THE NEW INQUISITION

Texas high court says governor cannot order transgender child investigations




Fri, May 13, 2022
By Brad Brooks and Maria Caspani

LUBBOCK, Texas (Reuters) - The Texas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that neither Governor Greg Abbott nor the state's attorney general had the authority to order child abuse investigations of families that provide certain medical treatment for their transgender children.

In its ruling, the top court said the state could not investigate the family of a 16-year-old transgender child at the center of the case while the family's lawsuit was pending before lower courts.

The court did not go so far as to order a blanket ban on all such investigations, saying a decision on carrying out inquiries was up to the Department for Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

"The Governor and the Attorney General were certainly well within their rights to state their legal and policy views on this topic, but DFPS was not compelled by law to follow them," the court wrote in its ruling https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1454197/220229.pdf

The DFPS said in an emailed statement it was reviewing the ruling and had no comment.

Texas is one of dozens of states where conservative politicians have sought to criminalize provision of medical treatments used to help young people transition away from the gender they were assigned at birth. Critics of such proposals have accused Republicans of seizing on gender identity as a wedge issue for political gain.

In its ruling, the Texas Supreme Court noted that DFPS officials, through press statements the agency made, appeared to think it was bound by the Republican governor or attorney general's opinions on the matter, but that "nothing before this Court supports the notion that DFPS is so bound."

After the decision did not result in a blanket ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the ruling was a victory.

He wrote on Twitter that he had "just secured a win for families against the gender ideology of doctors, big pharma, clinics trying to 'trans' confused, innocent children."

Neither Paxton nor Abbott responded to requests for further comment.

The ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal -- both of which represent the family of a transgender teenager targeted for investigation -- applauded the ruling as "a win for our clients and the rule of law."

The child, identified in the ACLU and Lambda lawsuit only as "Mary Doe, a minor," has taken puberty-delaying medications and hormone therapy.

The lawsuit says no other state treats gender-affirming medical care as a form of child abuse. There is wide agreement among mainstream medical and mental health professionals that gender-affirming care saves lives by reducing the risk of depression and suicide.

The DFPS has said it has opened at least nine child welfare inquiries under Abbott's policy.

(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas, and Maria Caspani in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)

Texas court allows child abuse probes into families of transgender teens to continue

By Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune

Jey Austen listens to the testimony of an anonymous transgender child during the Trans Kids Cry for HELP! rally on March 13 against Gov. Greg Abbott's directive to investigate parents who provide gender-affirming care to their kids. Photo by Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune

May 13 (UPI) -- Texas' child welfare agency remains blocked from investigating the family of a transgender teen who sued the state in March, but can once again investigate other families who provide gender-affirming care after the Supreme Court of Texas struck down a statewide injunction Friday.

Though it overturned the injunction on procedural grounds, the high court raised questions about why the Department of Family and Protective Services opened these investigations in the first place. The court affirmed in Friday's ruling that neither Attorney General Ken Paxton nor Gov. Greg Abbott had any grounds to direct the agency's actions.

In February, Paxton issued a nonbinding legal opinion that equated certain medical treatments and procedures for transgender teens with child abuse. Abbott, citing that opinion, then sent a letter to DFPS directing the agency to investigate parents who provided gender-affirming care to their transgender children.

In a statement responding to the order, DFPS said it would "follow Texas law" as laid out in Paxton's opinion, "[i]n accordance with Governor Abbott's directive." The agency proceeded to open at least nine investigations into parents of transgender children.

RELATED Arizona school district bucks law on transgender student athletes

"The governor and the attorney general were certainly well within their rights to state their legal and policy views on this topic, but DFPS was not compelled by law to follow them," Friday's ruling reads. "DFPS's press statement, however, suggests that DFPS may have considered itself bound by either the governor's letter, the attorney general's opinion, or both. Again, nothing before this court supports the notion that DFPS is so bound."

The ruling does note the myriad "informal mechanisms" through which elected officials can influence a state agency, but "ultimately, however, one department or another has the final say."

In this case, the ruling said, DFPS was responsible for deciding whether these investigations aligned with current state regulations -- and will have to decide whether to continue these investigations and allow new ones to be opened.

RELATED Federal judge hears case against Alabama law banning youth transgender treatment

DFPS employees have told The Texas Tribune that agency leadership has acknowledged that these investigations do not meet the current requirements for child abuse and have said policy would need to be generated to match the governor's directives.

In March, a district judge granted an injunction blocking the state from continuing these investigations or opening new ones. Paxton appealed that decision to the Third Court of Appeals, which reinstated the statewide temporary injunction.

He then petitioned the Supreme Court of Texas to review that appeal. In Friday's ruling, the high court agreed with Paxton that the appeals court overstepped -- while the appeals court can reinstate an injunction if it "preserves the parties' rights," they cannot reinstate a temporary injunction of any nature.

RELATED Most transgender children who socially transition stick with gender identity

In this case, the justices ruled, the "parties" are the family that sued the state initially -- not all parents of all transgender children.

Ian Pittman, an Austin attorney representing two families of transgender children who are under investigation for child abuse, said the injunction had allowed his clients to "breathe a sigh of relief" while their investigations were paused. Although the investigations can resume, he's hopeful that DFPS will close out the cases.

"This ruling reaffirms that [DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters] acted improperly when she acknowledged the directive and said they would follow it," he said. "She was abdicating her responsibilities as commissioner to a political stunt that has no legal authority."

If DFPS does not close out the cases, he expects other families may consider bringing suits to get any investigations against them similarly blocked.

