Which lawsuit this was: 21 states sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a 2025 rule that said that individual and small-group insurance plans sold on the Obamacare marketplaces could exclude gender-affirming care for trans people of all ages from coverage.
Why this matters: Lots of people will be able to access lifesaving health care because of this ruling.
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What the org is saying: “We made this decision after carefully assessing the risks. We cannot control the repressive environment, but we can do everything possible not to create additional risks for people. People’s safety comes first,” the Russian LGBT Network said in a statement posted to social media.
Why it matters: It’s unsafe to even appear to publicly support LGBTQ+ people in Russia now.
Why the judges agreed to this: A three-judge panel on the Ninth Cirtcuit US Court of Appeals allowed the Department of Justice to subpoena a queer clinic’s medical records because, the majority opinion said, the administration can “exercise its statutory authority in a manner that aligns with [the president’s] broader policy goals,” and one of those goals is ending gender-affirming care for trans youth even though Congress hasn’t passed a law banning it.
Why it matters: Federal judges have, until now, always sided with plaintiffs suing to keep their medical records private in the face of Trump administration subpoenas. This is the first court to rule on the administration’s side, which might set up a conflict for the Supreme Court to get involved in.
Why they’re doing it: The queer Republican organization says that trans people only care about protecting trans kids’ rights now, which LCR finds “offensive.”
Why it matters: LCR was never a great defender of trans rights, but at least they’re being honest now. “It’s news to us that they ever pretended to care about the T,” HRC said in a statement.
Who she is: Julia Curlee was the White House’s senior CIA official, briefing presidents and vice presidents of both parties for decades on national security matters because she believes in “service before politics” and “country before self.” She worked through Trump’s first administration but was fired several months into his second administration after a right-wing influencer outed her publicly.
Why it matters: The administration’s transphobia is endangering national security.
Picture of the Week
Florida held its primary elections this week, which were a mixed bag for LGBTQ+ candidates. Keith Gross ran in the GOP primary for a US House seat and was the target of homophobic ads in the primary. He lost on Tuesday, but he did have some supporters.
Some more great queer and trans reads
Columnist Faefyx Collington discussed how media companies backing away from trans representation in the second Trump administration could set back progress even after Donald Trump is out of office.
Columnist John Gallagher discussed Pete Buttigieg’s strategy for Democrats to win more state legislatures to build power for the party.
Contributor Warren Blumenfeld discussed the real-life story of Jim Baines, a gay basher who tried to turn his life around.
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