care across state lines. ORIGINAL/APPELLATE JURISDICTION is based on which courts get to pass judgment over a case first. Original jurisdiction refers to courts that have the authority to hear a case first, whereas appellate jurisdiction is reserved for courts that have the authority to review the decisions made by lower original courts. Appellate courts can reverse cases or require a re-trial if they believe something went wrong the first time, but they don’t judge cases on their own.

DUE PROCESS: The minimum legal requirements that legal systems have to provide to ensure fair and impartial decisions. In the United States, this means individuals do not lose their right to life, liberty, or property without a fair hearing – individuals must be given the opportunity to present evidence, confront witnesses, and have legal representation.

DISCOVERY: The process where parties involved in a lawsuit exchange information and evidence related to a case. Within the pre-trial phase of a lawsuit, both sides of a case are entitled to gather and review facts, documents, and testimonies for their argument. The discovery process is meant to ensure a fair and transparent case with the best chance for a negotiable outcome.

PRECEDENT: A legal decision that sets a standard for future similar cases. Precedents are most common within common law systems like the United States compared to civil law systems like the European Union. Courts are still allowed to make decisions different than previous cases, but they have to argue why they are choosing to rule differently – precedent is one of the foundations within our legal system meant to create consistency and predictability.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS: The time limit a legal claim or lawsuit must be filed to be considered valid. Claims have expiration dates, detailed by the subject matter, jurisdiction, and law – you have a set maximum time to file for alleged harm or risk your claim becoming lost. Statutes of limitations exist to provide certainty and finality to the law – as time passes, evidence is often lost and memories fade into less concise testimonies.

PRO BONO: Legal services that are provided for free or at a reduced rate to those in need. Pro bono work is most often performed by attorneys who want to provide aid to those who can’t traditionally afford it – like workers’ rights, immigration, civil rights, and criminal defense. It’s encouraged by most legal organizations and bar associations since it benefits the common good by allowing legal experts to give back to their communities.

And in case that wasn’t enough legal jargon for you, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts maintains an extended glossary of legal words on their website.

Everyone is born free and equal. Everyone is equal, regardless of race, color, language, religion, politics, or national origin. Everyone has the right to live in freedom and safety. Everyone has the right to be free from slavery. Everyone has the right to be free from torture. Everyone has the right to be recognized by the law. Everyone is considered equal before the law. Everyone has the right to a fair trial. Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Everyone has the right to seek justice. Everyone has the right to freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention, and exile. Everyone has the right to privacy and freedom from attacks on their reputation. Everyone has the right to movement. Everyone has the right to seek asylum. Everyone has the right to a nationality. Everyone has the right to marry and have a family, or not to. Everyone has the right to own property. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Everyone has the right to strike, as well as just and favorable conditions at work. Everyone has the right to equality between men and women. Everyone has the right to choose and accept work. Everyone has the right to be treated with humanity in detention. Everyone has the freedom from arbitrary expulsion, including non-citizens. Everyone has the freedom from child exploitation. Everyone has the right to public service and to take part in the government. Everyone has the right to social security. Everyone has the right to work, equal pay, protection from unemployment, and the right to unionize. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression and opinion. Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly and association. Everyone has the right to a decent standard of living, which includes food, clothing, housing, medical care and health, and social services. Everyone has the right to education. Everyone has the right to undertake scientific and creative research. Everyone has the right to culture, art, and science.

Even though the United States is a member of the United Nations, it’s only agreed and ratified FIVE human rights treaties: the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1994), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1994), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1992), Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2002), and Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography (2002). The United States has signed but not fully ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1977), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1980), Convention on the Rights of the Child (1995), and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2009) – and failed to sign many, many others. This is largely why the United States has a growing list of human rights violations according to the international courts.

Did you know you can file a human rights violation?

If you believe any of your international rights as listed above have been violated, you’re entitled to file a formal complaint with the United Nations – regardless of whether you’re just one person, an entire community, or an organization. Filing a complaint is the first step in creating documentation that wrongdoing is taking place – we live in a world filled with bureaucracy, and the United States is one of many countries that would ideally like to erase any history of its wrongdoing. Complaints filed apply if your country is simply a member of the United Nations, regardless of whether they’ve ratified or signed a human rights treaty. As of the time of this article, there are 201 countries around the world – and 193 of them fall under this status as members of the UN.

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Know Your Federal Rights

Federal laws apply throughout the entire United States, regardless of state or territory – or whichever country you’re living in. In addition to international rights, these laws and rights also apply – but there is no singular list since there are hundreds of laws passed each year. The following is a condensed version of rights guaranteed by the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Everyone has the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Everyone has the right to not house soldiers during times of peace. Everyone has the right to a fair trial among their peers in both criminal and civil court and cannot be penalized for the same crime twice. Everyone has the right to not be a witness against themselves under oath. Everyone has the right to a speedy and public trial with an impartial jury. Everyone has the right to confront witnesses against themselves in court. Everyone has the freedom from excessive bail and fines as well as cruel and unusual punishments. Everyone has the right to become the President of the United States, as long as they are native-born United States citizens. Everyone has the right to vote, as long as they are a United States citizen, regardless of race, color, gender, or class. Everyone has the right to bear firearms and form militias. Everyone has the right to property, home, and self and cannot be searched without a warrant or probable cause. Everyone has the right to not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without a fair trial. Everyone has freedom from property being taken for public use without fair compensation. Everyone has the right to be fully informed of alleged crimes held against them. Everyone has the right to legal representation and counsel, even if they cannot afford one. Everyone has the right to serve as a member of Congress, as long as they are United States citizens. Everyone has the freedom from slavery outside of criminal punishment.

Rights explicitly granted in the United States Constitution have the greatest authority: the Constitution is used to determine whether various laws, ordinances, and orders passed are legal. If a court believes a law goes against the Constitution, that law will be made void. However, amendments (or official revisions/additions) to the Constitution are difficult to make – they require a two-thirds majority vote in Congress and must be ratified by three-fourths of US states. The Constitution has the greatest amount of power, followed by court cases decided by the Supreme Court, then national laws passed in Congress, executive orders through the President’s administration, and finally state and local laws. Given the power of the Constitution, an Equal Rights Amendment has been proposed on and off since 1971 to cement many of the rights given (and taken away) by court cases like Roe v. Wade, Loving v. Virginia, Lawrence v. Texas, and Obergefell v. Hodges.

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Know Your Federal LGBTQIA+ Rights

SAME SEX ACTIVITY

Same-sex sexual activity has been federally decriminalized since 2003 when sodomy laws were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas. As a result, all anti-sodomy laws in the United States were rendered unenforceable regarding private, consensual settings. Additionally, sodomy laws were removed from the United States military in 2014 through the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Other relevant court cases include National Gay Task Force v. Board of Education and United States v. Marcum.