In a statement, Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas called the ruling "a win for our clients and the rule of law."

"It would be unconscionable for DFPS to continue these lawless investigations while this lawsuit continues, and we will not stop fighting to protect the safety and lives of transgender youth here in Texas," the statement said.

Paxton also framed this ruling as a win, saying on Twitter that the Texas Supreme Court "green-lighted investigations that lower [Democratic] courts froze."

DFPS spokesman Patrick Crimmins said the agency is reviewing the ruling.

For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project's 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255 or texting 741741.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune. Read the original here. /.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org

Kendrick Lamar releases track about accepting his trans relatives


Prince Williams

Jo Yurcaba
Fri, May 13, 2022

The rapper Kendrick Lamar released what some fans are calling a "barrier-breaking song" about accepting his transgender relatives.

Lamar dropped his highly anticipated album "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" on Friday. In one track, "Auntie Diaries," Lamar raps in the first verses, "My auntie is a man now / I think I’m old enough to understand now," telling the story of his "auntie" who is a trans man, and his journey to accepting him.

He also raps about a cousin who is a trans woman, the homophobia and transphobia his relatives faced and his own growth.

Referring to a homophobic slur, Lamar raps, "We ain’t know no better / Elementary kids with no filter however," and then describes how he became proud of his relative: "My auntie became a man and I took pride in it." But he goes on to describe how when his relative picked him up from school, his friends "stare."

"They couldn’t comprehend what I grew accustomed," he raps.

He raps about how a pastor didn’t support his cousin’s transition, and how he challenged those beliefs. "I said 'Mr. Preacher man, should we love thy neighbor? / The laws of the land or the heart, what’s greater?'"

He later raps that standing up for his cousin brought his family together. "The day I chose humanity over religion / The family got closer, it was all forgiven."

Some fans on Twitter have praised the song and its message, with one person describing it as "a truly barrier-breaking son in hip-hop."

Another fan said the timing of Lamar's track — when dozens of states nationwide have considered more than 200 anti-LGBTQ bills, with most targeting transgender youth — is "powerful."

But some LGBTQ fans disagreed with how Lamar delivered the track. He misgenders and deadnames his "auntie" and cousin, meaning he uses the wrong pronouns and names for them. He also uses a homophobic slur repeatedly.

"You can show growth and development without using a slur and blatant misgendering," one person said. "[B]eing kendrick lamar does not excuse you from accountability."

Another person shared an image of some of the song's lyrics, in which Lamar deadnames Caitlyn Jenner, who came out as transgender in 2015. "In what universe is deadnaming and misgendering remotely acceptable?" they said.

Another listener wrote that the "context of the track is important," because the song shows Lamar's "past ignorance and then his later growth and realization of the harm of his old ideologies." But the fan added that there are "better ways" to convey that message.

Some fans noted that Lamar tells a story in the song that shows he doesn't agree with using homophobic slurs. He raps about a show he did in Gulf Shores, Alabama, in 2018, during which he invited a fan on stage to sing one of his songs. He stopped her after a few verses, because the woman, who was white, sang the N-word along with him. He told her, “You got to bleep one single word.” He ended up giving her a second shot at singing the song.

He raps in "Auntie Diaries" that his cousin challenged him about his use of homophobic slurs, and that he thought of the Alabama show. "You said, 'Kendrick, ain’t no room for contradiction / To truly understand love, switch position."

Adidas ad featuring a trans woman is playing on repeat during March Madness. It's making people angry.

Kerry Justich
April 1, 2022

Adidas airs female-focused campaign during men’s March Madness tournament.

 (Photo courtesy of Adidas)

Adidas is facing backlash and the threat of boycotts in response to its latest Impossible Is Nothing campaign honoring women in sports.

The sportswear brand debuted The I'mPossible film series on February 14, which features volleyball player Tifanny Abreu; basketball player Asma Elbadawi; model Ellie Goldstein; actor Hoyeon; runner Fatima Ibrahimi; skateboarder Momiji Nishiya and yoga teacher Jessamyn Stanley. The mission behind it, Adidas tells Yahoo Life, is to demonstrate "the belief that sport has the power to change lives, with the brand’s seasonal narrative supporting those who are breaking down barriers and driving gender equity, on and off the field of play."


While the campaign highlights the stories of women "who have made their impossible possible, with the aim of inspiring others to do the same," according to the brand, it is being aired on repeat throughout the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

"We aim to drive further visibility to this message during March Madness, inspiring the next generation of student-athletes to continue to push boundaries for a more equal and inclusive community of sport," Adidas says.

By pushing boundaries, however, it seems that the brand has caused some upset.

Critics have taken to the brand's social media pages to express disappointment in the message — most notably, the inclusion of transgender Brazilian athlete Abreu amid heated debates about trans athletes.

"Impossible for me to ever buy another adidas product," one person responded on Twitter. "I’m buying a different brand."

Another wrote, "Now I'm muting you. I suggest that all women do the same and also boycott your products."

Others called the brand "fake woke" and suggested that the 30 second commercial "destroyed the company."

Still, Adidas has found support from audiences happy to see LGBTQ representation, among the inclusion of other inspiring women.

It's a welcome surprise to see the Transgender Community being recognized by corporate America during a month other than June. Thank you.
— C (@czuck1983) February 22, 2022

"It's a welcome surprise to see the Transgender Community being recognized by corporate America during a month other than June. Thank you," one viewer wrote. Another said, "I'm buying a pair [of Adidas] right now!"

