Republicans extend efforts to ban LGBT topics in schools
Court temporarily blocks Trump ban on gender care for youth
Just a few stories from around the world today but a LOT of news from across the USA.
Malaysia: Johor state is setting up a rehab center for people convicted of having gay sex.
Mexico: State legislators in Morelos and Chihuahua are pledging that they will debate bills to legalize abortion in accordance with Supreme Court orders within the next week.
Austria: Government formation talks collapsed, meaning the neo-Nazi Freedom Party is kept out of government, for now. If fresh elections are called, polls suggest the Freedom Party will win even more seats, though shy of a majority.
Meanwhile in the States
A judge has issued a temporary block on Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for anyone under 19.
Medicare is no longer collecting information about sexual orientation or gender identity on enrollment forms.
A judge ordered the CDC, FDA, and HHS to restore web pages that had been taken down to comply with Trump’s EO banning all things relating to gender identity and race.
K-12 schools operated by the US Military have enacted a “Don’t Say Gay” policy to comply with Trump’s anti-DEI and anti-Trans executive orders.
Alabama: Republicans have introduced bills that would ban discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools through 12th grade (currently banned up to 5th grade), ban pride flags on school property, and also ban students in schools and colleges from using a preferred pronoun or name in classrooms without written parental permission, and ban disciplinary action against staff who refuse to use a preferred pronoun.
Earlier this week, the legislature passed a bill defining the sexes: a female is someone whose reproductive system produces ova and a male as someone whose reproductive system produces sperm. The bill essentially defines trans people out of law.
Iowa: State Republicans here are also introducing a bill to expand their ban all discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity from elementary schools all the way through high school.
Utah: State Republicans are pushing a bill that will ban Pride flags not only from schools, but from all government buildings and property. The bill specifically allows Nazi and Confederate flags though. Another bill prohibits Planned Parenthood from teaching health classes in schools.
Idaho: State Republicans are introducing a bill to ban minors from “indecent sexual exhibitions” – meaning drag shows.
Minnesota and California: Both states are being investigated by the Department of Education – or whatever’s left of it – over their policies on accommodating trans students, which run counter to Trump’s order that trans people don’t exist and shouldn’t be allowed on women’s sports.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Republicans are pushing a “parents’ bill of rights” that would restrict discussions about LGBT or race issues in schools. Republicans have a temporary majority of the state house, but the bill is unlikely to get through the Democrat-controlled Senate. They’re using it as a wedge issue for 2026.
And a California court has ruled against a baker who refused to sell a blank white cake to a lesbian couple, finding that a generic cake with no writing or decorations could not be construed as speech that needed to be protected.
Maryland: Democrats are pushing a bill to require all school boards to offer age-appropriate sex and health education. Republicans attempted and failed to add a ‘parents bill of rights’ gag order section section to the bill.
Pennsylvania: State Democrats have announced their intention to introduce a bill to delete the state’s statutory ban on same-sex marriage. They did this last session, and just like last session, even if it passes the house, it will likely be stopped in the Republican-controlled senate. However, it is theoretically possible that Republicans might allow this to pass to help moderates in the 2026 election.
Hawaii: A proposed constitutional amendment to ban anti-LGBT discrimination passed second reading in the senate. It awaits a third reading and then will be sent to the house.
We're witnessing a coordinated global fascist attack on humanity - in that the capitalist ruling class are offering LGBT+ folk as scapegoats against economic inequality and poverty created by a system that serves the ruling class. The ruling class are throwing queer people under the bus to protect themselves.