Disclaimer: Lawrence v. Texas was one of the named cases by the US Supreme Court to be revisited and possibly overturned after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In the event Lawrence v. Texas was overturned, any type of sex not meant for procreation or reproduction would automatically be criminalized in states and territories that did not repeal their sodomy laws before 2003. This includes Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, and Texas.

Although there are no federal laws protecting LGBTQIA+ people’s access to equal domestic and sexual violence programs, all US states have included clauses giving equal rights to those programs to unmarried individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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AGE OF CONSENT

The age of consent refers to the minimum age an individual must be to consent to sexual activity. Some age of consent laws depend on the exact age of those involved, while others depend on whether there is a difference in power and authority. Additional exceptions apply if someone is unable to give consent due to duress, substance use, illness, or developmental disability.

The federal age of consent is 18 – although the federal limitation rarely applies. The federal age is only used in cases where the sexual activity involved federal property, if state lines were crossed, or if the solicitation was online. Instead, the age of consent varies (typically between the ages of 16 to 18) based on state. More exemptions exist to state age of consent laws, such as Romeo and Juliet laws which place the age of consent as low as 13 in some states. The only state with an age of consent higher than 18 is the state of Washington, which has a general age of consent of 16 but an additional law barring sexual relationships between school teachers, administration, and other employees with students under the age of 21.

All US states have an equal age of consent for both heterosexual sex and queer sex, placing LGBTQIA+ people within the same laws and protections regarding statutory rape. This is not necessarily the case elsewhere in the world – in 2019, the age of consent for cisgender heterosexual teenagers in Chile was 14 while the age of consent for LGBTQIA+ teenagers was 18.

Lastly, there are several federal laws that regulate the distribution of sexual materials. The Communications Decency Act of 1996 bans the electronic access of obscene material to anyone under the age of 18, whereas Title 18 United States Code Section 1470 outlaws material through the US mail system, interstate, or foreign commerce to those under 16. These laws and restrictions also penalize minors, who can be charged for sexting other minors or possessing sexual material of themselves.

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PERFORMANCE

There are currently no federal bans or restrictions on drag performance – throughout most of the United States, drag performance is regulated the same as other non-sexual dance and performance arts with specific limitations for when (and if) a drag performance is sexual. At the time of this article, six states have enacted laws to potentially restrict drag performances. - Arkansas = SB 43 (2023) purposely uses language to potentially restrict drag performance as an “adult” or “sexual” business but does not explicitly ban drag. Florida = SB 1438 (2023) purposely uses language to potentially restrict drag performance as an “adult” or “sexual” business. However, SB 1438 has been blocked by federal court since June 2023 as unconstitutional HM Florida-Orlando v. Florida) – but Florida plans to override and appeal this ruling. Montana = HB 359 (2023) explicitly restricts drag performance and is used in conjunction with HB 234 (2023) to also restrict other LGBTQIA+ content via obscenity law. However, HB 359 has been blocked by federal court since July 2023 as unconstitutional (Imperial Sovereign Court et al v. Knudsen). North Dakota = HB 1333 (2023) purposely uses language to potentially restrict drag performance as an “adult” or “sexual” business. Tennessee = SB 3 (2023) and HB 9 (2023) explicitly restricts drag performance. However, SB 3 and HB 9 have been unenforceable since a federal court order in March 2023 and ruling in June 2023 as unconstitutional (Friends of George’s Inc. v. Mulroy) – but Tennessee may still choose to override and appeal this ruling. Texas = SB 12 (2023) purposely uses language to potentially restrict drag performance as an “adult” or “sexual” business. However, SB 12 has been blocked through federal court rulings in August 2023 and September 23 as unconstitutional (Woodlands Pride et al v. Colmenero et al, Vortex Repertory Co. et al v. Colmenero et al) – but Texas may still choose to override and appeal this ruling.

Most material in the United States is evaluated by the “Miller test” from Miller v. California, Smith v. United States (1977) and Pope v. Illinois (1987). Courts use the Miller test to determine whether a material is legally permissible in the United States if

The average person would find the material erotic, lascivious, abnormal, unhealthy, degrading, shameful, or morbid using contemporary adult community standards,

The average person would find the material offensive using contemporary adult community standards,

AND the average person would find the material has zero serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Material (sexual or otherwise) can only be banned in the United States if it fulfills all three components of the Miller test – although material can be restricted to ensure it cannot be accessed by minors. Other major rights and court cases related to drag bans and performance censorship include One, Inc. v. Olesen and Manual Enterprises, Inc. v. Day, which use the Miller test to permit adult LGBTQIA+ material in the United States.

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QUEER MARRIAGE

Same-sex, queer, or gay marriage has been federally legalized in the United States since 2015 through the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. All states must issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples in the same matter heterosexual couples are issued licenses. Additional court cases on marriage equality include In re Guardianship of Sharon Kowalski, Baehr v. Miike, Baker v. Vermont, Hollingsworth v. Perry, United States v. Windsor, V.L. v. E.L., and Ely v. Saul.

In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, giving additional protection to same-sex and interracial marriage in the event that Obergefell v. Hodges or Loving v. Virginia is overturned in the same manner as Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. It also repealed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which barred same-sex couples from receiving the same marriage benefits heterosexual couples received such as Social Security and tax benefits. However, the majority of states (31 in total) have statutory or constitutional bans on same-sex marriage if the protections of the Respect for Marriage Act and Obergefell v. Hodges were lost. Although there are no federal laws protecting LGBTQIA+ people’s access to equal domestic and sexual violence programs, all US states have included clauses giving equal rights to those programs to unmarried individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Further, the Violence Against Women Act supports all survivors of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. VAWA grants access to various violence programs, such as crisis centers, legal aid, education, support groups, hotlines, counseling, housing, etc. VAWA agencies cannot discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people, just as they cannot discriminate against race, national origin, religion, or disability.

VAWA agencies are open to all men, women, and nonbinary people affected by sexual and domestic violence. Another client complaining about being around a transgender person does not give the program an excuse to discriminate – alternative accommodations can be made, but cannot limit services based on a “heckler’s veto.”

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FAMILY

Through the ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges and the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, married same-sex couples have the same benefits and rights granted to heterosexual married couples. Since adoption laws vary drastically by state, there are many different paths available for couples seeking to pursue a family – such as second-parent or co-adoption, stepparent adoption, assisted reproduction, functional parent doctrines, and voluntary acknowledgment of parentage. The only form of adoption and custody protected at the federal level is marital presumption, where a person is assumed as a parent of a child not by biological relationship but because they are married to the biological or legal parent. Relevant cases related to LGBTQIA+ adoption and family issues include Finstuen v. Edmondson, Benitez v. North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group, United States v. Windsor, V.L. v. E.L., Pavan v. Smith, Mize-Gregg v. Pompeo, Kiviti v. Pompeo, Ely v. Saul, and Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. If you think your rights have been violated, get in touch with your ACLU state office.