Adidas tells Yahoo Life that the ad campaign is just a part of "the brand’s commitment to creating a more equitable future in sport," as it recently unveiled its own Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) network founded in equity and inclusivity.

"With the ability to reach over 50,000 student-athletes across 23 sports and 109 schools, the new NIL program will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors," a statement from the brand reads.

“At adidas, we are committed to creating change through sport and recognize the important role student-athletes play in shaping the future,” said Rupert Campbell, president of Adidas North America. “Our groundbreaking NIL program advances our commitments toward building inclusivity in sport and inspires athletes to realize a more equitable world. I can’t wait to see it come to life.”

Trans refuge bills: New York, 18 other states commit to protecting trans kids and families

Sammy Gibbons, 

New York State Team

Democrat and Chronicle
Fri, May 13, 2022

New York lawmakers counted New York among a number of states that introduced or announced legislation this week protecting access to care and rights for transgender constituents.

2021 marked a record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation, according to the Human Rights Campaign. This year is even worse, according to New York State Assemblymember Harry Bronson. More bills prohibiting gender-affirming care, blocking trans girls from competing on women’s sports teams, among others, passed in several states already this year.

Bronson joined New York Sen. Brad Hoylman, in introducing New York's legislation, which is characterized as a "trans refuge" bill.

"As a society we must recognize the dignity and humanity inherent within others — especially our trans youth," Bronson said. "Our Trans Safe Haven legislation will send a strong message that LGBTQ+ rights will always be protected in the Empire State."

New York is one of three states that recently introduced a “trans refuge” bill, along with California and Minnesota. On May 3, several states passed more anti-trans laws, while 16 other states committed to bring forward similar legislation.

Tal Moskowitz, 8, below, a transgender child, holds a sign as his parents Faigy Gelbstein, left, and Naomi Moskowitz, upper right, of Long Island, hold separate signs during a rally in support of transgender youth at the Stonewall National Monument, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in New York.

New York’s bill prohibits separating parents or guardians from their child because they allowed their child to receive gender-affirming care. That care includes hormone replacement therapy or puberty blockers, as well as performing medical procedures. Gender-affirming surgeries are rarely performed on people under 18, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

In Alabama, as of Sunday, health providers could be charged with a felony for giving gender-affirming treatment to transgender people under 19. New York’s bill does the opposite: it would shield health providers caring for transgender patients from arrest.

The bill protects patients as well, largely through securing health information.

Consider a family traveling to New York to receive such care. New York’s bill, if passed, would block law enforcement agencies within the state from cooperating with other states’ investigations into legal gender-affirming care. It further protects health information by barring subpoenas seeking details in order to criminalize people or remove children as a result of gender-affirming care provided in New York.



New York government officials have stressed that their state is a safe haven for LGBTQ people. Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted out her commitment to “protect and champion our trans community.”

Hochul signed the START Act into law last year, which vacates convictions for victims of sex and labor trafficking. Hochul also voiced her desire for people imprisoned in New York to be housed in facilities that align with their gender identity, a protection measure many transgender groups have called for.

Last month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a billboard campaign in Florida advertising the city’s acceptance of LGBTQ identities. Digitals sign boast phrases including “Come to the city where you can say whatever you want" — a direct call-out to a recently-passed Florida law critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” It bars educators from teaching students in kindergarten through third grade about sexual orientation or gender identity.

Bronson, the assemblymember who introduced New York's bill, said the legislation is "essential" because of these families who may flee states that ban gender-affirming care.

"The science and data are clear — for trans youth, getting this physician-recommended care is not a choice, it's life-saving," Bronson said. "New York will be a safe haven for trans youth and their families and we'll continue the longstanding tradition for protecting the LGBTQ+ community in our state."

The U.S. coasts have long been areas where young LGBTQ people migrate to when they feel unsafe in other states, said Kate Barnhart, who directs New Alternatives for Homeless LGBT Youth in Manhattan.

A man waves a transgender pride flag as the Queer Liberation March passes below in New York, Sunday, June 30, 2019.

With legislation like trans refuge bills, whole families are thinking about relocating, she said. She already noticed a recent increase in young clients showing up at New Alternatives who "felt they just had to get out of where they were."

"There's a surge of young people arriving in the sanctuary states including New York and that means that the service providers, such as New Alternatives, are having to cope with an increase in clients without an increase in funding," Barnhart said.

NYC's outreach to LGBTQ+ Floridians: Mayor Eric Adams invites Floridians to New York, denounces 'Don't Say Gay' law in billboards

These trans refuge bills are expected to appear in more one-third of the nation, California Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said in a press release. A bill he introduced set the framework for the other bills.

He collaborated with the LGBTQ Victory Institute, Equality California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California to bring together LGBTQ legislators in 19 states to “push back hard against the horrendous anti-trans legislation we’re seeing in Texas and elsewhere,” Wiener said in a press release.

New York's bill awaits discussion in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Hoylman chairs. He and Bronson have introduced several bills protecting LGBTQ rights and education in New York, including one that proposes establishing an LGBTQ awareness curriculum.

Sammy Gibbons is a culture reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team. Email: sgibbons@gannett.com | Twitter: @sammykgibbons. For unlimited access to the most important news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: LGBTQ lawmakers' bill would make New York a transgender refuge state

These trans men are redefining masculinity through fitness education: 'Queer people just want to exist as they are'

David Artavia
Wed, May 11, 2022

Trans male influencers are filling a need in the fitness industry. (Photo: Getty Images)

As conversations about transgender rights — fueled by anti-trans legislation around gender-affirming care and inclusion in sports — reverberate across the country, a growing number of trans male influencers have aimed to create safer spaces in an industry not exactly known for transgender inclusion: fitness.

