What’s New?
Find out the latest news about sex-based rights throughout the United States!
It can be very hard to keep up with all the various bills, lawsuits, etc. that are popping up across the USA. Use this website to keep track of latest news about the fight for sex-based rights in your state.
[Page still under construction. Last Updated August 17th, 2023.]
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In May of 2022, a federal judge partially blocked an Alabama law banning minors from undergoing medical gender transition. More specifically, the judge blocked enforcement of the portions of the bill that banned hormone and puberty blockers for minors, but allowed the bill’s ban on transgender surgeries for minors to go forward. In November of 2022, the Alabama Solicitor General testified in favor of the bill in front of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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On September 7th, 2022, the Mat-Su school board voted to suspend a policy that allowed people to use whatever communal bathrooms or locker rooms they wanted to according to their “gender identity.”
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In December of 2022, testimony wrapped up for a federal bench trial regarding the constitutionality of an Arkansas ban on medically transitioning minors. U.S. District Judge Jay Moody, who presided over the trial, had already temporarily blocked the bill in 2021.
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In 2023, California’s “trans refuge” legislation, SB-107, officially went into effect. This bill, passed by Governor Newsom in September of 2022, purports to “protect” transgender children from legislation in other states restricting minors’ access to so-called “gender-affirming” care. In fact, the bill makes it easier for children to be subjected to dangerous and permanent medical procedures, while also stripping away the rights of parents to object. For more on the problems with this bill, read Erin Friday’s analysis.
On November 17th, 2021, WoLF (Women’s Liberation Front) filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in response to SB-132, a California law that made it easier for males to be placed in women’s prisons and jails. For more information on the lawsuit, see WoLF’s website.
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On April 21st, 2023, Governor Jared Polis signed into law SB23-188. While this bill was ostensibly about protecting women’s access to abortion, lawmakers snuck in a provision protecting for Colorado doctors who perform medical transition on trans-identifying minors.
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On February 13th, 2023, a federal appeals court agreed to reconsider a lawsuit against the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC). The lawsuit was filed by female athletes who argued they were deprived of wins by being forced to compete against biological male athletes who identified as girls.
This case has been working its way through the courts for a while — This same lawsuit was thrown out by a federal appeals court in December of 2022. Before then, in April of 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Chatigny dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by female runners against Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Judge Chatigny dismissed the case on procedural grounds, arguing that the trans-identified athletes had already graduated and that there were no other “male-to-female” trans athletes participating in girls’ sports in the state. See here for an article by one of the female athlete plaintiffs, Chelsea Mitchell.
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In March of 2023, the Florida Medical Board adopted standards of practice that prohibit trans-identifying minors from medically transitioning. These rule changes came after months of hearings from experts from all over the world.
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On March 23rd, 2023, Gov. Kemp signed SB 140 into law. SB 140 bans hormonal and surgical “gender reassignment” procedures on trans-identifying minors. Opponents of the bill are trying to get courts to block enforcement of the law. On August 11th, 2023, Atlanta federal judge Judge Sarah Geraghty heard testimony from opponents and supporters of the law.
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On April 4th, 2023, Governor Brad Little signed the “Vulnerable Child Protection Act” (HB-71) into law. This bill prohibits cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and gender reassignment surgeries for trans-identifying minors.
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In March 2020, Idaho passed the “Fairness in Women's Sports Act” (HB-500), making it the first state in the country to enact legislation banning trans-identified males from competing on women’s sports teams in schools.
At the same time as signing the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” into law, Gov. Brad Little also signed HB-509 into law, which bans trans-identifying individuals from changing their birth certificate to match their gender identity.
Courts are blocking the implementation of both of these bills. -
On August 2nd, 2023 a federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that requires that trans-identifying students be able to use a bathroom that accords with their self-proclaimed gender identity.
