French trans man wins state funding for surgery as legal right

A French court has issued a landmark ruling in favor of a transgender man, ordering the Bas-Rhin Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM) to cover his mastectomy.

The Strasbourg judicial court found that CPAM’s refusal violated the European Convention on Human Rights by creating unequal access to healthcare based on gender identity. The court also awarded the plaintiff €3,000 in damages, recognizing the harm caused by delays in his medical transition.

The plaintiff, who began his transition in 2017, faced multiple administrative hurdles before turning to the courts. His lawyer, Laura Gandonou, hailed the ruling as the first in France to recognize CPAM’s refusal as discriminatory. She hopes it will set a precedent for other trans individuals facing similar obstacles.

The case highlights broader issues in France, where trans people often struggle to obtain healthcare coverage. Several other lawsuits are pending, with activists calling for systemic reforms to ensure equal treatment.

Huffpost France has more.

Via Mallory Moore.

Photo from Strasbourg.

Gallup poll shows mixed attitudes towards trans people in the US

A Gallup poll shows that even if a majority of Americans think it is morally wrong “to change ones gender”, they are - for the most part - defending trans people’s right to gender affirming health care.

A relatively small majority think it is wrong to change ones gender. As you will see below, this statement collides with the acceptance of gender affirming health care. It might be that some see “changing ones gender” as morally wrong, but yet believe that doing so must be up to the individual.

The question does not go into what they believe will be the effects of trans acceptance in society.

A clear majority does not want to ban gender affirming therapy for minors.

Americans do not want trans people to compete on teams restricted to their own gender. (The question is flawed, as the term “birth gender” is not defined).

A significant percentage know someone who is trans, but this clearly does not have the same pro-LGBTQ effect as the larger number who know gay or lesbian people. This is important as it is harder to dehumanize someone you know.

Compare this with those who know someone who is gay or lesbian. In other words: The more trans people who become visible socially, the less likely people are to be transphobic. This is one of the reasons why haters want to force trans people out of public spaces.

A clear majority wants to allow trans people to serve in the military, even though the anti-trans propaganda has clearly had an effect.

Illustration: Guzaliia Filimonova

Real scientists unmask the anti-transgender Cass Review as methodologically flawed and misleading

The Cass Review, a widely cited report on gender-affirming care in the U.K., has been heavily criticized by researchers for its methodological flaws and unsupported claims.

A new peer review published in BMC Medical Research Methodology found that the review lacked statistical rigor, misrepresented evidence, and excluded key studies without justification.

Headed by pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass, the Cass report dismissed gender-affirming medical care as unreliable, recommending “exploratory therapy,” which critics argue is akin to conversion therapy.

The review applied biased analytical methods, misquoted previous studies, and selectively adapted assessment tools to justify anti-trans conclusions.

It also advocated randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for puberty blockers, which experts denounced as unethical. Despite its flaws, the Cass Review influenced policies, leading to a U.K. ban on puberty blockers and contributing to restrictive health measures in the U.S.

Chris Noone and his colleagues write:

Using the ROBIS tool, we identified a high risk of bias in each of the systematic reviews driven by unexplained protocol deviations, ambiguous eligibility criteria, inadequate study identification, and the failure to integrate consideration of these limitations into the conclusions derived from the evidence syntheses. We also identified methodological flaws and unsubstantiated claims in the primary research that suggest a double standard in the quality of evidence produced for the Cass report compared to quality appraisal in the systematic reviews.

Experts urge policymakers to reject the report, calling for research centered on patient autonomy and accurate scientific analysis.

See Them for more.

The science paper can be found here: Critically appraising the cass report: methodological flaws and unsupported claims

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Fenway Health, Yale, and more have condemned Trump’s transgender report as pseudoscience

Mira Lazine discusses widespread expert condemnation of a pseudoscientific report issued by the Trump administration over at Erin in the Morning. The report attacks gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The report, published by the Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been criticized for misrepresenting medical consensus, ignoring scientific evidence, and prioritizing ideology over established healthcare guidelines.

Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, and Yale University have issued statements denouncing the report’s claims as false and harmful.

Several LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, including GLAAD and Lambda Legal, have also condemned it.