“A huge part of mental health is physical well-being,” Mar Keller, a trans fitness entrepreneur, tells Yahoo Life.

It's why influencers like Keller have been able to form communities, both online and in real life, for queer folks navigating their life and fitness goals. Shawn Stinson, the first ever trans male two-time bodybuilding champion and a personal trainer with nearly 18K followers, helms one such space. Ilya Parker, similarly, has built Decolonizing Fitness, a consulting firm striving to help trainers and gyms across the country unlearn "toxic fitness culture."

Meanwhile, some fitness companies are already there — including the Los Angeles-based Everybody Gym and the online training service Non-Gendered Fitness, which aim to offer welcoming spaces for trans clients, especially while they're in the process of transitioning.

Keller has built queer-focused online platforms like Q Grit Fitness, a personal training service he founded in 2019 catering to people of all sizes, abilities and identities, giving queer clients a newfound confidence in their bodies. It's something he believes has saved lives.

“A lot of queer people just want to exist as they are," he explains. "Their bodies are so scrutinized in everyday life, they don't really want to show up to a gym and feel like they're being scrutinized there, as well.”

While the personal training industry in the United States is currently estimated at $13 billion — representing a jump of $3.5 billion over the last 10 years, according to research from Ibis World — Keller say gyms and similar fitness spaces often neglect the needs of trans and nonbinary people.

“In the beginning of my transition, when I was trying to masculinize my body, I didn't really feel like I fit in anywhere going to the gym,” he tells Yahoo Life. “I was comparing myself to cis men and getting misgendered and not really knowing who to look up to. And I didn't really see a lot of healthy role models out there who were going through the same experience.”

Positive role models are vital for normalizing and celebrating trans bodies, says model-activist Aydian Dowling, a fitness professional who, in 2015, became the first trans man to be featured on the cover of Men’s Health.

Dowling began documenting his gender transition on YouTube in 2009 as a means to connect with other trans folks and to cultivate conversations about health and well-being — areas he says are widely misunderstood and under-researched when it comes to trans men.

“There is a large responsibility on trans men to speak up in spaces and times, to remind other men that, regardless of our sex at birth, we have an experience of being a man in the world,” Dowling tells Yahoo Life. “I have a voice to add to the table of masculinity I think could be really eye-opening for many men — and maybe offer a sense of kinship.”

That’s why Dowling co-founded Trace, an app for trans people undergoing gender transition surgery, helping them to track their progress and to create community support for their emotional, mental and physical health.

“It's hard to make choices that will benefit your body when you don't feel a connection to your body,” Dowling says of the need for fitness professionals to empower gender-diverse people.

“Isn't that what most people are at the gym for?" he continues. "They feel some type of disconnect and they're just trying to align [themselves]. Everyone has different goals: Some people are trying to get ripped and lean, and some people are just trying to move and feel good and get healthy. When we boil it down to those things, we're all there for the same reason.”

"Through storytelling, we become more human"

At least 20 million adults in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign’s most recent survey, could be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender — representing nearly 8% of the total adult population. Of that number, more than 1% (or over 2 million) identify as transgender.

But despite more people identifying as LGBTQ than ever before, projects centering the trans male experience have been a slow burn — despite the trails blazed by celebs including Chaz Bono, Leo Sheng, Brian Michael Smith and Elliot Page.

T Cooper, executive producer and writer for NBC’s Blacklist, and whose documentary Man Made highlights the lives of trans male bodybuilders, says authentic storytelling not only saves lives but society as a whole, because it challenges toxic ideals around masculinity.

“It's very important to see our lives represented authentically on screen,” Cooper, himself transgender, tells Yahoo Life. Last season, for example, Cooper and his Blacklist team cast five transgender actors in non-trans-specific roles — a huge shift for trans visibility in Hollywood.

“When I was coming of age as a trans person, there were very few protected groups where you could sort of trade photos and information about top surgery or whatever,” he says, noting the importance of online communities like those created by Dowling and Keller. “Now, it's just such a different world. You might be in Texas, or wherever, but you can reach people all around the world who can offer possibilities for yourself.”

When one builds space for trans men to have rich conversations about physical and mental health, Dowling says, it has a trickle-down effect.

“Through storytelling, we become more human,” Dowling, father to a 4-year-old son, shares. “I've gone to the gym and have had people not enjoying my presence. Then I've had people who maybe just didn't quite know how to respond, but then we start a conversation — I would hear their story, they would hear my story — and it really humanizes us.”

Seeing trans people happy and thriving, Cooper notes, has a profound effect for parents of trans kids, as well. “The first reaction for many parents [of trans kids] is rejection,” he explains. “But when you see images of successful, healthy, thriving trans people, that tips them over to acceptance and support of their kids, when the opposite could literally be fatal.”

“When I would tour around with Man Made, cis straight dudes would come up and just be like, ‘Wow, I relate to that story’ or ‘I couldn't be further away from this experience, and yet I saw myself and my relationship to masculinity,’” adds Cooper, who is currently developing a docuseries based on the film. “Those are the kinds of things that help push people [toward acceptance].”

"There’s a lot of work to be done"

Looking ahead, Keller says it’s important for companies — particularly big chains like Equinox, 24 Hour Fitness and Planet Fitness — to be mindful of the needs of trans folks, especially now.

