Tag: North Dakota

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North Dakota Lawmakers Ban Transgender Students From Sports

Highway sign reading North Dakota

Highway sign reading North Dakota North Dakota’s state legislature passed a bill today prohibiting transgender students from participating in a school-sponsored athletic team. The bill passed 69 to 25 and now goes to Gov. Doug Burgum’s desk. Bills banning transgender students from sports participation are now awaiting vetoes or signatures from governors of North Dakota, Montana, Kansas and West Virginia.

Three previous states, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee, have signed bills into law, and South Dakota’s governor issued executive orders after expressing concerns about the legality of the state’s ban. Lawmakers across the country have acknowledged they could not cite an instance of trans participation being an issue in their states. North Dakota has had a policy regulating trans participation for the last five and a half years. GLAAD released a guide for journalists covering the wave of anti-LGBTQ bills nationwide. Statement from Serena Sonoma, GLAAD’s Communications Coordinator and Regional Media Lead, U.S. South:

“Transgender young people just want to be safe, belong, and live free of discrimination, including from some in their own government. There is no evidence that including trans kids harms anyone.

“This bill and similar measures across dozens of states are unnecessary and harmful to all young people. Lawmakers must stop targeting the most vulnerable in their states. They are sending a terrible message that hurts all kids and threatens their states’ economies. Gov. Burgum must veto this damaging bill.”

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News Round-Up: March 9, 2021

Pfizer announced its new antiviral pill reduced risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 by 89 percent

A new once-a-month pill for PrEP is proving to be ‘extremely potent’ in testing
Some news items you might have missed: • Metro Weekly: Pharmaceutical company Merck has released data from the second phase of trials into its antiretroviral drug islatravir, a once-a-month pill to protect against HIV infection, which has proven to be “extremely potent.” • Billboard: Of the eight Grammy nominees for best new artist, three — CHIKA, Kaytranada and Phoebe Bridgers — openly identify as LGBTQ. • New York Daily News: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said on Monday that she’s “excited” to sign a bill banning transgender girls and women from participating in sports teams that correspond to their gender identity. South Dakota is the second U.S. state this year, after Mississippi, to pass legislation targeting transgender sports athletes. • Amazon Prime: “Love The One You’re With” (2021) is a dramatic comedy from award winning comedian and filmmaker Sampson McCormick that follows a couple, Miles and Avery as they navigate the possible ending of a long term relationship. The story offers surprise twists, lots of laughter and a mind stirring story line.

• The Independent: The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was able to combat a new variant that was rapidly circulating in Brazil, a new study has found. • Des Moines Register: Four months after Iowans voted in record numbers, Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed legislation cutting the state’s early voting period and closing the polls an hour earlier on Election Day. Every Republican present for debate in the House and Senate voted for the legislation. Every Democrat voted against it. #AndSoItBegins • Palm Beach Post: Despite his false claims about mail voting during the 2020 election cycle, Donald Trump requested a mail ballot on Friday for the third time in his Palm Beach County voter history. • Law and Crime: In their bid to get him out of the Grady County Jail in Oklahoma, attorneys for an 18-year-old defendant in the U.S. Capitol siege said another inmate attacked him. They also said their client caught COVID-19 while behind bars. He allegedly assaulted a police officer and was armed with a baton.

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News Round-Up: September 15, 2020