The type and amount of information an adoptive family receives from the birth family is regulated at the state level, as are putative father registry laws. The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 sets federal minimum requirements on adoption procedures, while the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1994 federally prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin and the Indian Child Welfare Act ensures tribal rights and involvement in Native American adoptions. Despite not being a federal law, the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children is a statutory agreement between all US states regarding the transfer and placement of children between states, and all US states have safe haven laws to protect birthmothers the ability to legally and confidentially relinquish newborns in designated locations.

Nondiscrimination in adoption services based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not protected by the federal government – and while same-sex couples are permitted to adopt in all US states, each state has its own rules regarding discrimination and who is qualified to adopt a child. The majority of adoption agencies deem couples eligible based on their personal standards of what is in the best interest of the child, although Fulton v. City of Philadelphia establishes legal protection against anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination in government-sanctioned foster care agencies.

Biological children of US citizens are automatically given United States citizenship, regardless of whether their own citizenship is through birthright or naturalization. This does not necessarily apply to children born abroad from naturalized citizens, although this is currently protected through the court decisions in Mize-Gregg v. Pompeo and Kiviti v. Pompeo.

Transgender individuals are not automatically covered by the same protections as same-sex couples. There are no federal laws that protect custody rights or discrimination in child-related custody. Custody is determined by family law based on the “fitness” of each parent to raise a child during separation, which varies based on the local court deciding over the case. While a parent being transgender has not been shown to cause any harm to a child or their upbringing, transgender status is often discriminated against in court based on “mental or social harm” to the child to take away custody and visitation rights.

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CENSORSHIP

There are no federal restrictions that censor LGBTQIA+ topics, issues, or identities, also known as “Don’t Say Gay” laws. The First Amendment Right to Freedom of Speech grants protection at all levels, including public, private, and professional.

The recent spike of anti-LGBTQIA+ curriculum laws has created censorship within public schools in certain states such as Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Montana, Arizona, Arkansas, and Tennessee do not fully censor LGBTQIA+ topics in school but instead require parental notification for an opt-out program of instruction. These laws are largely based on repealed Section 28 of the British Local Government Act 1988 which prohibited material and figures in the government from “intentionally promoting” LGBTQIA+ identities and topics. As of the time of this article, all LGBTQIA+ censorship laws related to minors and education, such as the above “Don’t Say Gay” laws and book bans target schools and libraries that interact with young people. These censorship laws have not gone to federal court, but their legality varies on the court’s distinction between educators’ right to free speech and develop curriculum versus states’ right to mandate censorship.

The majority of anti-LGBTQIA+ censorship not related to education in the United States is done privately by corporations rather than legislation out of fear of losing business contacts in countries with LGBTQIA+ censorship laws in place, such as China and Russia. The Hays Code, or Motion Picture Production Code, was the main censorship guideline that prevented LGBTQIA+ portrayals in media - however, the Hays Code was not official legislation, but rather guidelines followed by the film industry as a whole until the Hays Code was abandoned in 1968.

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EDUCATION

Within United States public schools, LGBTQIA+ students have the federal right to speak openly about their gender identity and sexual orientation under the First Amendment Freedom of Speech and Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). Additionally, LGBTQIA+ students have the federal right to form queer student-led organizations like GSAs (Gay-Straight or Gender-Sexuality Alliances) in public schools that facilitate extracurricular activities via the Equal Access Act of 1984 and Colín v. Orange Unified School District (2000) - all students and student organizations must have the same access and opportunities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliation. These rights are maintained even in states like Florida, Indiana, and North Carolina where "Don't Say Gay" laws are in place - while some states are regulating the ability of school staff to discuss LGBTQIA+ issues with students, students have the well-established right to express themselves. The majority of legal issues involving students should be directed at GLSEN, Lambda Legal, or the ACLU.

In a similar vein, public schools that allow students to wear clothing with written messages or graphics (ex. T-shirts, buttons, hats) must not discriminate based on the message unless it can prove the message is verbally abusive, promotes illegal drug use, is especially lewd or profane, or will cause genuine and substantial disruption to teaching. As supported by the 2012 decision in Couch v. Wayne Local School District, schools are not allowed to censor or ban students' materials because they include an LGBTQIA+ theme unless they ban all clothing and materials that contain messages entirely.

The federal courts have set a high bar for what schools are allowed to censor as "disruptive," and the burden of proof falls on the school to prove. While LGBTQIA+ topics might be controversial, Hatcher v. DeSoto County Board of Education (2013) proved controversial topics are not disruptive enough to warrant censorship. The threats and harassment by other students, parents, or teachers also do not qualify for the federal standard for censorship within public schools and schools are not allowed to veto a student-led LGBTQIA+ organization on that basis, as determined by Nabozny v. Podlesny (1996), Flores v. Morgan Hill Unified School District (2003), and Romer v. Evans (1996). Instead, these court decisions set the federal regulation that public schools are required to intervene and take disciplinary action against the harasser since "there is no constitutional right to be a bully" and there is no "heckler's veto" regarding the law. Like non-LGBTQIA+ students, queer students have the same right to report harassment and bullying as well as for their schools to intervene on their behalf.

United States public schools are not legally allowed to enforce gender-based dress codes based on biological or assumed sex - while schools are allowed to require dress codes, public schools are required by federal law to allow students to choose any of the dress options available despite associated gender roles through Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. File a Title IX violation here.

LGBTQIA+ students hold the same rights to attend school functions (such as school dances, field trips, athletic games, etc.) as their cisgender heterosexual counterparts, per the federal case Fricke v. Lynch (1980) through the understanding of same-sex relationships as a type of free speech. As mentioned above, schools are additionally required to intervene in the event of harassment by other students, parents, or teachers - abusive, violent, and intolerant speech is not covered within the free speech given to public schools, and schools have the responsibility to intervene. Further, public schools are barred from punishing LGBTQIA+ students and relationships more heavily than cisgender heterosexual ones on behaviors such as public displays of affection.

"To rule otherwise [in Fricke v. Lynch] would completely subvert free speech in the schools by granting other students a 'heckler's veto,' allowing them to decide through prohibited and violent methods what speech will be heard. The first amendment does not tolerate mob rule by unruly school children... the school does have an obligation to take reasonable measures to protect and foster free speech, not to stand helpless before unauthorized student violence." - "Fricke v. Lynch, 491 F. Supp. 381," by Chief Judge Pettine

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act requires public schools to keep personal identifying information about students private - including sexual orientation and gender identity. School staff are not allowed to share students' medical histories or information with other students, teachers, parents, etc., and doing so is seen as putting the student in potential danger and outing them. However, parents and legal guardians have the additional right to access and view school records of their minors until the end of high school - which is why some US states have enacted laws requiring school staff to out LGBTQIA+ students to their parents or guardians, even if they are not legally allowed to share that information elsewhere.