“When there's so many anti-trans bills saying, ‘Your existence isn't important’ or ‘Your body is wrong,’ there's a lot of parallels between that and the fitness industry,” he explains. “Feeling connected to your body is something I think a lot of queer and trans people don't necessarily have access to in a cis-heteronormative world.”

Dowling believes we’re reaching a precipice at which mainstream society — despite its attempts to dismiss trans people — will soon have no choice but to embrace equality.

“In the late ’70s and late ’80s going into the ’90s, there was this concept of, well, if we shun away gay people they will just go away, they'll disappear,” he explains. “I think that's what the trans community is experiencing now: if the outside world stops acknowledging us, then maybe we'll just disappear.”

But, he says, “As history has proven, that is not at all what happens. If anything, we grow in numbers, and kinda use that [backlash] as more of a reason to come out and to be more proud and to speak more assertively about our lives and who we are.”

SHH DON'T TELL THE GOP

Yep, trans men can get pregnant. Why Calvin Klein's ad depicting a trans family is causing a stir.

David Artavia
Fri, May 13, 2022

Trans families have always been here, but a controversial new Calvin Klein ad is serving as a reminder. (Credit: Instagram/Calvin Klein)

An ad from Calvin Klein on Mother's Day featuring a pregnant transgender man and his trans partner has sparked a wave of backlash on social media.

“Today, in support of women and mothers all over the world, we’re spotlighting the realities of new families," the company wrote in the caption of a Sunday Instagram post highlighting the campaign, which features three nontraditional families — including Brazilian reality stars Erika Fernandes and Roberto Bete.

“Erika Fernandes and Roberto Bete are expecting parents from Brazil. Roberto is due to give birth to his and Erika's son Noah any day now,” the caption continued alongside images that show Bete visibly pregnant, in Calvin Klein underwear, as his wife, wearing a CK sports bra and bottoms, clings to his arms at their bedside.

“We can reproduce biologically or from the heart…our place is to love and be loved,” the couple is quoted as saying in the ad.

Below, click through to see the ad as posted by Calvin Klein, in position No. 4:

The post has since gone viral, and while several users have praised the fashion brand for its inclusive messaging, a slew of transphobic comments quickly drowned them out. Many of them threatened to boycott the brand, attacking the ad as a “woke campaign.” One user even wrote, “Time to ditch you, Calvin Klein.”

Conservative talk show host Steven Crowder turned the ad into the butt of a joke, writing: "We have a huge baby formula shortage! The Left says men are the root of all problems, so it's only fair to blame pregnant men right? I wonder what Calvin Klein has to say about this. #calvinklein."

Calvin Klein has since released a statement defending its campaign, confirming that the company will always stand up against hate.

“We embrace this platform as an inclusive and respectful environment for individualism and self-expression,” the statement read. “At Calvin Klein, we tolerate everything except intolerance — any intolerant commentary will be removed, and any accounts issuing hateful statements may be blocked.”

While a number of online critics seem to find the idea of trans men having babies confusing, the truth is that trans and nonbinary people with uteruses can, and do, give birth.

Related video: Trans man gives birth to baby boy after surprise pregnancy

Yes, trans men can have babies

According to the Human Rights Campaign’s most recent survey, at least 20 millions adults in the United States could be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender — representing nearly 8% of the total adult population. Of that number, more than 1% (or over 2 million) identify as transgender. There is currently no data on how many transgender men give birth.

Dr. D Ojeda, senior national organizer at the National Center for Transgender Equality, which advocates to change policies and to increase acceptance of transgender people, says that trans men have an array of options when it comes to starting families, but due to their specific needs being vastly under-researched and underreported, that message often doesn't translate to society at large.

"We assume that because you're on testosterone, you can't get pregnant, when in reality there's a good chance you can," Ojeda, who uses they/them pronouns, tells Yahoo Life. (It should be noted that not all transgender men use testosterone, just as not all keep their uteruses.) Furthermore, due to the lack of education, they say trans men often gather false information about their own bodies and reproductive health.

"There are a lot of trans men, transmasculine, nonbinary people who actually pause their hormones so they can get pregnant," Ojeda explains, adding that this step is sometimes unnecessary and suggesting that trans men seeking pregnancy should always speak to their doctor before pausing their hormones.

Dr. Maddie Deutsch, associate professor of Clinical Family & Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, and medical director for UCSF Transgender Care, elaborated on the topic further on UCSF's website in an overview about hormone therapy and the reproductive system.

"Testosterone may reduce your ability to become pregnant but it does not completely eliminate the risk of pregnancy," Deutsch wrote. "Transgender men can become pregnant while on testosterone, so if you remain sexually active with someone who is capable of producing sperm, you should always use a method of birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancy."

Adding to that point, Deutsch says that while on testosterone, a trans man's periods may change its normal cycle and that it may become difficult for ovaries to release eggs, depending on how long they have been on hormone therapy. In these cases, the piece points out, "you may need to consult with a fertility specialist and use special medications or techniques, such as in vitro fertilization, to become pregnant."

Of course, these treatments are not always covered by insurance, and can be expensive.
Why inclusivity matters

Ojeda, whose organization has placed pressure on health insurance companies to better cover the needs of trans folks through its latest campaign, Protect Trans Health, argues that when families like Fernandes and Bete are visible, it's an opportunity for trans people to know they're just as deserving to have a family as anyone else is.

"I applaud Calvin Klein for being that intentional because that language shift is so important," they say. "It could improve the way we view people, especially when it comes to access to health care and family planning."

Fernandes and Bete have since had their baby, documenting the birth and sharing the moment on their Instagrams.

