Tag Archives: transgender rights

Abbott and Paxton step up their attack on trans kids

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Brutal. The state’s child welfare agency says it will begin investigating instances of transgender youth receiving gender-affirming health care as possible child abuse, after direction from Gov. Greg Abbott based on a recent legal opinion issued by Attorney General Ken … Continue reading →

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It’s mostly about the gay books

Posted on November 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Color me not surprised. While a Texas House committee chairman’s inquiry into schoolbooks has often been linked to new state laws limiting how teachers address slavery and racism, most of the literature he’s called into question deals with a wholly … Continue reading →

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Let’s have us a book burning!

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s where we’re headed. Gov. Greg Abbott told the Texas Education Agency on Wednesday to investigate criminal activity related to “the availability of pornography” in public schools, saying that the agency should refer such instances “for prosecution to the fullest … Continue reading →

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NAACP tells athletes to steer clear of Texas

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

At least someone is willing to take a stand. The NAACP is urging professional athletes who are free agents to boycott Texas over recent restrictive voting and abortion laws as well as policies stopping local governments from enacting coronavirus containment … Continue reading →

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House passes anti-trans sports bill

Posted on October 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Disgraceful. The Texas House approved legislation on Thursday that would restrict transgender student athlete participation in school sports, clearing a notable hurdle for supporters of the measure after similar legislation sailed through the Senate and stalled in the House three … Continue reading →

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House committee advances anti-trans sports bill

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They finally found a path to pass it. They sure put plenty of energy into it. A Texas bill prohibiting transgender student athletes from joining school sports teams aligned with their gender identity is heading to the full Texas House, … Continue reading →

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Trans kids are still fighting for their right to not be dehumanized

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The toll being taken on them, it’s inhumane. Karen Krajcer and Linzy Foster are two friends familiar with the hallways of the Texas Capitol. During this year’s regular legislative session and two subsequent special sessions that followed, the two mothers … Continue reading →

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Texas takes its potty obsession to court

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, brother. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration over recent federal guidance issued to protect LGBTQ people in the workplace, including a directive that says employees should be allowed to use the bathrooms, locker rooms and … Continue reading →

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Special session 3.0

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, we knew it was coming. Still too soon. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a third special legislative session that will begin on Sept. 20 and tackle redistricting, restrictions on transgender student athletes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to … Continue reading →

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Sine die’d

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Special session 2.0 is over. And what a lousy thing it was. The Texas Legislature adjourned its second special session Thursday evening, ending a nearly 30-day stretch that was called to pass a GOP elections bill after House Democrats carried … Continue reading →

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“Big boy pants”

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some hot Dutton on Patrick action going on here. Another partisan stalemate has broken out in the final days of the second special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott this year, again imperiling the jobs of 2,100 legislative staffers along … Continue reading →

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State follows through on Abbott’s attack on trans kids

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Revolting, though fortunately not particularly consequential. For now, at least. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has responded to Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for an interpretation of state law sent last Friday, agreeing that some gender confirmation surgeries … Continue reading →

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Abbott goes back on the attack against trans kids and their families

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Bullies are cowards. Gov. Greg Abbott delivered Friday on a recent promise to use his political weight to try to halt medical interventions for transgender children, which are considered standard of care for adults. He wants state officials to redefine … Continue reading →

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Special Session 2.0: Still no quorum yet

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how long that lasts. Texas Democrats on Saturday blocked a quorum in the House for the third time this year as the Legislature kicked off its second special legislative session called to pass the GOP elections bill, among … Continue reading →

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Federal judge halts Arkansas law against gender affirming care for trans kids

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. In an in-person hearing in Little Rock on Wednesday, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to block an Arkansas law that criminalizes gender-affirming care for transgender kids. U.S. District Judge James M. Moody Jr.’s bench ruling was … Continue reading →

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Abbott preps another shot at trans kids

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

What an asshole. Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday he was preparing to take action to restrict transition-related medical care for transgender minors in Texas after legislation to do so failed during the regular session. “I have another way of achieving … Continue reading →

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Day 2 quorum busting omnibus post

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna round up a few stories here. Don’t know how often I’ll be this energetic, or how often there will be this many stories that I see that are worth commenting on, but it is Day Two. We’re just getting … Continue reading →