It is up to each state's discretion whether to require school staff to use chosen names and pronouns of transgender and nonbinary students, or ban such use and require staff to use legal names and pronouns as correlated based on their sex assigned at birth. There are no federal laws or court cases that protect transgender students in this way, although there may be executive orders depending on the presidential administration. Legal names and medical information only have to be used on a select few documents and are not required for the vast majority of items. While it is best practice to use the chosen name, title, and pronouns on transgender students' paperwork, emails, uniforms, and other identifying information, the United States currently has no binding requirements to mandate their use on the federal level. While most consider purposely misgendering or deadnaming transgender students as harassment and discrimination, this has not been specifically coded into any laws or federal cases. Most public schools use outdated systems that make updating student information to reflect chosen identities difficult, but a task being complicated does not warrant denying a student's rights.

While many states have explicit laws regarding bullying and harassment of LGBTQIA+ students, all American public school students are protected from bullying on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity through Fricke v. Lynch, Nabozny v. Podlesny, Colín v. Orange Unified School District, Henkle v. Gregory, and Flores v. Morgan Hill Unified School District. Public schools have a legal duty to intervene when witnessing any form of bullying, harassment, and other forms of discrimination – including anti-LGBTQIA+ bullying. Failure to do so has been well-established as negligence to student safety, regardless of whether the harassment occurred during school hours, on a field trip, the bus ride from school, afterschool functions, or official online spaces.

Transgender students have the right to use the restroom at school that best aligns with their chosen gender identity, and cannot be forced to use the restroom based on their sex assigned at birth – the federal case Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District established this right for both gender-segregated restrooms and locker rooms. Additionally, transgender students are protected under the Equal Access Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Despite this, several states have banned transgender people from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity in school spaces, including K-12 schools, colleges, and government buildings – although these bans have not been judged for their constitutionality in the Supreme Court. Additionally, each state has varying laws on whether transgender students must “prove” their ability to use the restroom or locker room of their choice – which may include medical diagnoses or transition-related care. Gender-affirming medical care such as hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers are not legal in all US states and are the primary focus of the 2025 Supreme Court case United States v. Skrmetti. Under the Equal Access Act, all gender-neutral restrooms must be of the same standard as gender-segregated restrooms – best practices guide schools include allowing transgender and nonbinary students to choose to use gender-neutral restrooms rather than requiring them, although this is not encoded into any laws or court cases.

As mentioned under Censorship, some states have laws that outlaw LGBTQIA+ topics within public schools – also known as “Don’t Say Gay” or “No Promo Homo” laws. While most of these laws have tried to ban LGBTQIA+ educators and Gay-Straight/Gender-Sexuality Alliances, they have only been able to restrict LGBTQIA+ topics from being officially discussed in class – sexual orientation and gender identity are protected within Employment below and GSAs are covered within students’ right to free speech and assembly. Other states, such as Illinois, have curriculum mandates that require public schools to teach inclusive history and sex education in public schools at the same time “Don’t Say Gay” states increasingly ban books that contain LGBTQIA+ themes, characters or color, or other controversial topics. While these laws have not been taken to the Supreme Court, LGBTQIA+ students should have the right to inclusive education and materials under the Equal Access Act, since LGBTQIA+ resources and online materials like campuspride.org, glsen.org, or gsanetwork.org should not be banned on school internet or devices unless non-LGBTQIA+ resources are similarly regulated.

--

EMPLOYMENT

After the Supreme Court decisions in 2020 over Bostock v. Clayton County, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Altitude Express, Inc. v. Zarda, and Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College, sexual orientation and gender identity became protected classes from employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This protects LGBTQIA+ people from discrimination during hiring, firing, promotions, training, work assignments, pay, benefits, discipline, and other terms of employment regardless of employer type (ex. private, public, government, etc.) as long as the employer has at least 15 employees. File a Title VII violation here.

Due to the decision in Bostock, sex-based harassment under the Civil Rights Act includes anti-transgender remarks, jokes, and derogatory comments. Invasive personal questions as well as repeated and/or intentional use of the wrong name and pronouns also fall under the federal protections of the Civil Rights Act. Employers are not allowed to disclose your LGBTQIA+ status without your consent, and cannot prevent you from being out.

While the United States does not have any federal protections or legislation for LGBTQIA+ people beyond those Supreme Court cases, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission currently bans sex-related discrimination related to sexual orientation or gender identity – however, like all federal agencies, this policy can be revoked relatively easily depending on the presidential administration similar to the number of executive orders currently protecting LGBTQIA+ employment.

[torque-witch]

It seems the right-wingers still exist on this side of Tumblr so let’s clear the air, shall we?

ACAB. Landlords steal and hoard resources from the working class. BLM. Abortion is health care. Trans rights. LGBTQIA+ rights. Medicine is good for you. Vaccines don’t cause autism. Covid is a real virus. New vaccines do not cause alarming rates of injury. Presidents are not meant to be worshipped. Gun control is just as good as gun safety and ownership. Capitalism exploits your labor value to create billionaires instead of paying you what your worth. Unions are good for the working class. You are one accident or illness away from becoming disabled so maybe listen and pay attention. Eugenics are a bad take. Mental illness is real and not a symptom of not being Christian. Taking medicine for your mental or physical illnesses doesn’t make you less of a witch or spiritual person. Spirituality and science can coexist.