"There's a lot of stigma that comes with being trans," Ojeda says in regards to family planning. "There's this assumption that we're anti-children or anti-family. I think that's part of the vitriol that has been perpetuated all the way from the attacks on gender affirming care … to abortion care."

Ojeda adds that the "urgency" for men in power to "control bodily autonomy," an idea that's been particularly present in recent days following the potential reversal of Roe v. Wade, doesn't just include women — but affects trans people and trans families as well.

"People see a family they've never met before, and never had an understanding of, and that makes them uncomfortable," they explain of the transphobia arising from the recent ad.

"What Calvin Klein is doing is amazing," they continue, explaining that a lot of trans people out there really do want to start a family but seldom feel empowered to do so — something they hope the ad can help change. "It's going to have a lot of positive impact, especially for health care and when it comes to reproductive services."

Hungary’s military finds mission in life for abused dog

By JUSTIN SPIKE

1 of 5

Sgt. 1st Class Balazs Nemeth and his bomb sniffer dog Logan are seen together at the garrison of Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Warship Regiment of the Hungarian Defense Forces in Budapest, Hungary, April 28, 2022. Logan, a two-year-old Belgian shepherd, has received a second chance after being rescued from abusive owners and recruited to serve in an elite military bomb squad. Logan is undergoing intensive training as an explosive detection dog for the Hungarian Defense Forces. 

(AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s military has found a new mission in life for a talented dog who was rescued from abusive owners, recruiting 2-year-old Logan to serve in counterterrorism operations for an elite bomb squad.

The Belgian shepherd is undergoing intensive training as an explosives detection dog for the explosive ordnance disposal and warship regiment of the Hungarian Defense Forces.

At the unit’s garrison on the Danube River in the capital Budapest, Logan receives daily socialization and obedience exercises, and is trained to recognize the smell of 25 different explosive substances.

“He has already started to learn how to smell explosives in a completely homogeneous environment, and he has also started to learn how to search motor vehicles and ships,” said Logan’s trainer, Sgt. 1st Class Balazs Nemeth.

Logan’s new role as a bomb sniffer came only after an early life full of hardships. In 2021, animal welfare officers received a tip that a dog was being abused and held in inhumane conditions at a rural residence in northeastern Hungary. During an on-site inspection, the officers found Logan confined to a one-meter (3-foot) chain and suffering from malnourishment.

Several weeks later, Nemeth, the regiment’s training officer, visited the shelter where Logan was housed and began assessing his suitability for becoming a professional bomb sniffer.

“The moment we met him the first impressions were very positive. We saw a well-motivated dog in relatively good condition and we immediately had confidence in him,” Nemeth said.

In a demonstration at the unit’s garrison, Nemeth opened a case containing two dozen vials of mock explosive materials like C-4, TNT, ammonium nitrate and others, which Logan is trained to detect.

After concealing a small package of explosive in a hidden crevice on one of the regiment’s river boats, Nemeth brought Logan to the training area where he went immediately to work sniffing for the package, which he found within seconds. The dog’s body tensed as he pointed with his nose at the source of the smell, alerting his handler.

The regiment’s commanding officer, Col. Zsolt Szilagyi, said that the increased use of improvised explosive devices by extremist cells since the turn of the millennium have made it necessary to employ new methods for detecting potential bombs.

“This was a challenge to which the military had to respond, and one of the best ways to detect these devices is to use explosive detection dogs,” Szilagyi said. “These four-legged comrades have been supporting the activities of our bomb disposal soldiers.”

Logan, he said, will serve as an inspector of important sites in Hungary, and could be sent along with the country’s military to NATO missions abroad.

While rescued dogs often present challenges in training given their often traumatic backgrounds, Nemeth said he is confident that Logan will be successful and make a valuable addition to the unit.

“Logan is very valuable because about one out of 10,000 rescued dogs is fit for military service, both medically and psychologically,” he said.

Recruiting rescued dogs often reveals their undiscovered capabilities, and allows for them to find a new home where they can thrive, Szilagyi said.

“There are dogs that have great potential but for some reason they have been pushed to the margins,” he said. “We can give these dogs a new opportunity to be placed in a family, so to speak, where they can live a proper life in loving, competent hands and be useful.”


Sgt. 1st Class Balazs Nemeth and his bomb sniffer dog Logan are seen together at the garrison of Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Warship Regiment of the Hungarian Defense Forces in Budapest, Hungary, April 28, 2022. Logan, a two-year-old Belgian shepherd, has received a second chance after being rescued from abusive owners and recruited to serve in an elite military bomb squad. Logan is undergoing intensive training as an explosive detection dog for the Hungarian Defense Forces. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

LEFT WING POPULAR FRONT A WINNER

Emmanuel who? 

Far-right fighting hard-left for French vote

By ELAINE GANLEY

 French far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon leaves after voting in the first round of the presidential election at a polling station, April 10, 2022 in Marseille, southern France. A month before the first round of voting, the campaign for the 577 seats in France’s lower house of parliament has been brutal. After losing to Macron in the April presidential election, far-right leader Marine Le Pen now faces a challenge from her political nemesis, hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon who has set his sights on becoming prime minister. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)


PARIS (AP) — The stakes are high, the fight nasty and the party of centrist President Emmanuel Macron is the one to beat. But to a visitor from outer space, June’s parliamentary election in France could look like a contest between the far right and the hard-left.

A month before the first round of voting, the campaign for the 577 seats in France’s lower house of parliament has been brutal. Pressure has been mounting since the April presidential election when Macron won a second mandate, beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the run-off to quash her third bid for the job.