The report is part of a broader political effort to restrict transgender rights, including military bans and immigration policies targeting trans individuals.

Read the article over at Erin in the Morning: “Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Fenway Health, Yale, and many other organizations have condemned Trump’s report as pseudoscience.”

More about the report with links to articles, statements and resources here.

Cis woman harassed for being trans in women’s restroom

A security guard at Boston’s Liberty Hotel confronted a cisgender lesbian, Ansley Baker, in the women’s restroom, accusing her of being a man and demanding proof of her gender.

Baker and her girlfriend, Liz Victor, were attending a Kentucky Derby party when the incident occurred. The guard banged on stall doors, ordered Baker out, and later asked for identification to verify her gender. Other women in line also made derogatory comments toward Baker.

Initially, the hotel defended the guard’s actions, claiming guests had reported two adults occupying a single stall, but later retracted this statement after backlash. The hotel has since suspended the guard, pledged staff retraining, and promised a donation to an LGBTQ+ organization.

Victor emphasized that while the situation was distressing, trans women face similar discrimination daily. The couple hopes their experience raises awareness and prevents future incidents.

As we can see the transgender bathroom bans are now used to police the gender expression of all women, cis and trans, making sure that all adhere to the gender roles defined by TERFs, Republicans, fascists and religious fanatics.

Hotel Guard Barges Into Women’s Restroom, Accuses Lesbian Guest Of Being A Man
Woman says security guard at Liberty Hotel in Boston confronted her in bathroom, asked to prove gender

Salt Lake City gets around Pride flag ban by making new flags

Salt Lake City officials have designated three human-rights flags as official city emblems to preserve their display despite a new Utah law limiting flag displays on government property.

The move ensures the LGBTQIA+, Juneteenth, and transgender flags remain visible alongside the American and Utah state flags.

Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the City Council unanimously approved adding the Sego Belonging Flag (representing LGBTQIA residents), Sego Celebration Flag (honoring Juneteenth and Black residents), and Sego Visibility Flag (echoing the transgender flag’s colors) to the city’s official symbols.

This decision circumvents Utah House Bill 77, which restricts flags on government property to a limited list.

To directly challenge Idaho’s statewide prohibition on unauthorized flags over government buildings, Boise’s Mayor Lauren McLean, a Democrat, and the City Council took decisive action. As reported by the Idaho Statesman, on Tuesday, the Council formally designated the Pride flag as the city’s official flag, ensuring its continued display despite the ban.

Townlift has more.
See also: Boise and Salt Lake City will fly Pride flags despite state bans

The US Supreme Court allows Trump’s transphobic military ban

The US Supreme Court has allowed former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender troops to take effect while legal challenges continue.

The court granted the administration’s request to lift a lower-court ruling that had blocked the policy nationwide. The decision was split, with the court’s three liberal justices dissenting.

Trump initially issued the order upon taking office, arguing that transgender identity does not align with military values. This is transphobic nonsense. Trump is using transphobia to rally his followers and create an atmosphere of fear that can be used to force conservative gender roles upon all Americans.

Advocates claim the ban is unconstitutional, harms national security, and wastes resources, which is true.

The ruling reverses a Biden-era policy that allowed transgender individuals to serve openly.

Trans journalist Erin Reed writes:

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court gave the green light for the Trump administration’s ban on transgender military service to take effect—staying lower court rulings that had found the policy blatantly unconstitutional.

Those courts had determined the ban violated equal protection guarantees and was driven by anti-transgender animus, not military necessity. The policy brands transgender people as inherently “dishonorable” and “undisciplined” for no reason other than their gender identity.

With the high court’s decision, the administration now has license to purge transgender service members—an alarming signal that the Supreme Court may be willing to overlook constitutional protections for trans people in future cases.

The Supreme Court’s decision does not settle the underlying legal questions, and the issue will continue to be litigated in lower courts.

