A new rule from President Joe Biden’s administration blocking blanket policies to keep transgender students from using school bathrooms that align with their gender identity could conflict with laws in Republican-controlled states. The clash over bathroom policy and other elements of a federal regulation finalized last week could set the stage for another wave of … Read more
ST. PAUL, Minn. — As a queer and out youth, Shae Ross was alarmed when she heard that conservative groups were organizing in her community to ban books dealing with sexuality, gender and race. So she and her friends got organized themselves, and helped persuade their school board to make it much harder to remove … Read more
PAYSON, Utah — Actor Kevin Bacon on Saturday returned to the Utah high school where the cult classic movie “Footloose” was filmed more than 40 years. Bacon danced his way to a stage on a Payson High School athletic field Saturday to greet students before what likely was the final prom held at the school, … Read more
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania school board’s cancellation of an upcoming appearance by actor and children’s book author Maulik Pancholy was ill-advised and sends a hurtful message, especially to the LGBTQ+ community, education officials said. A member of Cumberland Valley School District’s board cited concerns about what he described as Pancholy’s activism and “lifestyle” before … Read more
One of the largest Vaisakhi celebrations in the world is underway in Surrey. Hundreds of thousands of people have packed the streets for the popular annual event. Organizers believe there will be more than 700,000 people at the event, a record number for the celebration. Vaisakhi dates back to 1699 and celebrates the revelation of … Read more
PHOENIX — A small blue dog with an Australian accent has captured the hearts of people across the world. She’s the title character of “Bluey,” a kids’ program consisting of seven-minute episodes that have enraptured children and adults alike. This week’s release of its longest episode yet — at a whopping 28 minutes — prompted … Read more
Three court rulings across the U.S. this week delved into laws restricting the rights of transgender kids, including the first time the U.S. Supreme Court has gotten involved in a ban on gender-affirming care. Most Republican-controlled states have now banned gender-affirming health care such as puberty blockers and hormones for transgender minors, and blocked transgender … Read more
NEW YORK — Shaina Taub was in the audience at “Suffs,” her buzzy and timely new musical about women’s suffrage, when she spied something that delighted her. It was intermission, and Taub, both creator and star, had been watching her understudy perform at a matinee preview last week. Suddenly, she saw audience members searching the … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s transgender sports ban violates the rights of a teen athlete under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools, an appeals court ruled Tuesday. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the law cannot be applied to a 13-year-old who has been … Read more
Western Australian families of school aged children can now apply for payments up to $250 to help with back-to-school costs. Families of students in kindergarten through to year 12 are all eligible for the payment, which WA Premier Roger Cook said would land in banks within a week of being claimed. The WA Student Assistance … Read more
