Latest news with #LGBT-friendly
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Supreme Court rules on parents' lawsuit over LGBT books in schools...including story where a prince marries a knight
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that parents suing over LGBT books in their classrooms are likely to prevail and that a Maryland county's policy isn't consistent with their freedom of religion. The 6-3 ruling by the court's conservative majority provides yet another for religious plantiffs who have sued objecting to government policies they say violate their beliefs. The Montgomery County, Maryland policy, which began with 'opt-outs' that later went away, 'substantially interferes with the religious development of their children and imposes the kind of burden on religious exercise,' wrote Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in the majority opinion. The books themselves 'are clearly designed to present certain values and beliefs as things to be celebrated and certain contrary values and beliefs as things to be rejected,' Alito wrote, in an opinion where he picked apart the LGBT-friendly plotlines of of the books that were included in county classrooms. 'For example, the book Prince & Knight clearly conveys the message that same-sex marriage should be accepted by all as a cause for celebration. The young reader is guided to feel distressed at the prince's failure to find a princess, and then to celebrate when the prince meets his male partner,' Alito write. 'Those celebrating the same-sex wedding are not just family members and close friends, but the entire kingdom,' notes Alito. Likewise, he breaks down main character Chloe's reaction in 'Uncle Bobby's Wedding,' which deals with a same-sex marriage, when she asked the question: 'Why is Uncle Bobby getting married?' 'The book is coy about the precise reason for Chloe's question, but the question is used to tee up a direct message to young readers: ''Bobby and Jamie love each other,' said Mummy,' Alito writes. 'We conclude that the Board's introduction of the 'LGBTQ+-inclusive' storybooks, combined with its no-opt-out policy, burdens the parents' right to the free exercise of religion,' the majority wrote. The court also took issue with the Board's decision to disallow 'opt-outs', after concluding it could leave some students to feel marginalized. 'The Board's introduction of the 'LGBTQ+-inclusive' storybooks, along with its decision to withhold opt outs, places an unconstitutional burden on the parents' rights to the free exercise of their religion,' the majority found. The case, with national implications about LGBT books in schools – on case that played out just outside of Washington, DC. At issue was a suit by Christian and Muslim parents who sued so that their children could opt out of certain classrooms where books with LGBT characters were present. It is just the latest case to test the intersection of religion and LGBT rights. The books are 'made available for individual reading, classroom read-alouds, and other educational activities designed to foster and enhance literacy skills,' according to the county. They feature same sex love stories and and other material about LGBT issues, such as transgender characters. One picture book, Uncle Bobby's Wedding, celebrates a family wedding as a girl learns she is gaining an uncle when her favorite uncle marries a man. Parents with children in public schools in Montgomery County, located just outside of Washington, appealed after lower courts declined to order the local school district to let children opt out when these books are read. The high court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has expanded the rights of religious people in several cases in recent years, including in cases involving LGBT people. For instance, the court in 2023 ruled that certain businesses have a right under the First Amendment's free speech protections to refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings. The school board in Montgomery County approved in 2022 a handful of storybooks that feature LGBT characters as part of its English language-arts curriculum in order to better represent the diversity of families living in the county. The storybooks are available for teachers to use 'alongside the many books already in the curriculum that feature heterosexual characters in traditional gender roles,' the district said in a filing. The district said it ended the opt-outs in 2023 when the mounting number of requests to excuse students from these classes became logistically unworkable and raised concerns of 'social stigma and isolation' among students who believe the books represent them and their families. Opt-outs are still allowed by the district for sex education units of health classes. The county is Maryland's largest, and is home to many federal workers, and is home to the National Institutes of Health. The plaintiffs - who are Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox - said in their lawsuit that the storybooks 'promote one-sided transgender ideology, encourage gender transitioning and focus excessively on romantic infatuation - with no parental notification or opportunity to opt out.' They said the First Amendment protects their right to instill religious beliefs and practices in their children, including on gender and sexuality that are 'crucial for their children's ability to fulfill religious aspirations concerning marriage and family.' Represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty conservative legal group, the parents who sued included Tamer Mahmoud, Enas Barakat, Chris Persak, Melissa Persak, Jeff Roman and Svitlana Roman, along with an organization called Kids First that seeks opt-out rights in Montgomery County. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2024 denied a request by the plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction. The 4th Circuit said that there was no evidence that the storybooks are 'being implemented in a way that directly or indirectly coerces the parents or their children to believe or act contrary to their religious faith.' The plaintiffs told the Supreme Court that the 4th Circuit's decision undermined the right of parents to 'protect their children's innocence and direct their religious upbringing.' The school board emphasized in a brief to the court that mere exposure to content that parents find religiously objectionable does not violate the First Amendment. The Freedom From Religion Foundation secularism advocacy group in a filing to the Supreme Court supporting the school board said parents should not have the constitutional right 'to ensure that all secular education materials conform with their personal religious beliefs.' Such a rule would be boundless because 'almost any book or idea - however commonplace or innocent - likely contradicts some religious ideals,' the group said. The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on April 22. The court's three liberal justices raised concerns about how far opt-outs for students could go beyond storybooks in public schools, offering examples of subjects such as evolution, interracial marriage or women working outside the home that might come up in classes. During the arguments, conservative Justice Samuel Alito cited one of the disputed storybooks that portrays a same-sex wedding and emphasized that the material promotes a moral message 'that a lot of people who hold on to traditional religious beliefs don't agree with.' In another religious rights case involving education, the Supreme Court in a 4-4 ruling on May 22 blocked a bid led by two Catholic dioceses to establish in Oklahoma the first taxpayer-funded religious charter school in the United States.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
It's Pride Month. Is Ohio a safe state for gay and transgender people? What new research says
Pride Month, celebrated annually in June, honors the culture and rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans across the nation through parades, educational events, and more. A new ranking recently released by global LGBTQ+ business platform Out Leadership reveals the most and least welcoming states for members of the LGBT community. In addition to a national overall decline, the researchers say that Ohio saw steep drops in the rankings because of laws targeting LGBTQ+ youth. Here's how Ohio ranks among LGBT-friendly states. State rankings show Ohio landing at No. 39 out of the 50 states, barely escaping the bottom 10 in the 2025 State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index from Out Leadership. Ohio scored 42.35 out of a possible 100 points. Florida came in at No. 40 with a 42.20 score. Indiana was No. 38 overall (42.67), and Kentucky scored 43.25 points to rank No. 37. The Buckeye State experienced the steepest decline out of all its neighboring Midwestern states, coming in second-last when ranked by region. The analysis also pointed to increased polarization surrounding gay and trans rights as well as a surge in bills that challenge LGBT rights like the 'Don't Say Gay' laws expanded in states like Florida, Ohio, and Texas. This is the second year that Ohio was considered one of the most unsafe states to live in as an LGBTQ+ American. The Out Leadership study scored states in five categories. Each category was worth up to 20 points toward the final score for each state. Here's how Ohio scored: Legal and nondiscrimination protection (13.75) Youth and family support (7.4) Political and religious attitudes (9.2) Health access and safety (6.0) Work environment and employment (6.0) Over the years, Ohio legislators have introduced a wave of bills surrounding the LGBT community. Ohio lawmakers have legislated several state-level bills around LGBTQ issues. Gov. Mike DeWine signed a transgender bathroom ban into law in November 2024. Similarly, DeWine signed House Bill 8, known as the "Parents' Bill of Rights," which would require teachers to notify parents about health and gender identity. The proposed House Bill 190 would require parental permission for name and pronoun changes for students. Senate Bill 132 and House Bill 61, the "Save Women's Sports Act" that pushed to ban transgender girls from playing on female sports teams in Ohio, advanced to the DeWine's desk. So did Senate Bill 50, which would ban conversion therapy for minors. In April 2025, the Ohio Supreme Court reinstated a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors under House Bill 68. "We look forward to showing once again that the Legislature acted properly in enacting this constitutional law, which protects our children from irreversible medical decisions," Attorney General Dave Yost spokesperson Bethany McCorkle said. Challenging the bill, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Harper Seldin stated, "The state's ban is discriminatory, baseless and a danger to the well-being of the same Ohio youth lawmakers claim to want to protect. It's also part of a sweeping effort to drive trans people out of public life altogether by controlling our health care, our families and our lives," the Dispatch reported. Ohio is one of 32 states with unenforceable same-sex marriage bans in laws or constitutions, despite growing support among the public. Certain bills have been introduced that support LGBT rights, such as the Ohio Fairness Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. However, these bills have not been signed into law since being introduced years ago. These 10 states scored the worst in the Out Leadership rankings. Arkansas (29.50) South Carolina (32.15) Louisiana (33.00) South Dakota (34.80) Tennessee (35.00) Mississippi (37.27) Oklahoma (37.62) Alabama (39.40) Montana (40.62) Idaho (42.07) Massachusetts (93.67) New York (93.67) Connecticut (92.27) New Jersey (90.00) Vermont (89.50) This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Ohio safe for gay and transgender people? What new study says
