* Texas…
The Texas Department of Agriculture is ordering its employees to comply with a new dress code, mandating they abide by it in a “manner consistent with their biological gender.” An ACLU attorney says it violates federal law that bans employment discrimination based on one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
In a copy of the April 13 memo first obtained by The Texas Observer, the new dress code — handed down by Sid Miller, the state’s agriculture commissioner — is required by all employees as a part of a “dress code and grooming policy.”
“Employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender,” the new policy said.
The new dress code restrictions for employees will replace the previous one outlined by the state agency’s employee handbook, The Observer reported. The original dress code made no references to “biological gender.”
* Indiana…
Indiana Senate Republicans rejected a bill this session that would temporarily waive the statute of limitations to allow 760 child sex abuse victims in the state to receive the full compensation amount they’re owed from the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy settlement.
The Indiana House passed House Bill 1400 unanimously but Sen. Liz Brown refused to give it a hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee, which she chairs. That means Hoosiers like 62-year-old Michael Foust of New Richmond would only be eligible for 10%-25% of the amount that a victim in a less restrictive state, like Vermont, would get, even if they alleged identical abuse.
Foust told IndyStar he was molested 51 years ago in a trailer by his scoutmaster at a camp outside Crawfordsville. He said he’s still recovering from the trauma.
“It’s like a kick in the gut,” Foust said of the consequences of the Senate’s decision not to hear the bill. “It makes me sick to think about how that is so unfair.”
* The DeSantis vs. Disney saga continues…
Walt Disney Co. sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after a new board he named to oversee the district housing the company’s Orlando-area theme parks declared null and void agreements Disney struck in February.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, accuses the Republican governor of conducting a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” as punishment for the company’s decision to speak out against a law passed last year with the governor’s backing that bars classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in early elementary-school years.
The complaint also named the five DeSantis-appointed board members and other officials. It said the board’s action on Wednesday was the latest strike against the company.
“This government action was patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional,” the complaint reads. “But the Governor and his allies have made clear they do not care and will not stop.”
The complaint is here
…Adding… Zooey Zephyr has been barred by GOP from 2023 session…
Transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr was barred from participating on the House floor as Republican leaders voted Wednesday to silence her for the rest of 2023 session after she protested GOP leaders’ decision earlier in the week to silence her.
The punishment of the freshman lawmaker caps a weeklong standoff between House Democrats and Republicans after Zephyr told colleagues last week, you will “see the blood on your hands” over votes to ban gender-affirming medical care for children.
Zephyr will still be able to vote remotely under terms of the punishment.
In a defiant speech Wednesday she gave before her colleagues voted, Zephyr addressed House Speaker Matt Regier directly and said she was taking a stand for the LGBTQ+ community, her constituents in Missoula and “democracy itself.”
* In Montana…
The Montana House of Representatives is planning to take action against transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr on Wednesday after ongoing controversy at the state capitol.
* Zephyr posted the notice on Twitter…
* Back to the story…
The session begins at 1 p.m.
Zephyr has been at the center of controversy after an incident last week when the House was debating Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s proposed amendments to a measure banning gender-affirming care for minors. She told lawmakers they would have “blood on their hands” if they voted for a bill banning gender-affirming care.
“I hope the next time there’s an invocation, when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” she said.
* Back to the Lone Star State…
State lawmakers in Texas advanced a bill Tuesday suggesting stipends of up to $25,000 for public school staff members who become designated guardians authorized to carry or possess a weapon while working on the premises.
House Bill 13, which focuses on “training, preparedness, and funding for school safety and emergencies,” passed with bipartisan support and now heads to the state Senate where it’s fate is uncertain. Texas lawmakers have until May 29 to pass school safety measures before adjourning without a set return date.
If passed, the bill would allow teachers and staff of public and open-enrollment charter schools within the state to be eligible for the School Guardian Training stipend. Approved employees would ultimately be agreeing to acting as campus security in addition to their regular role(s).
They would also be required to take courses in first aid, firearms training and rigorous mental health training, which would be on top of the mental health training Texas lawmakers want to require for all school employees.
