USA: Texas files suit in Supreme Court over California state-funded travel ban against States that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender

Texas filed an original action in the US Supreme Court Monday to overturn California’s ban on state-funded travel to a list of 11 states—including Texas—that have adopted policies that California has deemed discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation or gender.

California Assembly Bill 1887, enacted in 2016 and expanded in 2017, bans state-funded or required travel of California agencies or their employees to a list currently comprising 11 states that have passed legislation that, according to AB 1887, discriminates or authorizes discrimination “against same-sex couples or their families or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, as specified, subject to certain exceptions. ”

The expansion of the California travel ban in 2017 added four states—Alabama, Kentucky, South Dakota and Texas—each for various laws passed affecting LGBTQ individuals and families in the state.

Texas was added to the 2017 list expansion for its enactment of HB 3859, which, according to the press release from California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, “allows foster care agencies to discriminate against children in foster care and potentially disqualify LGBT families from the state’s foster and adoption system.”

The action filed Monday by Texas in response to its addition to California’s list of banned states calls into questions whether the restriction on state-funded travel will be able to stand against the 10 other states currently listed.

In the press release announcing the suit’s filing, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton characterized the states to which California restricts state travel as states that “uphold First Amendment protections for religious liberty,” defending the Texas bill that landed his state on the list in 2017:

The law California opposes does not prevent anyone from contributing to child-welfare; in fact, it allows our state to partner with as many different agencies as possible to expand the number of safe and loving homes available to foster children. Boycotting states based on nothing more than political disagreement breaks down the ability of states to serve as laboratories of democracy while still working together as one nation—the very thing our Constitution intended to prevent.

The suit filed by Texas cites examples of trips canceled due to the ban, including a group of college students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, whose trip to a conference of minority architects in Houston was canceled last minute in 2017.

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Switzerland: Controversial initiative on married couples’ tax equality (excluding same-sex couples) withdrawn

Proponents of a people’s initiative that seeks equal tax treatment for married and unmarried couples have withdrawn it in favour of relaunching a more gay-friendly version. The formality, which was communicated to the governing Federal Council on Wednesday, was already announced last month by the Christian Democratic Party who were behind it. The initiative sought to prevent penalising a significant number of married couples who would pay less tax if they were taxed individually instead of as a unit. The withdrawal of the text was a result of change of heart by Christian Democrats over the definition of marriage. The new text will also aim to end tax discrimination against married couples but will no longer define the institution as the lasting union of a man and a woman. According to party’s president Gerhard Pfister, the text should benefit all married couples and people living in registered partnership, therefore also gay couples. In 2016, the initiative was put to a …

USA – South Dakota: Republicans kill bill to criminalise doctors who treat trans kids after fierce backlash

A South Dakota bill that would criminalise doctors who provide treatment to trans kids has been shelved after an outcry from medical experts and LGBT+ campaigners.

Croatia Constitutional Court: Same Sex Couples Can Be Foster Parents

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/41347-croatia-court-gay-foster

The Swiss press have largely welcomed voters’ broad support to closing a loophole in lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) rights by extending anti-racism laws to cover sexual orientation.

Sunday February 9 was “a bad day for intolerant people”, wrote the Blick tabloid on Monday. Yesterday, 63.1% of voters came out in favour of extending current anti-racism legislation to make it illegal to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. Blick said the vote meant “more freedom for hundreds of thousands of citizens” and was not about censorship or muzzling. The Tages-Anzeiger paper said the result should be seen as a further step towards equality for homosexuals rather than any kind of special protection. “[Homosexuals] are threatened and marginalised. Society is now clearly saying that it will not tolerate this,” it said. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) also largely welcomed the “symbolic” decision. “Voices standing against diversity in life found no support,” …

Switzerland backs crucial new anti-homophobia law in landmark public vote

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/02/10/switzerland-anti-homophobia-law-referendum-vote-pink-cross-equality-marriage/

USA: Virginia lawmakers pass anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ individuals

Virginia lawmakers passed the Virginia Values Act, anti-discrimination legislation that protects LGBTQ individuals, on Thursday.

This act, currently encapsulated by HB 1049 and SB 868, These two bills both will prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodation, public contracting, apprenticeship programs, housing, banking, and insurance based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 

SB 868 was passed by the Virginia Senate by thirty to nine on Thursday, and HB 1049 was passed by the House of the Delegates on Wednesday by fifty-nine to thirty-nine. Both bills still have to advance through the other chamber, but they are expected to pass through and be signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam. Virginia is anticipated to be one of the first southern states to pass such protections.

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Swiss voters had the final say on Sunday on a proposed law to make homophobia a criminal offence in the country. Opponents who forced the ballot look set to lose their challenge. Opinion polls published last week found that a two-thirds majority of respondents were in favour of the legal amendment, which will improve protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The reform, which will expand existing anti-racism regulations to include homophobia, was approved by parliament in 2018. But a small ultra-conservative religious group, the Federal Democratic Union, supported by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, then collected enough signatures to force a nationwide ballot. Opponents argue that the law undermines the right to free speech, and that the LGBT community doesn’t need special legal protection. Current legislation is enough to prevent insults, slander and other forms of violence or ill-treatment, they say. ‘Political signal’ However, supporters – a …

Karrierenetzwerk sucht 50 LGBT+ Juristen “Jura ist doch noch ziem­lich kon­ser­vativ”

https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/top-juristen-schwul-lesbisch-bi-trans-liste-alice-netzwerk-diversity-vorbilder/

Nepalese officials announced Thursday that there will be a third gender option in the next population census, marking the first time the LGBTQ+ community has been included in the population statistics as a minority group.

The Central Bureau of Statistics will publish the survey in 2021, which campaigners believe will grant better access to healthcare and education for the 29 million people who are LGBTQ+ in Nepal, which the data previously omitted them from these programs.

Despite previous controversy, the third option is a step towards more acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community in Nepal, following the landmark 2008 Supreme Court decision granting equal rights for all citizens regardless of sexual orientation.

However, there are no additional options to identify which sexual orientation the person identifies with; a decision which will be decided in March. The Head of the Mitini Nepal charity, Ms Sarita K.C. said: “There are plans for a more specific, detailed survey exclusively for LGBTI [people] … hopefully by 2022. It will give more accurate data.”

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