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On June 16th, 2023, a federal judge blocked much of Indiana’s legislation banning pediatric medical transition. More specifically, the judge blocked provisions banning minors from accessing puberty blockers and hormones, but did not block the ban on minors receiving gender-related surgeries (like mastectomies). The judge also blocked provisions in the bill that bans Indiana doctors from talking to out-of-state doctors about medical transition for minors. The bill was scheduled to go into effect on July 1.
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In April of 2023, the governor of Indiana signed a ban on pediatric medical transition into law. More:
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In July of 2023, Louisiana banned pediatric transition after the legislature overrode the governor’s veto. Louisiana was the last southern state to ban pediatric transition.
In June of 2022, Louisiana banned biological males from competing on female school sports teams. The Governor refused to either veto or sign the bill.
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HF146 was introduced in the Minnesota House for the 2023-2024 session. This bill mimics “trans refuge” legislation passed in California. Like the California legislation, HF146 purports to shelter transgender youth from other states; what this means in practice, however, is that such a law would make it very difficult to stop minors from undergoing dangerous and potentially irreversible “gender transition” procedures. This legislation, if passed, also imperils the rights of parents to protect their children from such procedures.
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In February of 2023, Mississippi banned pediatric transition.
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On July 25th, the ACLU and Lambda Legal announced they would challenge Missouri’s ban on pediatric medical transition.
On June 7th, 2023, Missouri banned pediatric medical transition. The state also banned Medicaid coverage for adult transition and banned transition for prison inmates.
On February 9th, 2023, The Free Press published an article by whistleblower Jamie Reed, a former case manager at The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Reed, who describes herself as queer and “politically to the left of Bernie Sanders,” expresses her dismay at the the center’s recklessness at prescribing potentially permanent medical treatments for gender-dysphoric youth. The Missouri attorney General has since launched an investigation into the center.
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On January 17th, 2023, Nebraska Legislators introduced the LB574 (“Adopt the Let Them Grow Act”) and LB575 (“Adopt the Sports and Spaces Act”). The former restricts medical gender transition for people under 19; the latter requires that students play on sports teams and use bathroom/locker rooms according to their biological sex. Testimony on LB574 was heard in February.
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On April 4th, 2023, New Jersey Governor Philip Murphy signed an executive order declaring New Jersey a “safe haven” for those who wish to undergo gender transition. This action is in response to attempts by other states to protect gender dysphoric youth from (potentially permanent) hormonal and surgical “therapies.”
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In July of 2022, a trans-identifying male prisoner was removed from a women’s prison after impregnating two female inmates. The previous year, the state allowed males who identify as women to be placed in women’s prisoners following a lawsuit by the ACLU. -
UPDATE: On August 16th, 2023, the NC Legislature voted to override the veto of three bills regarding trans issues (see July 5th below).
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On July 5th, 2023, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoed three bills aimed at protecting children’s safety, women rights, and parental rights. One bill would restrict hormones and surgery for trans-identifying minors; another would require that public schools teachers notify parents if a student uses a different name or pronouns; and a third would prohibit boys and men from participating in middle school, high school, or collegiate sports. The Republican legislature is expected to override the veto of these bills.
For more, read about Payton McNabb, who was injured while playing against a trans-identifying athlete in a volleyball match in a North Carolina high school : “From injury to activist: Why this NC athlete doesn’t want to compete against trans women.”
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On June 21st, 2023, The Ohio House of Representatives passed HB-68, “Enact Ohio Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act.” This bill includes provisions similar to the 2021 version of “Enact the SAFE Act,” AKA HB-454, which bans offering hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries for trans-identifying minors. However, HR-68 also includes the Save Women's Sports Act, which requires that schools, public colleges, and private colleges maintain same-sex sports teams.
More info: Watch Corinna Cohn testify in favor of HR-454.
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On July 24, 2023, Governor Kotek signed HB-2002 into law. This law, amongst other thing, allows for minors 15 years of age older to undergo medical gender transition without parental consent. The law also stipulates that the Oregon Health Authority would pay for such procedures on trans-identifying youth.