The pot bubbled over when Le Pen’s political nemesis, hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, clinched alliances with a swath of leftist parties, positioning himself to outdo both her and, he hopes, Macron, in June.

So for now, Le Pen sees Melenchon as her main opponent, as she seeks to keep her National Rally party politically relevant with a good showing in parliament.

Her party’s campaign slogan, “The Only Opposition to Macron,” attests to her rivalry with the hard-left leader.

Melenchon himself, bolstered by his alliances, has set his sights higher, declaring that he will steal Macron’s majority to become France’s next prime minister — an appointment made by the president alone.

Le Pen’s hopes are less grandiose: to create a “powerful” parliamentary group — at least 15 lawmakers — that would accord her anti-immigration party more speaking time and other privileges so it can be heard, and harass the powerful.

 Electoral posters reading "Elect Melenchon Prime Minister", are displayed before a local meeting, May 5, 2022 in Lille, northern France. A month before the first round of voting, the campaign for the 577 seats in France’s lower house of parliament has been brutal. After losing to Macron in the April presidential election, far-right leader Marine Le Pen now faces a challenge from her political nemesis, hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon who has set his sights on becoming prime minister. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)

Le Pen mocks Melenchon as the “court jester” who will never be prime minister. But with enough votes, she told RTL radio this week, Melenchon could transform the National Assembly into a squatters’ heaven of leftist causes, “with defenders of (anarchist) Black Blocs, defenders of burkinis, those who want to disarm the police, those who want to open up prisons because prisons aren’t nice.”

For her party’s interim president, Melenchon represents “a threat to the Republic.”

“I think that extremism today is located on the side of Mr. Melenchon,” Jordan Bardella said at a news conference, using the precise label the French press favors for his own far-right party.

Le Pen and Melenchon are longstanding political enemies. But for Le Pen the animosity has clearly deepened with the leftist alliance Melenchon concluded with Socialists, Communists and Greens that strengthens his hand. Le Pen’s party refused an alliance with the upstart far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour, who stole some of her party’s known figures but finished with only 7% of the vote.

Paradoxically, while Le Pen placed second in the presidential race, compared to Melenchon’s third place, and lifted the far-right to an unprecedented electoral performance, her party goes into the June 12 and 19 legislative elections in a weaker position than Melenchon, backed by his alliances.

France’s legislative voting system favors the president and all but prevents Le Pen’s party from clawing deeply into the majority. Only eight National Rally lawmakers won seats in the last election. Le Pen, looking to renew her seat, is among the 569 candidates her party is fielding around France.

“It’s a very brutal campaign … At the same time, it’s a campaign where you don’t see a real debate, where lots of French have the impression that their daily problems aren’t addressed,” said far-right expert Jean-Yves Camus. It is also, he added, “a rather surreal campaign with Mr. Melenchon saying, ‘Me, prime minister.’”

Macron’s party and its centrist allies hold over 300 seats in the outgoing parliament. Still, his Republic on the Move has changed its name to Renaissance and allied with other centrists.

“This will be the toughest campaign,” the president warned his party’s candidates this week. “Our country is divided.”

Divisions, drama, and tough rhetoric aren’t new to French elections.

“France is a country where the political tradition is extremely divisive,” Camus said. “You have the impression of two parts of the country that have a hard time talking.”

ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY

Records: 2 people in execution knew drugs hadn’t been tested

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI

1 of 4

FILE -Officers on horseback guard the entrance to designated demonstrator areas near Riverbend Maximum Security Institution as people wait to enter before the scheduled execution of inmate Oscar Smith, Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Newly released records show at two least two people connected to a planned Tennessee execution that was abruptly put on hold April 21 knew the night before that the lethal injection drugs the state planned to use hadn’t undergone certain required testing. Last month, Gov. Bill Lee abruptly halted inmate Oscar Smith’s execution, citing an “oversight” in the execution process. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — At least two people connected to a Tennessee execution that was abruptly put on hold last month knew the night before that the lethal injection drugs the state planned to use hadn’t undergone some required testing, newly released records show.

Citing an “oversight,” Gov. Bill Lee had called off the execution of 72-year-old Oscar Smith barely an hour before the planned lethal injection April 21 for Smith’s conviction in the 1989 killings of his estranged wife and her two teenage sons. The governor’s office later disclosed that the drugs had not been tested for endotoxins.

The Republican governor’s administration declined to release much information, saying the issue was “technical.” Instead, Lee recently appointed a former U.S. attorney to lead an independent investigation and also paused four other executions scheduled this year.

On April 21, there were no signs the lethal injection would not take place until about an hour beforehand, when the governor’s office issued a news release calling it off. Just before learning of his reprieve, Smith had received communion from his spiritual adviser, who was going to be allowed in the execution chamber. He had eaten a last meal, and media witnesses and relatives of the families were gathered and waiting. The U.S. Supreme Court had also denied Smith’s last-hour bid for a stay.

On Friday, the Department of Correction released 20 pages of heavily redacted emails and text messages to The Associated Press through a public records request.

In them, experts say testing was not performed for so-called endotoxins, which usually come from bacteria. Such testing is considered vital because it could be an indication of problems with the manufacture of the drugs. However, the endotoxins themselves likely wouldn’t cause a problem in an execution setting because endotoxins typically are not immediately fatal, according to Frank Romanelli, professor of pharmacy at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy.

The Department of Correction declined to respond to questions surrounding when the state knew the execution drugs had not been properly tested.