* Alabama…
An Alabama House bill filed on April 20 would prohibit the discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation in public K-12 schools and require schools to notify parents if their child identifies as LGBTQ.
Last year several anti-LGBTQ bills passed and were signed into law in Alabama. One, HB334, included an amendment that prevented the teaching or discussion of gender or sexual orientations in kindergarten through fifth grade.
This year’s bill, HB354, sponsored by Mark Butler, will extend that prohibition to the eighth grade, while adding more provisions for parents to be notified of their children’s sexual orientation in school.
The new bill would require local boards of education to adopt policies to notify parents if there is a change in their child’s physical, mental, or emotional status. Also, the parent would have to be notified of any medical services or well-being questionnaires beforehand and could opt their child out of those services.
* North Dakota via The Hill…
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) this week signed legislation barring transgender people from using certain restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity.
Burgum on Tuesday quietly enacted House Bill 1473, requiring state correctional facilities and public colleges to designate multi-occupancy restrooms and shower rooms “exclusively for males or exclusively for females.”
Administrators, correctional officers or college dormitory staff under the new law may provide “reasonable accommodation” for transgender or gender nonconforming students or inmates.
The measure sailed through North Dakota’s GOP-controlled House and Senate, passing each chamber with veto-proof margins. It is the sixth measure Burgum has signed into law this month that targets the rights of LGBTQ people, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:13 pm:
It disturbs me that the Republican party has made it a central belief that you are required to hatemonger against transgender people.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:13 pm:
She told me to… Dress This Way?…everybody sing.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:16 pm:
…but what about the Men who wear interesting underwear.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:19 pm:
The bigotry that is celebrated in Red states, along with the necessity of guns being the answer… to guns…
It’s not an accident that the GOP is afraid of America being welcoming to immigrants, those who are welcoming to diversity, equality, or equity in race… the white phony Christian aspect that has “God, Guns, and Country” is about being afraid, not being courageous and standing up for what is right.
Each of these instances plays off being scared, or empowering bigotry into law.
- Guzzlepot - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:21 pm:
I just read a Pew Research poll that says that a plurality of 18-29 year olds say that society has not gone far enough in accepting transgender people. The same poll says that of people 50 and up only 31% say society has not gone far enough, and most say society has gone too far. The problem for the Republicans is that they make more 18 year old voters every day. I think their stance is going to bite them in the rear very hard within the next ten to fifteen years.
- Former Downstater - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:25 pm:
What Demoralized said, magnified to nearly every issue in this country. I feel so bad for people trapped in these states without the ability to get somewhere that protects and values them.
- Betty Draper’s cigarette - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:32 pm:
=== Employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender,” the new policy said.==
Did they mention which historical era? I think Jesus looks quite snappy in his gown.
- Jerry - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:34 pm:
So in Texas….women have to wear mini-skirts now. That is the proper role consistent with their biological gender.
Do they have to make the coffee and bring the boss his newspaper too?
- Norseman - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:34 pm:
MAGA GOP in overdrive enacting hate as state policy and doing everything possible to prevent education about and speech against their despotism.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:35 pm:
==comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender==
While conveniently overlooking our founding fathers in wigs, heels, breeches, and stockings.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:35 pm:
==The problem for the Republicans is that they make more 18 year old voters every day. I think their stance is going to bite them in the rear very hard within the next ten to fifteen years.==
I am sure they are aware of this, which is why you are seeing so many of the moves in the party on gerrymandering and voting rights being enacted as if a clock is ticking. I imagine they remain fairly confident they can still protect “their” democracy from the will of the people.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:37 pm:
Yeah, going to harm to party for a generation to come (at least), and as someone who used to consider themselves a Republican, they deserve it.
If I lived to be 100, I would fail to understand why this suddenly became a significant threat. The sad thing is it isn’t going to stop with this.
At this point, my feelings can be summarized in nothing but banned words. I ran into a former local GOP official at an event and told him I missed his rational voice, and he looked at me with a sad look.
At this point, they could look to match every libertarian and small government instinct in my bones and it wouldn’t work. It’s who they are now.