[mirrorofprinces]

Hi! So i've been made aware of the latest polemic and i don't really wanna get involved, but I have a question. I read one of the infamous “het fics” (i am talking about the one where kinn it's a woman and she kinda? discovers that she is bi) and, well, i didn't find anything wrong with it. So I wanted to ask what was your opinion about this this or why do you think this is wrong. Again i don't wanna stir any shit, so feel very free to ignore me if you don't want to talk about this anymore.

cw for sexual assault mention.

this is all i'm going to say about this specific issue, and i'm not going to elaborate any further because there are a wealth of resources at your fingertips you can access for a better understanding, and other lesbians who are more prepared to exert the emotional labour of education.

as a lesbian, i am personally so fucking done with the "lesbian gets turned bi or straight" shit. this is not just a fun little trope when it has a very real and traumatic, violent history to it that exists outside of media and fanworks. on the lighter end of it, people (especially men) fetishize and hypersexualize lesbianism to the point where they don't take lesbians seriously and view our sexuality as a joke or as a performance for men, and on the heavier end of it, that shit leads to harassment and corrective rape. lesbians make up such a minuscule percentage of the LGBTQIA+ community as it is, yet we are constant targets.

to speak specifically about kinn, we need to remember kinn is not bi. kinn is homosexual. why go through the extended effort to erase the homosexual lead when there is already another lead character in the same show, that canon presents to us as being 5000% closer to the definition of bisexual? why can't gay people be allowed to be gay? the only other time i have ever seen a canonically gay ship turned straight was by a weird christian fic writer. so if that doesn't alarm you, i don't know what to tell you.

i feel like i'm constantly repeating myself at this point, but i'll say it again: everyone is free to write whatever they want, but no one is free from criticism about it.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

You've likely heard of the concept that if we destroyed all the sciences (like wide spread book burning, or something like that), and then gave ppl enough time they'd eventually rediscover all those science things we lost. Because science more or less gives (or tries to give) names, definitions, verbiage, etc to observable phenomenon. And so even if you destroy what we've written or learned about the phenomenon, the phenomenon itself still exists and can be observed again. Yeah? The tie into religion here is that if the religion books were destroyed then given enough time wholly different religions would emerge.

So I l've been thinking of this concept while looking at LGBTQIA type issues. In that information about this community has not always been nor is it currently widely accepted in all areas and yet ppl still come to hold these identities. Which is not to say all our current understanding or terminology is 100% accurate. However the phenomenon of these general identities continues to appear over and over despite efforts made to exclude or be rid of them. So couldnt we say the various LGBTQIA identities are more or less facts of our shared reality. Though we may not fully understand it as we are now? Like how some ppl might limit the genders to xx and xy but we know other combinations can exist? Or like how theres multiple different ways a species can be separated or lump from or with other species based off a bunch of different criteria. As the 'can they produce viable offspring?' criteria would not be able to account for organisms that reproduce asexually. And so theres apparently a bunch of different ways we've tried to determine where the line between species actually is. Also there are animals that change their gender. Or like how theres been documented cases (the number I most recently saw was 'over 1500' cases) of animals having same sex pairings. But also connecting it back to religion can't we also attribute these harsh views of non-heterosexual sexual identities to the influence of religion. In how religions used/s and enforced/s strict gender roles to hold power over people. Like how religion, at least the christians weren't incentivised to break up the patriarchy as when the man of the house was the only one that could vote or own property, etc then those religious leaders only had to convince the man in order to convert the whole family from pagan to christian. Which is apparently a tactic they used and had success with. The mere existence of ppl that exist outside of the rigid binary of man and woman seems, to me, to be so unwelcomed by at least the christians because it challenges core values they used to spread their influence. (Ppl outside rigid man woman binary being anything from a person who has surgeries to transition, to cisgender ppl who participate in activities, fashion, etc that is not typical for their gender [which also varies from place to place and time to time... lol I heard gardening and fashion use to be viewed more exclusively as men hobbies... but that doesnt seem to be true anymore]

Does that sound about right? Other angles or perspectives on this? Resources? Thoughts?

I believe it was Penn Jillette:

"If every trace of any single religion were wiped out and nothing were passed on, it would never be created exactly that way again. There might be some other nonsense in its place, but not that exact nonsense.

If all of science were wiped out, it would still be true, and someone would find a way to figure it all out again."

-- Penn Jillette

I've seen different versions of this concept, including acknowledgement that the language and symbols would be different, but it's the same principle. Science describes observed reality, rather than simply declaring it from "faith."

So couldnt we say the various LGBTQIA identities are more or less facts of our shared reality.

Not necessarily. The current mania over sex and gender and identity is a parochial one in very privileged countries, emerging as a result of postmodern philosophy. People outside these bored communities don't think this way. And people within first world communities who don't have endless time on their hands and nothing better to do aren't studying it. People who work for a living, have practical, pragmatic concerns aren't engaged in this kind of luxury belief.

Homosexuality is observed in the animal kingdom. Intersex conditions exist as variations in sexual development, yet still result in male and female because sex differentiation is binary and mutually antagonistic. They sometimes require specific care and understanding.

Gender Identity Disorder is a real disorder, long documented - almost exclusively occurring in males, emerges early in life, and almost always self-resolved by adolescence, with only a minority involving any further intervention, such as transition. We need to be understanding and compassionate about this real, tangible and diagnosable condition.

--

What's going around at the moment - Late Onset Gender Identity Disorder - is political and psychological, not biological or scientific, spreading as a form of social contagion. We saw the same epidemiology with Tourette's Syndrome. It's not a naturally occurring phenomenon, because nature doesn't just change its mind and clear up.

It pretends to represent the trans community, but doesn't. Any more than BLM or Critical Race Theorists represent black people. It's more accurately known as Queer Theory. it has little, if anything to do with transgender individuals, particularly since it denies the reality of biological sex, as you just did, which erases the entire biological reality of those who are actually trans.

Instead it has smuggled itself in, set up camp and claims it's now part of the thing, and calls you "transphobic" if you don't accept what it's doing, holding trans people up as a human shield, the way the accusation of "Islamophobia" holds Muslims up as a human shield to deflect critique and criticism.

The reason people think they're not male or female is because of Queer Theorists, who are actively working to "queer" the world. This isn't even my terminology or something I've made up; it's their word. You can go and read the literature, such as Judith Butler.

Through the 80s and 90s, society was tearing down stereotypes. You can be a boy or a girl and like trucks or dolls or blue or pink or whatever. Doesn't matter. Doesn't change that you're a boy or a girl. Butch girl? Still a girl. Femme boy? Still a boy. Because there's no one way to be a boy or girl.

Queer Theory came along and brought back the old stereotypes, inventing wholesale what we have here today. Only now it's not "boys wear blue, girls wear pink," it's "people who wear blue are boys, people who wear pink are girls."

Your assertion, essentially, that things like separation of sex and gender, and recognitions of concepts such as "identify as" are now socially pervasive is not even true. It's part of a specific, coherent but minority ideology, one that most people don't share or subscribe to. I don't "identify as" my sex or my gender. I just am what I am.

These terms and definitions are not ones most people subscribe to, and increasingly are objecting to being forced into having them applied to them. Like calling people "cis." That's your word for your ideology. Like when Xians call me a “sinner.” I’m not a “sinner,” that’s your mythology.

If you ask a woman what makes her a woman, she'll tell you that it's because she's female. She doesn't identify as a woman, she just is one. Woman is what she is, not who she is.

If you ask a man what makes him a man, he'll tell you that it's because he's male. He doesn't identify as a men, he just is one. Man is what he is, not who he is.

The average person doesn't separate their sex and their gender, and their identity is more than mere labels.