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's LGBT community feeling demonised shames us
We'd both grown up in Northern Ireland and the conflict was still unfolding. We wanted to have children while in our mid-20s and had no intention of raising them in a divided and bloody country. However, there was a secondary reason we chose Scotland. It seemed a country ready to embrace the future, somewhere equality mattered. Ireland, both north and south, remained a place of bigotry in the 1990s. Today, the Republic has taken huge steps forward, and even the north has progressed, despite its legion of problems. My wife and I were proved right as our newly-adopted country ditched the homophobic Section 28 laws and legislated for equal marriage. Soon, Scotland was being praised as one of the most LGBT-friendly places on Earth. It felt good to live in a nation of such modernity and decency. Three decades later, so many of those positive steps forward have been walked far, far back into an ugly past. Today, our LGBT community is fearful, isolated and feels demonised. This should be a source of great shame for Scotland. Read more from Neil Mackay: In a joint statement issued this week, 23 Scottish Pride organisations said they were 'deeply alarmed by the escalation in the demonisation' of LGBT people 'both at home and abroad'. Their community was being used as 'political pawns', it was said. There were accusations that an anti-LGBT lobby was influencing 'both the UK and Scottish governments'. Glasgow Pride has taken the step of banning political parties from attending its annual event, given the atmosphere that has unfolded in Scotland. It is astonishing how quickly times have changed. Not so long ago, nearly every politician imaginable saw Pride as an easy photo-op. Now politicians are only welcome if they leave their party allegiance at home. Patrick Harvie, of the Scottish Greens, has said that the LGBT community is now 'living in fear'. He told John Swinney during First Minister's Questions that the decision to ban political parties from Pride 'never even happened in the worst days of political homophobia in the 80s'. Swinney, to his credit, said he both recognised and sympathised with Harvie's points, adding that 'the climate of discourse on this issue is absolutely unacceptable'. These are fine words, and it's important that Scotland's leader puts such a statement on the public record. However, like most political parties, the SNP has its share of members who have contributed to this shaming state of affairs. To underscore just how bad matters have gotten, the international human rights index which rates nations according to how LGBT people are treated has seen the UK fall to its lowest ever ranking. The UK came first in 2015. This week we learned that Britain is now ranked second worst in Western Europe and Scandinavia for LGBT protections. After falling every year since 2015, we now only outrank Italy. This year alone, the UK slipped six places. Dr Rebecca Don Kennedy, CEO of the Equality Network, described it as 'shameful', adding: 'Scotland, when analysed separately, has in the past been considered progressive and a beacon of LGBTI+ equality and human rights. That seems to be quickly deteriorating.' Almost nine years ago to the day, this very paper ran a headline proclaiming that Scotland was 'the most gay-friendly country in Europe'. That was based on rankings by the same organisation which now puts the UK almost at the bottom of the table. Back in 2015, Scottish politicians from across the spectrum were being honoured for their contributions to LGBT rights. Pink News awarded both then Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who was the first openly LGBT leader of a major British political party, and former First Minister Alex Salmond who was given a lifetime achievement award as an 'ally'. Salmond spoke of how 'proud' he was at the changes which had been wrought in Scotland. In 2016, the Guardian newspaper was running think-pieces with headlines like 'The tartan-rainbow: why it's great to be gay in Scotland'. Reading the piece now, with long lists of positive steps forward, it seems like a missive from another time. So many successes have been erased in the culture wars which have gripped this country in the last decade. I have American friends who are packing their bags and moving with their children to this country as they no longer wish to live in the USA given the current political climate. I also have LGBT friends who are packing their bags and leaving the UK – including Scotland – because of the political climate. What's happening should make us stop and consider the path we are on. This is not how a nation should treat minorities. We are all the same, no matter the colour of our skin, our religion, or who we love. Usually, in such columns, there is an onus upon the writer to come up with solutions to the problem they put under the microscope. The only onus here is upon mainstream political parties, with the notable exception of the Greens who have stuck by the LGBT community through thick and thin.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fund set up to save working men's club hits target