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On February 9th, 2023, the South Dakota Senate passed a bill banning hormone treatments and puberty blockers for patients under age 18. Governor Noem signed the bill into law on February 13th.
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In February of 2023, a bill that would ban minors from undergoing medical gender transition passed through the final Tennessee Senate Committee.
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On July 13th, 2023, Lambda Legal announced they will challenge Texas’ ban on pediatric medical transition in court.
In June of 2023, Texas banned pediatric medical transition. That same month, Gov. Abbot signed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” into law, which requires that people particulate in collegiate sports according to their biological sex, rather than “gender-identity.” The law goes into effect September 1st, 2023.
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In January of 2023, the Utah Senate passed SB-16, SB-93, and SB-100. SB-16 bans minors from receiving transgender hormone and surgical procedures; SB-93 bans minors from changing the sex listed on their birth certificate; SB-100 bans schools from shielding information from parents regarding their child’s gender identity. HB-132 — which was a stricter ban than SB-16 — was introduced into the Utah House, but was rejected in committee. Governor Cox has since signed SB-16 into law. To see testimony in favor of these various Utah bills, see Erin Brewer’s channel on YouTube.
In March of 2022, the Utah Legislature passed a law requiring that athletes compete on sports teams according to their biological sex. Though Governor Cox vetoed the bill, the Legislature overrode the veto, meaning the bill went into effect for the 2022-2023 school year. However, in August of 2022, Judge Keith A. Kelly of the 3rd District Court blocked the implimentation of the bill. Kelly’s injuction allows males who identify as girls to compete on girls sports teams if approved by a special committee. -
On February 24th, 2023, it was reported that the MVCS girls basketball team decided on forfeit a playoff game against a team with a trans-identifying male athlete.
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On March 1st, 2023, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5599, advancing the bill to the House. This bill, if passed in the House and signed into law, would make Washington a “Sanctuary State” for trans-identifying youth from states that have passed restrictions on minors’ access to medical gender transition. Critics warn that it infringes on parental rights and makes minors vulnerable to potentially irreversible and dangerous medical “treatments.” Watch detransitioner Oil London testify against SB 5599. Also, read Justine Deterling’s critique of SB 5599 on twitter.
In May of 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice blocked the release of the records of trans-identifying inmates in the Washington state prison system. The judge claimed that releasing the records would violate the inmates’ privacy. The request for the records was made in order to investigate accusations that trans-identifying males sexually assaulted their fellow inmates in a women’s prison.
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On March 29th, 2023, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed HB-2007, banning minors from undergoing transgender-related surgeries and hormonal therapies. Earlier, Senate Majority leader Sen. Tom Takubo successfully pushed for an amendment to the bill that would allow for hormonal therapies for minors if “the minor has been diagnosed as suffering from severe gender dysphoria by no fewer than two medical or mental health providers with at least one being a mental health provider or adolescent medicine specialist, and both having relevant training in the diagnosis and treatment of severe gender dysphoria in adolescents.”
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In August of 2023, a group of parents expressed alarm at the participation of a trans-identified male on their daughters’ sports team. The parents say that the male athlete throws unusually hard, and some girls are quitting the team out of concern for their own safety. Parents also are concerned about the trans-identified male being able to use the girls’ locker room. Read more from MSN.
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In June of 2023, the Board of Supervisors of Dane County, Wisconsin voted to declare their county a sanctuary for transgender and non-binary children, adults, and their families. This vote came in response to controversy over the safety of offering hormonal and surgical “therapies” to trans-identified minors.
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in 2023, Wyoming state senators proposed a couple of bills (SF0111 and SF0144) which restrict trans-identifying minors from medically transitioning. Neither bill made it to the Wyoming House of Representatives.
However, on March 17th, 2023, the governor of Wyoming signed into law SF0133, which restricts males from competing on girls’ sports teams at the 7th-12th grade levels. However, the bill allows a special commission to grant permission for some trans-identifying males to compete on girls’ teams under certain circumstances.