But that's not good enough, is it? You keep calling people "cis" and keep calling women "birthing people" even though they've asked you to stop, because they don't subscribe to your ideology.

And to this day, nobody has been able to coherently explain how you can know what "woman identity" or "man identity" means when every woman and man is different, thinks differently, feels differently.

How you can confidently claim that you can know what you feel about yourself is anything more than simply what you feel about yourself. That you can claim to know what you feel about yourself corresponds to how an entire other category feels about themselves. As if they're a hivemind monolith.

For that matter, if “woman” and “man” so thoroughly defy definition as we’re constantly told, and a SCOTUS appointee capitulated, how can anyone claim to “identify” as one? This is like Xians insisting their god is both inscrutable and good.

Outside of recognized disorders, the reason people think they're other than they are is because they've convinced of narrow, cartoonish stereotypes of male and female forwarded by Queer Theorists. They put back the same stereotypes that society was tearing down. If you like pink, you're a girl. If you like blue, you're a boy. I hear all the time from those involved in gender ideology "breaking down stereotypes," and yet they're the ones propping them up.

I read a thread the other day where a teacher was concerned that a girl was wearing hoodies and was loud. Well, she's acting mannish, so she's probably experiencing gender identity issues.

Go read it yourself, it's actually a disturbing read: https://archive.ph/tTqn6

Hey. I need some advice ASAPI'm a AMAB transfemme arts teacher in the bay area. I've noticed that one of my students is gender non-conforming. They often wear hoodies, or other clothes society says is for men, and acts very mannish and loud, like the male students. I want to talk to them and maybe see if i can help them? I can try and set up an appointment with our school counciler but im afraid it might just send them straight to a trans medicalist and they wont get the help they need :/ any advice?

Or, you know, she's a normal human being and who the fuck is this teacher to tell her otherwise? Girls can't wear hoodies?

This activism only works because Queer Theory limits the expression and appearance of what a "true" girl is.

As one respendent said:

Serious question, why are the people who rail against the gender binary so quick to enforce the gender binary? Wearing a hoodie and acting 'mannish,' must be a man because there can never be a nuanced gamut of gender expression!

Stop trying to create categories to limit and define people.

"What labels me, negates me."

-- Søren Kierkegaard

Male and female exist because they are useful and necessary in differentiating biological needs, and because sex-associated gendered behaviors are real phenomena, resulting in - on average - different choices, preferences and priorities, and thus outcomes in society. We need to understand these - we even study ourselves through other species that exhibit them too because we're related through common evolutionary descent - but not limit people by them.

Homosexuality's usefulness as a category has diminished significantly since, well, few people care any more. Like atheist, it should really disappear. Only those who subscribe to Queer Theory and gender ideology "identify" as gay any more than people "identify" as straight. They just are, because of who they're sexually attracted to. Gay is what they are, not who they are.

The entire point of the gay rights movement wasn't to actually create "gay rights," it was to make existing rights universal, to take away the narrow categorization. The point of visibility was to show that the narrow categorization and stereotyping of gay people was fallacious and bigoted.

Lesbians, like straight women, are just women, who span the gamut of different interests, behaviors and preferences. Gay men, like straight men, are just men, and have a range of different tendencies, hobbies and quirks.

You like girls instead of guys, or guys instead of girls? No worries. I don't care. I don't identify you through your "homosexual" category. Its what you are, and doesn't define who you are.

Honestly, this feels like a parallel universe. You can watch 80s and 90s sitcoms on streaming, where one of the main characters finds out a guest character is gay and stumbles over themselves, acts all weird, and the lesson of the episode is that narrowly defining people through categories is idiotic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO96wcBgIOw&t=3m43s

Homer: Hey, we owe this guy. And I don't want you calling him a sissy. This guy's a fruit. And a- No. Wait, wait, wait. queer. queer. queer! That's what you like to be called, right?

John: Well, that or John.

It's only started to become more relevant recently because Queer Theory's recapitulation of stereotypes is going after lesbians to convince them they're straight boys, and gay boys to convince them they should be straight girls.

https://archive.ph/zy6PA

It feels like conversion therapy for gay children, say clinicians

So many potentially gay children were being sent down the pathway to change gender, two of the clinicians said there was a dark joke among staff that “there would be no gay people left”.

That is, like fundamentalist Xianity, this ideology is homophobic and advocates for conversion therapy. Make 'em straight. By the way, Iran has the same policy. Better trans and straight than gay.

What is the point of trying to convince a girl she's a boy, other than to fulfil a theological demand? Let her be a tomboy. Maybe she'll grow out of it, maybe she won't. Maybe she's a lesbian, maybe she's not. Maybe she's just wearing a damn hoodie.

Have you ever seen pictures of the grunge trend from the 90s? Everyone wore flannel, denim and boots. Imagine Queer Theory going after girls during this period. During the 80s, everyone wore bright colors and spent inordinate amounts of time obsessively putting inordinate amounts of petroleum products in their hair. Imagine Queer Theory going after boys during this period.

Now, it's all that matters. And if you don't agree that every category constructed around every trivial personality trait is a real identity, then you're some kind of bigot.

It's anti-humanity.

You can actually go and read the stories of people who have been caught up in this contagion, and hear how they believed it because they were told it, not because they discovered it. Helena is an excellent spokeswoman for being swept up in an ideology that almost caused irreversible damage to her, and has ravaged others. That's more consistent with the religion arm of Jillette's proposal than the scientific arm. Nobody believes in Jesus without being told about Jesus.

Also there are animals that change their gender.

No, they change their sex. They're not caught up in the existential drama humans have made for themselves.

https://twitter.com/FondOfBeetles/status/1133123941113978881

Asparagus. No sense of sexed self and no plausible mechanism for social construction of gender. How to recognise the female: she makes large gametes.

They're biologically organized around that capability. We know the biological triggers and mechanisms that cause this phenomenon. They don't "identify" as anything or care about gender. And this has nothing to do with anything.

https://twitter.com/FondOfBeetles/status/1133120326844506112

Clownfish. Sequential hermaphrodites. How to recognise the female: she makes large gametes.

Humans are not sequential hermaphrodites, just like we're not sex-determined by ZW/ZZ chromosomes, and don't breathe underwater.

There are also animals that go into cocoons and emerge being able to fly. What's even your point here? This says nothing about humans as a species.

This is why this is referred to as an ideology. It is not based on science or reality. Relating a biological trait of a species like clownfish to human identity is, quite frankly, deranged.

The mere existence of ppl that exist outside of the rigid binary of man and woman

There is only male and female. There is no other sex category. The only reason people keep "identifying" as outside this "rigid binary" is because Queer Theory re-erected that rigid barrier in the first place to convince men and women that they're not men and women.

