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Supreme Court (SCOTUS) rules Trump Administration must continue providing gender-affirming care to transgender people held in federal custody. On October 21st, SCOTUS upheld a lower court injunction blocking the Federal Bureau of Prisons from enforcing a policy which would deny hormone therapy and other gender-affirming healthcare to transgender people held in federal prisons. Justices Thomas and Alito dissented. Democratic Party officials, groups sue Justice Department over federal intervention in elections administration. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the Nevada Democratic Party, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), and Erick Jose Jimenez, a naturalized citizen from California, filed the lawsuit on October 20th. The suit alleges that the Trump Administration has directed a “persistent stream of threats and intimidation” at state and local election officials and is pressuring those officials to remove voters from the rolls based on “shoddily compiled lists” that have “crumbled upon the barest inspection.” Fourth Circuit Court rules Baltimore-based Catholic charity violated federal and state employment non-discrimination laws by stopping married gay couple’s health benefits. A three judge panel ruled 2-1 that Catholic Relief Services violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Maryland’s Fair Employment Practices Act when it cut off healthcare benefits for the spouse of a gay employee. Fourth Circuit Court rules two Virginia School Districts can sue Department of Education. Last year, the federal Department of Education found that Arlington and Fairfax County Schools violated Title IX by adopting policies that allowed transgender students to use school facilities aligned with their gender identity. Both school districts sued, seeking declarations that their policies comply with Title IX, but a federal district court ruled that the lawsuits were filed in the wrong court. The circuit court decision reversed the lower court ruling, reviving the lawsuits. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill settles federal inquiries. The settlement, which ends 18 inquiries from the Education Department and a compliance review from the Justice Department, does not require the university to pay a penalty to the federal government. The university did agree to abide by the Trump administration’s anti-DEI and anti-affirmative action policies as well as agreeing to punish student groups for perceived anti-semitic actions. Members of Congress write to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) seeking information regarding settlement impacting LGBTQ+ workers. In August, the EEOC agreed to a settlement with the Christian Employers Alliance (CEA), stipulating that the EEOC would not pursue charges based on gender identity discrimination against the CEA and its member organizations. The agreement also covers future CEA members, provided the alleged discrimination occurred while the employer was a member of the organization. U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-3) and Equality Caucus Chair Mark Takano (CA-39) wrote to the EEOC Chair, raising concerns about anti-trans discrimination in the workplace and whether the EEOC can constrain future administrations from taking enforcement action in the way this agreement appears to do.
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