DETROIT — A judge in Michigan ruled this week that an attack on a transgender woman was a hate crime against her gender. TV station FOX2 reported that technically, transgender people aren’t covered by Michigan’s hate crimes law. However, Judge Willam McConico agreed with the prosecutor and said since the case was about gender, the…
Category: Regional
Regional
Indiana governor backs hate crimes law
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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Monday that he would support an LGBTQ-inclusive hate crimes law for the state. Holcomb made the announcement in statement to the LGBTQ news website INTO. Indiana is one of only five states with no hate crimes legislation at all. The issue popped up in the state after a…
Regional
Judge rules to allow Indiana transgender teen to use men’s room
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A federal judge in Indianapolis ruled Monday that an Evansville transgender teen can use the restroom that aligns with his gender identity, according to local media. The Evansville Courier & Press reported that U.S. District Judge William Lawrence of Indianapolis issued a preliminary injunction Friday that requires the local school district to allow…
Regional
Ohio judge sued over refusing trangender teens’ name changes
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CLEVELAND — A judge who has come under fire for refusing to allow transgender teenagers change their names is now being sued, according to NBC OUT. The website reported that three teenagers were suing because of what seemed like a pattern. All of the teens have the support of their parents both in the lawsuits…
Regional
Civil rights orgs urge court to accept appeal of man who may have received death sentence because he’s gay
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ST. LOUIS — Six civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, Lambda Legal, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and National LGBT Bar Association, filed an amici brief today urging the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the appeal of Charles…
Regional
Indiana gay couple says they were denied service by florist
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AVON, Ind. — An Indiana couple said they were discriminated by a florist shop last week when the florist was told wedding flowers would be for two men. Indianapolis TV station RTV6 reported that David Elliot went to Avon Florist, in Avon, Ind., just west of Indianapolis, to get flowers for his wedding. Once he…
Regional
Mich. civil rights commission to protect LGBTQ rights despite AG
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LANSING — The Michigan Civil Rights Commission said on Monday that they will stand by decision to include LGBTQ rights despite the opinion of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, local media reported. From MLive: At a meeting in northern Michigan Monday, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission reiterated its support for the interpretive statement members approved…
Regional
Ohio becomes a front line for transgender rights
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COLUMBUS, Ohio. — According to Reuters, Ohio is the next battleground for transgender rights in the United States. Reuters reported that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit against officials at the Ohio Department of Health in March on behalf of three trans women and one trans man. Ohio is…
Regional
Michigan AG says state’s LGBTQ bias policy is ‘invalid’
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LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Friday said the state civil rights commission’s interpretation of a civil rights law was “invalid,” local media reported. The Detroit News reported that Schuette said in a formal opinion that “the Michigan Civil Rights Commission overstepped its authority when it determined that an existing ban on “sex”…
Regional
Judge sides with anti-LGBTQ Christian group at Univ. of Iowa
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IOWA CITY — A student Christian group at the University of Iowa will be rerecognized as a registered group after a recent decision by a judge, a local newspaper reported on Friday. The Gazette of Cedar Rapids reported that Business Leaders in Christ, or BLinC, will be allowed to work as a registered student organization.…