If you narrowly define "human" as people who have never been sad, then nobody will relate to being "human" because you defined it that way. Not because they aren't, but because you tricked them through language games.

Like this:

(Ppl outside rigid man woman binary being anything from a person who has surgeries to transition, to cisgender ppl who participate in activities, fashion, etc that is not typical for their gender [which also varies from place to place and time to time... lol I heard gardening and fashion use to be viewed more exclusively as men hobbies... but that doesnt seem to be true anymore]

This is precisely what I mean. This only makes sense when you think you get to define "typical for their gender." And do so narrowly.

And as you demonstrated, the definition of "trans" has "crept" in order to allow people to claim it for themselves or apply it to others. It's no longer just those with Gender Identity Disorder, but those who don't conform to Queer Theory-defined and imposed standards of gender behavior and appearance.

Which is everyone.

This is actually the deliberate, stated intent of Queer Theory - to dismantle 'man' and 'woman', 'male' and 'female'.

I've been waiting for a chance to use this meme.

I'm so glad you said that because people think I'm crazy for saying it's nothing but narrow stereotypes, and that if you ignore those stereotypes, as we were well on track to do until Queer Theory came along, it dissolves before your eyes. But you offered it up right there.

Stop defining for people what it means to be what they are. And telling them they're something else for not measuring up to an unattainable standard.

We hear all the time about unattainable body standards for both woman and men. And yet, here we are. Same thing, only it's about behaviors and preferences.

Queer Theory might be the most sexist ideology of them all. Even worse than Xianity itself. Xianity treats women badly and doesn't do a lot for men either, but at least it doesn't deliberately go about manipulating people into wondering if they are what they think they are.

Stop telling kids they're broken and wrong the way they are, and need you to convert them, to provide salvation and save them in a born again form. It's predatory when Xians do it to people who are in adversity, and it's predatory when ideologues do it to kids who are going through the already difficult turbulence of adolescence.

Gender Identity Disorder is a real thing. It's rare. It needs attending to by trained medical specialists to provide care and support. It doesn't need politically-captivated ideologues from the Humanities - seriously, how did Literature majors become the most culturally influential people - telling everyone they have it like Oprah giving out cars.

==

In summary, this is some of the most fanatical religious ramblings I've ever been sent, comparable to the best of Ray Comfort. The one that puts dinosaurs on a boat with humans. I'm so glad you sent it, because people don't believe that there are activists out there that are trying to action this mentality.

Now I have Exhibit A.

Reject Queer Theory and just be yourself.

[the-genderdefying-ace]

I am in the process of reading several articles from queertheology and so far so good! I love this article from hoperemains about transgender people (here’s another one) and this article on thegreatgaydebate (it presents both sides of the argument “is being gay a sin?” based on Jesus thoughts and actions). This collection is another non-biased source about the debate but largely based on Old Testament verses. Below are my personal thoughts and beliefs.

I grew up in a church that shuffled around the topic of homosexuality. It’s like if we didn’t talk about gay people, then they didn’t exist. There were implications that “that sort of thing” was not good or God-ordained even though it was never explicitly called a sin. I didn’t know how to feel so I took the same approach. I didn’t talk about it and honestly tried not to think about it. As long as I wasn’t gay, I was good.

Then I became friends with a group of lesbians, bisexuals, and pansexuals. In case you’re wondering, I didn’t do it on purpose. I thought they were straight until I talked with them and saw them making out at a mutual friend’s sleepover. Imagine my surprise 😅 turns out, not only were they not straight, but I was the only straight person at that party (double surprise: I’m not completely straight either, but I didn’t realize at the time 😂). My point is, I had little to no exposure to anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community prior to this moment (summer after 9th grade). I was 15.

I was 15 the first time I had heard of the term “pan”. I thought there was just gay, lesbian, and bi (and I didn’t even really understand bi at the time). I didn’t know about asexuality until I was 18-20 and I’m an ace! Like, how could I not know that? Simple. I didn’t know there was a term for it. That’s why I now take representation and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community so seriously. How many others still don’t know?

Based on the above articles, I believe it is not a sin to be gay. I think many of the Old Testament verses thought to be about homosexuality were taken out of context and even if they weren’t, Jesus himself says nothing on the subject. If it were that much of a sin, don’t you think He would have made a point to tell us? Some people say He was silent because there weren’t any gay people back then or because they were closeted and He didn’t know. What about the woman at the well (John 4:1-42)? Jesus practically read her mind and knew about her situation. If He wanted to condone being gay, I think He would have called it out even if the opportunity didn’t present itself.

As for being intersex and transgender, I think God created the universe in spectrums and it makes sense that humans were created to be the same. Adam and Eve (assuming they were male and female) were opposite ends of the spectrum to show the boundaries of what is possible. They don’t have to prove that those are the only two options.

As for polyamory, I’m still reading, thinking, and wrestling. I definitely don’t condone it if you don’t believe in or follow God. I’m just not sure yet if it’s something that is “okay” for those who do believe in or follow God. I’ve read this article and am hoping to read more before I come to my own conclusion.

Ultimately, I try to focus on what Jesus did say:

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Regardless of what I or anyone else believes about the homosexuality, I hope we strive to love people. I love the Lord, which motivates me to love other people. While most Christians may find it hard to love gay people (and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community), I find it hard to love those who actively hate gay people and others in the community. How are you representing the love of God if you’re telling someone they’re a mistake and they need to change, that God created some people in His image but not them? That’s not love.

As my church’s youth pastor recently said, there are several gray areas when it comes to right and wrong in the Bible. Very few things are clearly defined. My interpretation? Homosexuality is one of those gray areas.

If my personal beliefs about that get in the way of me loving others, then maybe my beliefs are the problem.

I’m not here to shame anyone that does or doesn’t believe certain things about God and homosexuality. I’m just here to say that I think Jesus came to spread love and maybe we should too, especially on Easter.

Please feel free to (politely) message me if you have any questions about anything above. Like I said, I’m still working through my opinions on some things, but I do feel as though I’m a lot closer to seeing the world the way God wants me to: through a lens of love ❤️❤️

Hi. I’m the Anon with questions. Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you. I’ve been taught my whole life that the LGBTQ community was wrong and goes against God, the God I believe in. I don’t want that to be true and judging by the content you post and reblog you don’t believe it is true. Can you show me sources that use the Bible and that are reliable so I can see what’s true? I’m tired of feeling confused, or like an impostor especially since I believe that I might be Ace.

