Sri Lankan Supreme Court clears path to decriminalize homosexuality
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has given the green light to a bill seeking to decriminalize homosexuality in a move hailed as a “historic development” by campaigners.
LGBTQ+ rights & well-being
Maryland passes bill protecting gender-affirming care access for trans people on Medicaid
“While other states are dead set on ripping away reproductive rights and attempting to erase the existence of trans and nonbinary individuals, we’re doing the opposite: We’re making Maryland a state that is welcoming, inclusive, and that safeguards the rights of all people.”
Washington State passes “shield law” to protect people from out-of-state seeking gender-affirming care and abortions
H.B. 1469 prohibits Washington legal authorities from cooperating with out-of-state subpoenas, court orders, warrants, and extradition requests regarding gender and reproductive health care.
New Jersey governor protects trans youth seeking health care with executive order
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order preventing people in the state from being extradited for providing, receiving, or facilitating gender-affirming care.
The Cook Islands decriminalize homosexuality
With the Crimes Amendment Bill, the group of 15 islands located in the South Pacific has rescinded a 1969 law that said men who have sex with men could be jailed for up to five years.
Germany & France join E.U. nations suing Hungary over anti-LGBTQ+ law
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the European Parliament have also applied to join the suit.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs protections bill in historic LGBTQ+ victory
The bill, which passed the state house in a 64 to 45 vote earlier this month, adds the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity to Michigan’s 1976 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA).
New Mexico updates anti-discrimination law to include LGBTQ+ protections
The new law establishes a broader slate of protections for LGBTQ+ people by defining gender and sex in state law and expanding existing definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs order protecting rights to gender-affirming healthcare
Walz’s executive order parallels legislation awaiting a floor vote in the state House to make Minnesota a “trans refuge state.”
Michigan to pass “historic” law banning anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination
The law adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s law prohibiting discrimination based on individual characteristics in housing, employment, and public accommodation in public services and educational facilities.