- Shibboleth - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:40 pm:
As a GenZ member of the community, who has run a campus LGBTQ+ organization, the last few years have been outstandingly depressing. These are attacks on people like my sibling, my friends and former roommates, and the people I spent my college career speaking up for when they face undo burden. Some of those out-of-state students will be returning to states where they can no longer be themselves without fear.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:42 pm:
So ummm, I am a woman and my normal work costume is a polo shirt (might be from the ladies dept might be from the men’s) and khakis (usually but not exclusively from the ladies) with gym socks and steel tipped work shoes (men’s because it’s hard to get ladies in the size I wear). Would I be in violation? Does the department I bought my clothes in matter?
- Jerry - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:43 pm:
Agree with Jocko. I guess the Pope can’t visit Texas either as He dresses the same way.
- Shibboleth - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:43 pm:
Adding to last comment:
Rep. Zephyr is going to be censured or expelled for telling the truth. Legislators focused on doing this to CHILDREN have blood on their hands, or worse. Many of these self-identified Christians should revisit Matthew 25 to refamiliarize how God responds to those who harm the least among us.
- Jerry - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:47 pm:
@cermak road: Depends on your lunch box. Is it “I Dream of Jeannie” or “GI Joe?”
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:49 pm:
The freedom and small government party is back at it, banning clothes and speech. Do they laugh privately at the hypocrisy, or really believe it?
- Lurker - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 1:54 pm:
I have a horrible feeling that we will be reading about increased suicide rates of young people in some of these states. The harm they are inflicting just to placate their snowflake feelings is real.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:02 pm:
=Did they mention which historical era? I think Jesus looks quite snappy in his gown.=
So does the pope, plus the red shoes.
I don’t get any of this. It is ok if you disagree with someone or something, but going out of your way to make their life miserable is just unconscionable. Not very christian, but maybe they didn’t read that part of the new testament.
I would like to know the last time a trans person did something to them? Most likely they have never even knowingly met a trans person.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:02 pm:
Real macho men don’t care who wears what…securely.
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:14 pm:
= The problem for the Republicans is that they make more 18 year old voters every day. I think their stance is going to bite them in the rear very hard within the next ten to fifteen years.=
I hate to break it to you, but they make more 50 year old voters every day as well. In fact, from 2010 the percentage of the population under 65 grew 2%. The percentage of the population over 65 grew 38%.
If the National GOP keeps heading the direction they are, in a few years we could truly have a party of the old and a party of the young. It will make the millennial be boomer stuff look tame in comparison.
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:15 pm:
Meant to say “millennial VS boomer”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:25 pm:
===Sounds like common sense to me.===
Hmm… that’s an odd take, given…
===Indiana Senate Republicans rejected a bill this session that would temporarily waive the statute of limitations to allow 760 child sex abuse victims in the state to receive the full compensation amount they’re owed from the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy settlement.===
… these victims are being hurt by the GOP
That makes sense, hurting abused victims, again?
- Shibboleth - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:34 pm:
Rep. Zephyr is speaking now.
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:35 pm:
Care to tell me what rule I violated?
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:40 pm:
This type of news day after day is just depressing.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:40 pm:
===Care to tell me===
You got caught in a screen. Too busy to have noticed it and too annoyed now to figure out why.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:45 pm:
==I hate to break it to you, but they make more 50-year-old voters every day as well. ==
They are called Gen-X, and they don’t understand why this is an issue.
Trust me, I am one of them.
- Suburban Mom - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:49 pm:
Forget the Pope, there are 20 Catholic bishops, an archbishop, and a cardinal archbishop in Texas wearing skirts on the regular. Better hope none of them have any business with the Department of Agriculture.
Also, kilts.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:51 pm:
===If the National GOP keeps heading the direction they are, in a few years we could truly have a party of the old and a party of the young. It will make the millennial be boomer stuff look tame in comparison.===
You know no “Gen Xers”, you are not a “Gen Xer”, and can’t grasp what “Gen Xers” think.
More times than not, “Gen Xers” want to be left alone and ignored like they were as kids, young adults, college folks, and “now”
They ain’t saving anyone, LOL
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 2:59 pm:
===Also, kilts.===
I decided yesterday that I want one.
