LGBTQ+ and abortion rights advocates are thrilled Poland's ruling, right-wing Law and Justice party is unlikely to form Poland's next government. But they are skeptical of the commitment of who will.
by Hannah Schoenbaum and Amy Beth Hanson, Associated Press
Transgender residents of North Carolina and Montana added Wednesday to a growing list of lawsuits challenging the recent onslaught of Republican state laws aimed at transgender individuals.
In a letter to conservative cardinals, the pope suggested that such blessings for same-sex unions could be studied if they didn't confuse the blessing with sacramental marriage.
A federal appeals court is considering cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia that could have significant implications on whether individual states are required to cover health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance.
The facility provides a welcoming space for individuals in the queer community. Board of Directors Chair Cindia Gonzalez says the center receives visitors from Winston, surrounding counties, and even rural areas.
The country's Global Affairs department did not specify which states, but is advising Canadian travelers to check the local laws for their destination before traveling.
Across the country, books and lessons that represent different families and identities are increasingly the target of conservative pushback — even when they're for the youngest of learners. Educators and free-speech advocates say the books and lessons caught up in these bans often simply acknowledge the existence of different identities. That's crucial, experts say, to help young children develop empathy and an understanding of themselves — especially for children whose families include people of color or LGBTQ+ relatives. Of the bans targeting picture books, about three-quarters are books that address LGBTQ+ themes and roughly half mention race, PEN America says.
Sheriff's deputies said the suspect was later killed in "a lethal force encounter" with authorities. Tributes continue to pour in honoring the victim, Lauri Carleton.
The largest mainline Protestant denomination in the U.S. is shrinking due to disputes over LGBTQ+ clergy and same-sex marriage. About 20% of United Methodist congregations have left in recent years.