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Senate Republicans advance their anti-trans sports bill

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

There were enough of them on the committee to have a quorum by themselves, so they did the thing that they do. Legislation that would limit transgender students’ participation in school sports advanced out of a Senate committee on Monday after … Continue reading →

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Quorum broken again

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And they’re off. Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives left the state Monday afternoon en route to Washington, D.C., in a bid to again deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new voting restrictions with 26 days left in … Continue reading →

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Here’s your special session agenda

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They call this “red meat”, but it’s really just bullshit. Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the agenda for the special legislative session that begins Thursday, asking lawmakers to prioritize 11 issues that largely appeal to conservatives who wanted more out … Continue reading →

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Are we headed for a June special session or not?

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Too soon to tell. Right now this is just the usual end-of-session venting and frustration. With the future of the power grid and voting laws in Texas hanging in the balance, tensions among the top political leaders in the Legislature … Continue reading →

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Anti-trans sports bill dies

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, with the usual caveats. A controversial Texas bill that would restrict the participation of transgender student athletes in school sports ran out of time for consideration in the House as the lower chamber hit a crucial deadline Tuesday night for … Continue reading →

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Think of the kids today

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Today, the anti-trans sports bill SB29 is on the House calendar. Hopefully, it will fail to make it to the floor before midnight, which is the deadline for Senate bills to be passed by the House. Whatever the case, spend … Continue reading →

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Senate is right back on the anti-trans agenda

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. The Texas Senate on Monday quickly revived and advanced a bill banning gender-affirming health care for children under 18, days after a similar House bill failed to advance in the lower chamber. Under Senate Bill … Continue reading →

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Not sure where we are with the anti-trans bills

Posted on May 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In limbo, to be honest. A controversial bill that would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender children missed a key deadline Thursday for consideration in the Texas House. But a similar Senate bill still has time to be approved by … Continue reading →

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Dragging Dutton

Posted on May 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Richly deserved. Houston area political action groups, activists, and unions gathered outside the office of Democratic state Rep. Harold Dutton Jr. on Tuesday to call for his resignation. “It’s better if he goes now than in the next election,” said … Continue reading →

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Anti-transgender sports bill revived

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Screw you, Harold Dutton. Democratic state Rep. Harold Dutton on Friday revived and helped advance a bill that would restrict transgender students from participating in school sports, in what appears to be a retaliatory effort directed at members of his … Continue reading →

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Anti-trans sports bill fails to advance from House committee

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, but hold off on the celebrations for now. A bill that would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity failed to advance out of a House committee Tuesday, signaling potential trouble … Continue reading →

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Another nasty anti-trans bill passes the Senate

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Just awful. The Texas Senate tentatively approved a bill Monday in an 18-13 vote that would classify providing gender affirming health care to transgender minors as child abuse — just one of the Legislature’s many attempts to prevent transgender children … Continue reading →

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Anti-trans sports bill will not make it out of committee

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but hardly enough. A bill that would dictate on which sports teams transgender athletes can compete in public schools was declared all but dead on Wednesday by Rep. Harold Dutton, the Public Education Committee chair who presided over an … Continue reading →

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Another anti-trans bill advances

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This just makes me angry. Transgender Texas children, their parents, medical groups and businesses have vocally opposed many of the bills lawmakers are pursuing. Equality Texas CEO Ricardo Martinez said Texas has filed more anti-LGBTQ bills this session than any other state legislature. … Continue reading →

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More business pushback on more anti-LGBTQ+ bills

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s like deja vu all over again. Texas business leaders Monday condemned a slate of anti-LGBTQ bills winding through the Texas Legislature as harmful to Texans and as a threat to the state’s economy, which is still reeling from the … Continue reading →

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Senate passes anti-transgender athletics bill

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gross, and it unfortunately may not be the only such bill they pass this session. Transgender students would be banned from competing on school sports teams based on their gender identity under a bill that passed the Texas Senate … Continue reading →

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NCAA warns Texas about anti-transgender bills

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not just the voter suppression bills that will do great harm to the state of Texas and its people if the Republicans ram them through. Amid all the talk of boycotts and corporate criticism of election bills going through … Continue reading →

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