- Shibboleth - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:04 pm:
“The Montana House, on a 68-32 vote, bans the state’s first trans woman lawmaker, Rep. Zooey Zephyr, from the floor, anteroom, & gallery for the rest of this session.”
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:11 pm:
= Too busy to have noticed it and too annoyed now to figure out why.=
Glad to see it’s maybe resolved.
= You know no “Gen Xers”, you are not a “Gen Xer”, and can’t grasp what “Gen Xers” think.=
Speak for yourself. I’m a member of generation x, and as simple logic follows, so are most of my friends. Though I’m towards the end so some of them are the early part of the millennial span.
I never said anyone is coming to save anyone so I’m not sure what that’s about. That said, I hear far more anti LGBTQ rhetoric from gen x’ers than I do from boomers (who just seem to be confused about the whole issue). I’d add that most of the hardcore MAGA believer folks Ive met are gen x as well. That’s just what I’ve seen anecdotally in nowheresville. I’m more worried about my own generation.
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:18 pm:
BTW, a quick google will bring up lots of profiles of Jan 6 arrestees. To quote Slate, “they’re concentrated in their 40’s and 50’s”. That’s gen x. This whole “they just want to be left alone” business is something I’ve only seen in generic clickbait articles about generations. Gen x is where this hateful stuff is coming from.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:18 pm:
===Speak for yourself===
LOL…
You wrote…
===I hate to break it to you, but they make more 50 year old voters every day as well. In fact, from 2010 the percentage of the population under 65 grew 2%. The percentage of the population over 65 grew 38%.
If the National GOP keeps heading the direction they are, in a few years we could truly have a party of the old and a party of the young.===
Your anecdotal take on “Gen Xers” falling in line against Millennials, LOL… you may fall into the age group, you and your friends, but it appears your experiences are not what “Gen Xers” see as theirs…
As for speaking to MY-self, the idea that “Gen Xers” are following the Baby Boomers down the rabbit hole, abortion alone has stopped a great deal of the leakage if election results say anything, especially about women voters
I am a “drunkard”, like Rick, so that makes me a generation of the world, and I can’t think of a generation that would want to claim me.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:21 pm:
===BTW, a quick google will bring up lots of profiles of Jan 6 arrestees. To quote Slate, “they’re concentrated in their 40’s and 50’s”. That’s gen x.===
Friend, are you insinuating “Gen Xers” are the reason for the insurrection?
Maybe angry old white Gen Xers who are racist thinkers, conspiracy theorists, sure…
Now do “person of color” on January 6th
- Jerry - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:24 pm:
So in Hannuh Montana it’s a guv by the people and for the people as long as you agree with the guv’mint.
Wonder what our Founding Fathers, who wore wigs and dresses, wound think of this?
- Cailleach - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:30 pm:
TDA new dress code: women can’t wear open-toed shoes? That would ban a lot of sandal styles.
As for kilts, I’ve heard they’re cooler than wearing, say, jeans in the summer heat. More business-like than shorts?
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:33 pm:
= Friend, are you insinuating “Gen Xers” are the reason for the insurrection?
Maybe angry old white Gen Xers who are racist thinkers, conspiracy theorists, sure…=
Yes, to some degree, obviously an entire generation isn’t behind it, but I think the heart of the militants groups are members in that cohort. Let’s see, Politico referred to gen x as the “Trumpiest Generation”, I’ve seen multiple polls where gen x has the lowest approval of Biden, etc.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:34 pm:
===gen x as the “Trumpiest Generation”===
Your logical error is assuming the people coming up will wind up just like gen x. Gen X grew up with Reagan, a very popular president.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:42 pm:
===I’ve seen multiple polls where gen x has the lowest approval of Biden===
Breakouts of women… after Roe was overturned?
Breakouts of persons of color?
Angry white racist thinkers who believe in conspiracy theories… they are likely the “Trumpiest”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:45 pm:
Reagan also solidified the “southern strategy” to its pinpoint perfection to the white voters concerned about “drugs” and “urban crime”, and “safety in the suburbs”, like DuPage… in the late 80s, 1990s… and where is DuPage now?