See:
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to enforce trans military ban
Supreme Court lets Trump ban transgender troops while case continues (Archived here)
SCOTUS Allows Military Ban That Calls Trans People “Dishonorable” To Go Into Effect
Supreme Court temporarily allows military ban that called trans servicemembers selfish and lacking humility. Why? No reason, says majority opinion

Photo: Getty

The Trump-administration publishes review of trans kids that is ignoring the scientific consensus

The Trump administration has released a 400-page review on gender dysphoria treatment for youth but has withheld the names of its authors. They are probably ashamed of all the fake science.

The US Department of Health and Human Services report claims that scientific evidence does not support gender-affirming medical interventions for minors, aligning with President Trump’s broader efforts to restrict transgender healthcare and research.

CNN writes that for years, major mainstream medical associations – including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Endocrine Society, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry – have affirmed the practice of gender-affirming care and agree that it’s clinically appropriate care that can provide lifesaving treatment for children and adults.

Many organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association, have criticized the report, arguing that it misrepresents medical consensus and could harm transgender youth.

Studies show that gender-affirming care significantly reduces depression and suicide risk among trans individuals. A recent survey of more than 90,000 transgender people in the United States that found an overwhelming majority report more life satisfaction after having transitioned.

The administration has enacted policies banning federal funding for gender-affirming treatments and restricting transgender participation in sports. These moves are politically motivated rather than based on scientific evidence.

More on this here:

Gender transition care for trans children and teens lacks evidence of benefits and poses risks, according to a new report released by Trump. Medical experts describes it as poor quality research that threatens access to care.
Archive

Fact Check: Trump’s HHS Review On Trans Care Filled With Pseudoscience, Pushes Conversion Therapy

Trump’s HHS urges therapy for transgender youth, departing from broader gender-affirming health care

What does the HHS gender-affirming care report mean for trans rights?

Trump administration releases 400-page review of gender dysphoria treatment for youths but won’t say who wrote it

Inside the HHS Review on Trans Youth: Facts, Fears, Fallout

More resources on the HHS report on care for transgender children and youth

Bella Ramsey, Harris Dickinson, Nicola Coughlan, Paapa Essiedu and Molly Manning Walker are among TV and movie professionals who have signed an open letter in support of transgender people

Over 400 film and television professionals, including Bella Ramsey, Nicola Coughlan, and Harris Dickinson, have signed an open letter calling for industry action on trans rights following the UK Supreme Court ruling that defines a woman based on biological sex.

The letter, initiated by Sid Strickland and Jack Casey, expresses solidarity with trans, non-binary, and intersex communities affected by the ruling.

The ruling and subsequent Equalities & Human Rights Commission guidance will exclude trans people from many single-sex spaces, impacting workplaces, cinemas, and film sets. The letter urges industry bodies like BAFTA, BFI, and BBC to commit to protecting trans individuals.

The signatories argue that film and television have the power to foster empathy and education, and they call for the industry to be on the right side of history. The letter has gained significant support, with executives from major production companies also signing on.

Deadline has more.

The number of factors that may influence the development of someone’s “biological sex” is insane. Sex is far from binary.

For those who have not looked into the complexity of biological sex, here is an illustration from Scientific American that presents the main points.

Click here for full size image.

Anyone who tells you that determining “biological sex” is a simple procedure that anyone can do, do not understand the genetics, epigenetic and hormonal processes determining sex, and let alone gender identity.

Amanda Montanez writes:

Determination of biological sex is staggeringly complex, involving not only anatomy but an intricate choreography of genetic and chemical factors that unfolds over time. Intersex individuals—those for whom sexual development follows an atypical trajectory—are characterized by a diverse range of conditions…

You might argue that the many variations of “biological sex” represent statistical outliers, but relatively rare outliers like intersex and transgender people are also real people who deserve respect and protection.

Moreover, if genetic variation can lead to all these chromosome variations (XXY, XYY, XO, XXX, XXXY, XXYY etc), it should not come as a surprise that the complexity can lead to the development of brains where the inborn experience of being male or female collides with the visible sex.

And note that many people go around with chromosome variations they do not know about, because they have never felt the need to take a DNA test. Are you absolutely sure you are an XX female or an XY male?

(Estimates on the prevalence of intersex conditions range from 0.018% to 1.7%. The percentage of transgender people will also vary according to definitions and methodology, but an often mentioned number is around 2% of the population.)

Top illustration: DrAfter123