A "fighting fund" set up to save Bethnal Green Working Men's Club (BGWMC) has surpassed its initial fundraising target. The LGBT-friendly venue in east London was given a two-month eviction notice in June 2024. An online petition was then launched to halt plans to close the venue, where some scenes from Netflix's Baby Reindeer were filmed. Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men's Club (FoBGWMC) said more than £14,000 had been raised so far in donations. It said the fund formed the next stage of the campaign. The building is owned by a group called the Boro of Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. The local council said it was helping "to find the best way forward to protect this important venue". The online petition was launched by actors' union Equity, which described the venue as a "crucial and irreplaceable fixture of London's cultural heritage". Money raised by FoBGWMC would pay for a full chartered survey and valuation of the building, and pay for the planning application costs, the Local Democracy Reporting Service. An extended target of £18,000 would allow the group to develop a robust business plan with financial projections and to cover all consultancy and accountancy costs. The aim is to build an investment case for one of two preferred outcomes: for Tower Hamlets Council to buy the club and then lease it back to FoBGWMC, or for the council to allow FoBGWMC to purchase the club themselves. FoBGWMC said despite the ongoing success of the club, the owners wanted to sell the building, with the proceeds shared between about 50 individuals, potentially ending 130 years of working-class community ownership. More than half of London's LGBTQ+ venues closed between 2006 and 2022, Greater London Authority data shows. FoBGWMC said if it reached its extended target, it would still keep the fundraiser "open and rolling". FoBGWMC member Dan de la Motte said: "It's been there for generations, it's about passing on the baton of queer joy and queer fun at night to the generations that are coming through after us." He added: "This space provides a vital function, a vital service, clubs are closing at a really concerning rate and there are fewer and fewer LGBTQ+ specific night time spaces. "BGWMC has been there for as long as I can remember and has always been there and has always been this safe haven, this pocket of joy and resilience and strength and mischief and that's why it's so, so vital." A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: "We have not received notice of the owner's intention to sell the property and we are not aware of the building being marketed as 'for sale'. "We have contacted the freeholder for further details and about their obligation to inform us of any intention to sell." The spokesperson said the council's corporate director for housing regeneration had met with campaigners and the authority was working with them to find a solution. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Fighting fund set up to save working men's club Rally held to save Bethnal Green Working Men's Club Tower Hamlets Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Fund to save Bethnal Green Working Men's Club hits target
A "fighting fund" set up to save Bethnal Green Working Men's Club (BGWMC) has surpassed its initial fundraising target. The LGBT-friendly venue in east London was given a two-month eviction notice in June 2024. An online petition was then launched to halt plans to close the venue, where some scenes from Netflix's Baby Reindeer were of Bethnal Green Working Men's Club (FoBGWMC) said more than £14,000 had been raised so far in donations. It said the fund formed the next stage of the campaign. The building is owned by a group called the Boro of Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. The local council said it was helping "to find the best way forward to protect this important venue". The online petition was launched by actors' union Equity, which described the venue as a "crucial and irreplaceable fixture of London's cultural heritage".Money raised by FoBGWMC would pay for a full chartered survey and valuation of the building, and pay for the planning application costs, the Local Democracy Reporting extended target of £18,000 would allow the group to develop a robust business plan with financial projections and to cover all consultancy and accountancy aim is to build an investment case for one of two preferred outcomes: for Tower Hamlets Council to buy the club and then lease it back to FoBGWMC, or for the council to allow FoBGWMC to purchase the club said despite the ongoing success of the club, the owners wanted to sell the building, with the proceeds shared between about 50 individuals, potentially ending 130 years of working-class community ownership. More than half of London's LGBTQ+ venues closed between 2006 and 2022, Greater London Authority data said if it reached its extended target, it would still keep the fundraiser "open and rolling".FoBGWMC member Dan de la Motte said: "It's been there for generations, it's about passing on the baton of queer joy and queer fun at night to the generations that are coming through after us." He added: "This space provides a vital function, a vital service, clubs are closing at a really concerning rate and there are fewer and fewer LGBTQ+ specific night time spaces."BGWMC has been there for as long as I can remember and has always been there and has always been this safe haven, this pocket of joy and resilience and strength and mischief and that's why it's so, so vital." A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: "We have not received notice of the owner's intention to sell the property and we are not aware of the building being marketed as 'for sale'. "We have contacted the freeholder for further details and about their obligation to inform us of any intention to sell."The spokesperson said the council's corporate director for housing regeneration had met with campaigners and the authority was working with them to find a solution.