- Wonky Kong - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:47 pm:
= Your logical error is assuming the people coming up will wind up just like gen x. Gen X grew up with Reagan, a very popular president.=
I don’t assume that at all. I would hope gen z stays closer to form as they age. But I’m a little nervous about what happens until we get there.
=breakouts…=
There’s crazies in every generation. Remember, young people are more susceptible to being radicalized. Boomers are mostly retired, gen x is running the country. Maybe I’m just a worrier.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:49 pm:
===There’s crazies in every generation.===
Huh?
===gen x as the “Trumpiest Generation”===
So… how you reconciling this?
===Maybe I’m just a worrier===
There can be concerned trolling too
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:52 pm:
===Remember, young people are more susceptible to being radicalized.===
LOL… LOL
There’s a whole study and a book about how “FoxNews radicalized my parent”
- Manchester - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 3:54 pm:
==I hate to break it to you, but they make more 50-year-old voters every day as well. ==
I’d be willing to bet that today’s 18 year old voter who stands up for the rights of LGBT, Trans, immigrant, Jews, Muslims, and people of color will still stand strong for marginalized communities when they are 50. I am the 65 year old father of two millennials and their belief systems, and those of their friends, are very much aligned with equal rights, rejection of prejudice, rejection of organized religion because of its stance on social issues, and above all rejection of the GOP. Gen X and Gen Z seem to be of a like mind. They give me hope for tomorrow but then I’m an old hippie so there is that.
- Occasional Quipper - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 4:23 pm:
== MAGA GOP in overdrive enacting hate as state policy ==
There are so many references to hate in these comments that are really not an accurate description of what’s going on. When a state bans teaching trans ideology to 3rd graders, they’re not teaching kids to hate trans people. All they’re doing is avoiding promoting an ideology that they feel shouldn’t be taught at that age. But that always gets morphed into “they’re teaching hate” when it’s nothing of the sort. Really, the hate the is most prevalent is not the right against trans. It’s the left against the right and the right against the left. We can’t have a civil discussion about anything without resorting to inflammatory phrases like “spreading hate”. And then sites like these become nothing but echo chambers and the comments sections become useless.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 4:38 pm:
Kilts are cool.
- Sir Reel - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 5:52 pm:
Glad to see these MAGA Republicans are focusing on the critical issues of today, like the economy, climate change, etc. Oh wait they’re not.
Oh
- Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 6:11 pm:
Well done, Montana legislature, you just elevated Zooey to a national platform she never could have attained had you not been intolerant snowflakes.
On a personal note, I was 50-50 as to where I was going to spend my summer vacation- and my tourist dollars: Montana or Oregon. The Montana legislature just convinced me to go to Oregon.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 7:22 pm:
I must say that I don’t have a problem with not waiving the statute of limitations. There are good reasons for such statutes. Would anyone here be happy with having to defend themselves against an allegation about something alleged to have happened 51 years ago?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 7:36 pm:
===All they’re doing is avoiding promoting an ideology that they feel shouldn’t be taught at that age===
Right. That’s all they’re doing. Nothing else going on there. OK.
===We can’t have a civil discussion about anything without resorting to inflammatory phrases ===
Ah, the blog tone police have arrived.
Also, and most importantly, your initial point is not anywhere in evidence here. You’ve created a straw man, then used that to smear everyone else.
But, you know, you’re the above it all civil one.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Apr 26, 23 @ 9:49 pm:
Occasional Quipper, in the real world, nobody is teaching trans ideology to kids. Kids are being taught about diversity to treat all with respect.
In the real world the only thing that passes as “trans ideology” is the belief that Trans people should be allowed to live their lives like everyone else.
If you paid attention to what is going on in opposite land, you’d know that this is not simply about the “teaching” lie that kids are being taught a phony ideology. The MAGA GOP state legislators have adopted prohibitions on medical care for Trans minors. Worse, the MO maniac AG has just been temporarily enjoined from prohibiting medical care for ALL Trans people. God hope this abomination will be permanently enjoined or I’ll have to worry about this sick politician endangering the life of my daughter and so many others.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 27, 23 @ 8:02 am:
- Norseman -
You have put this entire comment section today on notice to what a rational realization reads like, and how in the real world things are, not how others hope they can be framed so terribly for a narrative.
Thank you for your comment.