“As you know the governor has announced an independent review of these matters which we fully support. We are unable to offer further information until the review is complete,” said a spokesperson, Dorinda Carter, in a statement.

Tennessee’s execution protocols require any compounded drugs to be independently tested for potency, sterility and endotoxins. It wasn’t known from the records provided if the other testing had been conducted.

At last week’s news conference announcing the independent investigation, Lee said the testing problem was noticed shortly before the execution was to have been carried out. The records provided to AP imply that some people knew almost a day before.

Almost all names, email addresses, phone numbers and any other identifiable information was removed from the records. Even the name of the governor’s communication team, which is regularly distributed to media and the public, was stripped out. According to the correction agency’s general counsel, the state redacted the names of those who had been, or may in the future, be directly involved in the execution process.
Tennessee uses a three-drug series to put inmates to death: midazolam, a sedative to render the inmate unconscious; vecuronium bromide, to paralyze the inmate; and potassium chloride, to stop the heart.

The records did contain a text exchange between two unidentified individuals whose names had been blacked out in the records, the night before Smith’s scheduled execution starting at around 8 p.m. with one person asking for the lab results on the midazolam and potassium chloride.

The Department of Correction redacted the response, but when that same person asked for the results of the endotoxin test, the response from a separate person stated that it “isn’t required” based on the amount they make.

“Sorry, I didn’t have it tested,” the text reads.

“It’s been done on prior ones,” the exchange states.

Later that morning, a separate text message asks if it would be possible to test for endotoxins on the day of the execution.

“Honestly doubt it,” the response states.

Tennessee and many other states have passed exemptions to open records laws in recent years, shrouding the identity of drug suppliers and other information about executions in secrecy.

“The failure to ensure that the lethal injection chemicals were produced in accordance with .. standards is disturbing,” said Smith’s attorney Kelley Henry in an emailed statement. “Compounded high risk sterile injectables such as those used in the Tennessee lethal injection protocol are extremely risky.”

Smith was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing and shooting estranged wife Judith Smith and her sons, Jason and Chad Burnett, at their Nashville home on Oct. 1, 1989. Tennessee had planned for five executions this year, including Smith’s. It had been seeking to resume its quick, pre-pandemic pace of putting inmates to death.

Smith has maintained he is innocent. He earlier declined to choose between the electric chair and lethal injection, Tennessee’s two execution means, so lethal injection became the default method. An initial June 2020 execution date for Smith was delayed because of the pandemic.

___

Associated Press writers Jonathan Mattise and Travis Loller in Nashville contributed to this report.

Myanmar’s gaming stars face barriers in tough eSports journey

Patrick LEE
Fri, 13 May 2022,

Myanmar eSport members watch a game on a phone at the SEA Games 

(AFP/Ye Aung Thu) (Ye Aung Thu)


Myanmar's eSports athletes must battle not only online opponents but also a creaky national infrastructure in their bid to make it in the ferociously competitive world of gaming.

A relative newcomer to the fast-growing electronic sports scene, Myanmar sees eSports as a way of connecting to the outside world, a top gaming official from the country told AFP at the SEA Games in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

ESports are a popular choice among many Asian youths seeking the promise of fame and fortune on the digital battleground.

But Myanmar's budding gaming stars face challenges that are unthinkable for many of their rivals.

Power outages and internet connection problems are routine obstacles in the developing country where the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi was toppled by the army in February 2021.

"Blackouts are a challenging factor," Myanmar Esports Federation vice president Kaung Myat San said, adding that gamers who do not have back-up generators "will find it difficult".

Myanmar is plagued by a frail energy grid that particularly stumbles during the hot summer months when electricity use is high, forcing locals to buy costly generators for their power needs.

Another barrier is the country’s internet, which although "getting better" is still slower than other countries, said Kaung.

Gamers can suffer "high ping" -- a lag between the player inputting a command and the server responding to it -- which can be fatal in a sport where fractions of seconds are the difference between online life and death.

"High ping is an issue for some games, especially to enter international events that are hosted online," he said, adding that was however "only a small percent".

He declined to comment if his country's political troubles were a factor on local eSports performance.

Underlining the fears people have of being seen to criticise the ruling junta, one eSports player at the SEA Games declined to give his name in describing how they sometimes have to hop from one location to another in the middle of the day when the power cuts out.

He said that they usually get about 18 hours of electricity a day.

- 'Catch up to the world' -

ESports made its debut at the biennial SEA Games in 2019 and was also set to feature at the Asian Games in China later this year, before those Games were postponed because of Covid. Talk has bubbled away for years about eSports one day making the Olympics.

International gaming competitions meanwhile can draw vast online and in-person audiences and prize pools in the tens of millions of dollars.

The obstacles teams from Myanmar face has not stopped some making their mark in eSports.

The Burmese Ghouls, a professional team, took second place at the Mobile Legends M2 World Championship in January 2021.

At the SEA Games in Hanoi, a row of Myanmar eSports players furiously tapped at their phones against Singapore in a Friday group-stage match of League of Legends: Wild Rift.

After a 15-minute battle, the Myanmar group bowed out from the brightly lit stage with their second loss of the day after being beaten earlier to Vietnam.

The athletes declined to speak to the media, shying away from queries.

Kaung said despite the defeat, the country’s 29-strong eSports squad still stand a chance at winning medals in two other mobile gaming events in Hanoi.

He is confident about Myanmar’s long-term gaming prospects, but the players need help.

"For our players to overcome these problems, they have to join professional eSports organisations which can support them. Sponsoring them can grow their careers," he said.

"Through eSports we can catch up to the world."

pl/pst