L-R Blake Lee, Ben Lewis (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • TVLine: Blake Lee (Parks and Recreation, Mixology) and Ben Lewis (Arrow, Shadowhunters) – a married couple in real life (above) – have been announced to star in Lifetime’s first-ever holiday movie with an LGBTQ storyline, The Christmas Setup. Fran Drescher, of The Nanny fame, will play Lewis’s mother in the TV flick. • Boy Culture: Madonna’s biopic has been fast-tracked by Universal, and today we learn not only is the Queen of Pop co-writing the script with Diablo Cody, but Madge will direct the film of her life as well. • LGBTQ Nation: A city councilwoman in Minot, North Dakota, came out & delivered an epic smackdown to man complaining about a Pride flag. “So Mr. Walker, if you’re not aware, and I think a lot of people in this room are not aware and have come here just because this is a gay issue, I am proudly the first openly elected lesbian in North Dakota. So that is why I am not paying any heed to your crap.” • Pew Research: A new 13-nation Pew Research Center survey indicates America’s reputation has declined among many key allies and partners since Donald Trump took office. In several countries, the share of the public with a favorable view of the U.S. is as low as it has been at any point since the Center began polling on this topic nearly two decades ago. • Edge Media: An Italian man has been accused of killing his 18-year-old sister in a rage because she was dating a transgender man. The suspect told authorities that he “wanted to teach her a lesson.” • CNBC: More on the death of civility – CNBC host Jim Cramer called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “Crazy Nancy” to her face during an interview on Tuesday morning — a derogatory term usually used by Donald Trump. The Mad Money host was asking Pelosi about stalled negotiations on a 4th coronavirus stimulus package when the nickname popped out. “What deal can we have, Crazy Nancy — I’m sorry, that was the president,” Cramer said, realizing the moment didn’t play as well as he’d planned in his head. “I have such reverence for the office, I would never use that term.” Pelosi (D-Calif.) stayed calm telling Cramer: “But you just did. But you just did.”

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News Round-Up: October 11, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• The above graphic is dedicated to any and everyone considering National Coming Out Day… #comeoutcomeoutwhereveryouare

• Activists are warning people with HIV and other chronic illnesses to check small print when getting a new health insurance policy. Some insurers are refusing to allow co-payment assistance coupons from drug manufacturers from counting towards annual deductibles.

• Americans have ranked Barack Obama as the president who’s done the best job in their lifetimes.

• Observing the 20 anniversary since Matthew Shepard was kidnapped and beaten then left to die on a cold Wyoming night tied to a fence, his parents have announced his remains will be interred at the Washington National Cathedral later this month.

• The 750,000 citizens of North Dakota, where Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp is struggling in the polls, could very well decide for the country who controls the Senate after midterm elections.

• UK recording artist (and Randy Report favorite) Calum Scott offers his own coming out story for National Coming Out Day.

Scott recounts a painful part of his young adult life – processing the complex emotions of being a gay teen and letting the world around him aware of his sexual orientation. Friends abandoned him early on, and it hurt. But in the poignant profile, he says he found the courage to be honest about himself through music.

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Marriage equality lawsuit filed in North Dakota

Every state in the US which has a law outlawing marriage equality now has a legal challenge filed in court.

Seven couples filed suit in Fargo, North Dakota, today taking aim at the state’s same-sex marriage ban AND the state’s failure to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

North Dakota passed it’s ban on marriage equality in 2004.

Currently 19 states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex couples to legally wed.

(source)

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North Dakota: Sen. Heidi Heitkamp supports marriage equality

“In speaking with North Dakotans from every corner of our great state, and much personal reflection, I have concluded the federal government should no longer discriminate against people who want to make lifelong, loving commitments to each other or interfere in personal, private, and intimate relationships. I view the ability of anyone to marry as a logical extension of this belief. The makeup of families is changing, but the importance of family is enduring.” – Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), becoming the 52nd sitting U.S. Senator to endorse marriage equality.

(Via JMG)

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North Dakota: Gay college football player dismissed from team

Jamie Kuntz was dismissed from the North Dakota State College of Science’s football team after he was caught kissing his 65 year old boyfriend during an away football game.

The school feels that he was an ongoing distraction but Jamie thinks that his sexual orientation was a factor in his dismissal.

SB Nation’s Amy K. Nelson gives excellent coverage to this very complicated story from all points of view, talking to Jamie, his teammates, and the school’s athletic director for the first time on camera.