I’m so sorry that you’re feeling confused right now. Know that I have been there, and that hundreds of thousands have been there too, you’re not alone in this <3

queertheology.com is a great site to check out for loving affirmations and lots of easily digestable resources. you can also check out religioustolerance.org’s sections on christianity and queerness. Religioustolerance.org is not a christian website, it is a world religions education resource, but its goal is to explain all points of view in whatever faith it is discussing, and thus I find it to be good at clearly laying out all the conservative arguements against queerness as well as all the liberal rebuttals to them. 

If any of my followers know of other good queer christian resources, feel free to add on! (I tried to look at hoperemains but i think they’re doing site translation maitenence right now)

[tipsycowplant]

Day 14: Loner / Day 28: Whatever YOU Were in High School 👻

Jordan Johnson (She/Her) | Serial Romantic | Gloomy, Loner

This is my teenage simself in all of her angsty glory. I figured since I’m a new simblr and this is my simself, I’d take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself and my high school experience. High school was really rough for me, so this will be a heavy read (tw: mental illness, emotional abuse, religious abuse).

Some background before I get into my high school experience - I was raised southern Baptist, attended a private Christian school through elementary school, and was homeschooled through middle school. As you can expect, I was extremely sheltered growing up. I began “rebelling” (listening to secular music, reading Harry Potter, etc.) toward the end of middle school, and I was banned from our local homeschool co-op for being a “bad influence.” As punishment, I was isolated at home for months, and I developed severe depression. I begged my parents to let me go to public school for high school; my mom was extremely against it, but my dad was tired of our constant fighting and enrolled me for my freshman year.

Freshman year marked a lot of firsts for me. I finally had some freedom, and I took full advantage of it - made a bunch of friends (most of whom my parents considered the “wrong crowd”), joined art club, experimented with drugs (mostly in art club lol), had relationships and breakups, sneaked out of the house - I finally had a social life! But my depression continued to spiral for three reasons: 1) My parents refused to accept that I had depression and therefore refused to get me treatment. 2) My mom (wrongfully) assumed I was ahead of the other students because of my “good homeschool education” and forced me to take all AP/Honors classes. In reality, I was behind, and I couldn’t achieve the perfect grades she demanded of me. To make matters worse, I was a “gifted kid” and never had to try very hard at school, so I never learned proper note-taking or studying methods; suddenly I was having to actually try, and I didn’t know how. Getting bad grades for the first time in my life made me feel like I was stupid, and I just kind of gave up. 3) My mom didn’t like losing the control she had over me when I was homeschooled, so she micromanaged my life as much as possible outside of school. I wasn’t allowed to hang out with friends outside of school/school events, and I was constantly yelled at for being on my phone/laptop (my only way to socialize outside of school). I wasn’t allowed to date, so I had to hide my relationships, and I couldn’t ask for emotional support during breakups. She told me I was “pure evil” when I told her I’m atheist, and she still forced me to go to church. I wasn’t accepted for who I was, and I certainly wasn’t allowed to experiment and discover who I wanted to be.

This culminated in a metal breakdown and a week-long stint in the psych ward during the second semester of my freshman year. My parents were finally forced to acknowledge my depression, but they forced me into the worst possible “treatment” - the troubled teen industry. (If you don’t know about the TTI and want to learn more, Breaking Code Silence is a good resource.) My parents wiped their hands of all responsibility and sent me to a “therapeutic Christian boarding school” in another state. I was told the “therapy” program would take 6 months to complete, then I’d be able to come home. Unfortunately, the program was essentially, “You are [mentally ill, neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, “acting out,” etc.] because of the Devil. Only God can cure you, and only if you’re a good enough Christian.” I endured 18 months of emotional and religious abuse before the program leaders finally gave up on me and gave me a program completion certificate so my parents would take me back.

I was allowed to go back to public school when I got home, but only under threat of being sent somewhere worse if I “acted out” again. That wasn’t really an issue, because I had become extremely introverted during my time in the program. I was surrounded by people - constant overstimulation - 24/7 for 18 months; I didn’t want to be around people when I got home. There were a lot of rumors going around school about why I disappeared for a year and a half, but for the most part, everyone just left me alone. I had one good friend who my parents approved of and let me hang out with outside of school. She would come over to my house, and we’d play Sims on our laptops. (She also sent me printed memes and tumblr posts in the mail when I was away, bless her lol.) That was the extent of my social life for the rest of my proper high school experience - I dropped out at the end of the semester and took online classes until I met my state’s requirements to graduate.

While the majority of my high school experience was pretty fucking shitty, some good did come of it - I fully denounced religion, discovered my bisexuality (at the homophobic program, ironically), and learned about the importance of taking care of your mental health. I continued to struggle with depression until I was 18 and able to get real therapy, but I’m happy to say that it’s very well managed now. The program caused a lot of trauma that I’m still unpacking to this day, and I’ve since been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD, but thankfully, I have the resources and support to get help when I need it. If anyone reading this is struggling with mental health (or any of the things I’ve written about) and would like resources to get help, or if you just want to chat, my inbox is open, and I’ll do my best to help 🙂

[hotvampireadjacent]

Sorry if this is rude to offer, if you need any religious resources I've found the tumblr blog blessedarethebinarybreakers (formerly known as queerlychristian) pretty useful! They're an intersectional LGBTQIA+ christian blog that's been trying to practice a way healthier form of christianity, and they have tags offering support for people with religious trauma or who need help leaving christianity. They might be able to help you out! Take care, and do what you gotta do!

I’ll take a look thank you !!! it’s not rude at all.

[darcyolsson]

Do you have any tips for coming out especially if your from a religion and family that doesn’t necessarily view lgbtqia+ as ‘real’.

first of all, i'm so sorry to hear this. i can imagine it's an incredibly tough place to be in.

i was very, very lucky to be born into a (mostly) nonreligious, open-minded family, so i can't really give you any advice based on my own experiences. however, i had a look online and found some resources that i think might help you:

tips on coming out well to conservative christian parents by diversechurch

LGBTQ+ and religion by the trevor project (the 3rd question specifically might be of help to you, plus there's a bunch of websites focused on specific religions at the bottom)

coming out as bisexual to your super religious family by dawn serra (on medium.com)

i think the best advice i can give to you is to never, ever compromise your safety. if you still live with your family, or if you're in a different way (financially) dependent on them, please make 1000% sure that coming out won't make you unsafe in any way. i know it's incredibly hard to feel like you're hiding an important part of yourself, but in a situation like this, you're not hiding or lying to anyone- you're simply taking care of yourself.

it's okay to not come out immediately, or to not come out at all. i have a lot of LGBTQIA+ friends who aren't out to their family because they don't feel the need to, or because they feel like it might complicate things at home. it doesn't make you any less valid in your identity.

if you are sure that you do want to come out, then go for it. i remember how coming out to my own parents felt like a weight off my chest, and i hope that when/if you do come out, your family will look past their views and support you.

sending you so much love <3 <3