QM Weekly Update for December 15, 2025
🏳️⚧️⚕️🪖 On Dec. 7th, a renegotiated version of the National Defense Authorization Act was released, which removes a proposed ban on Defense Department funding for gender-affirming surgeries. The change was made in exchange for a promise that a separate bill that would criminalize gender-affirming care for youth nationwide would receive a House vote, though the bill is not likely to pass in the Senate.
More information:
“Trans Healthcare Coverage Ban Stripped From Negotiated Military NDAA Bill In Sunday Night Surprise”
“Behind Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest push to criminalize gender-affirming care”
Vote coming on bill criminalizing gender-affirming care | Advocate.com
<p>The anti-LGBTQ+ congresswoman's measure is set for a vote in Congress. </p>
“What To Know About Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Felony National Trans Youth Care Ban, Which Will Receive A House Vote”
🏳️⚧️⚕️🏛️ On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a civil rights investigation into an unnamed state health department for its licensing requirements for behavioral health providers, which require providers with religious or personal objections to topics like abortion and gender-affirming care to either provide behavioral services related to this care or refer the patient to a different provider who will.
More information:
“RFK Jr’s health department is using religious freedom to strip transgender people of healthcare”
HHS uses conscience rights to strip trans people of health care | Advocate.com
<p>“This administration is obsessed with targeting trans folks,” former HHS deputy assistant secretary for health policy Adrian Shanker told The Advocate.</p>
“HHS Investigates State Health Department to Protect Conscience Rights and Ensure Equal Treatment of Faith-Based Organizations” Press Release”
🏳️⚧️⚕️📊 On Wednesday, a report was released which found that trans and nonbinary youth who stated that their pronouns are respected by a lot of people in their life had 31% lower odds of a past-year suicide attempt.
More information:
“Transgender and nonbinary youth whose pronouns are respected attempt suicide less: report”
Respecting trans youth's pronouns decreases suicide risk | Advocate.com
<p>"It's about effort, and just attempting to be respectful and kind to people," lead author Steven Hobaica tells <em>The Advocate</em>.</p>
“Pronoun Usage and Mental Health Impacts of Pronoun Respect in TGNB Young People”
Pronoun Usage and Mental Health Impacts of Pronoun Respect in TGNB Young People | The Trevor Project
Less than half (46%) of transgender and nonbinary young people reported that their pronouns were respected by a lot, most, or all of the people in their lives.
🏳️⚧️📜 On Tuesday, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners in Michigan voted to reject a proposed resolution which declared that only two unchangeable sexes exist and urged the state to reflect this in birth, marriage, and death certificates.
More information:
“Northern Michigan county board rejects ‘only two sexes’ resolution“
Northern Michigan county board rejects 'only two sexes' resolution | WCMU Public Radio
About 87% of the nearly 120 people who commented on the resolution denounced it. Public input lasted nearly five hours and hundreds more people watched the meeting online.
“Michigan county to vote on resolution declaring ‘only two sexes male and female’”
Michigan county to vote on resolution declaring ‘only two sexes male and female’ - mlive.com
It's on the Houghton County Board of Commissioners’ agenda for Tuesday.
🏳️⚧️🪖🏛️ On December 6th, text of the proposed National Defense Authorization Act was released, which would bar trans women from competing in women’s sports in military academies if passed.
More information:
“Congress moves to ban trans women from military academy sports”
Congress moves to ban trans women from military academy sports - LGBTQ Nation
The move is part of several anti-trans measures directed by the Trump administration.
“Congress Moves to Ban Trans Women From Military Academy Sports”
Congress Moves to Ban Trans Women From Military Academy Sports – Mother Jones
The move is part of several anti-trans measures directed by the Trump administration.
🏳️⚧️🪖⚖️ On Tuesday, a federal appeals court allowed the government to continue to enforce its ban on trans people serving in the military while appeals proceed.
More information:
“D.C. appeals court keeps Trump’s transgender military ban in place despite one judge’s blistering dissent”
Federal appeals court deals blow to trans military members | Advocate.com
<p>The ban “brands all transgender people, without regard to individual merit, as unworthy to serve in our armed forces solely because they are transgender,” Judge Cornelia Pillard wrote.</p>
🏳️⚧️🏫⚖️ On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department sued Virginia’s Loudon County School Board on the basis of religious discrimination on behalf of two Christian boys suspended for harassing their trans classmate in the boys’ locker room.
More information:
“Trump admin sues school for religious discrimination for punishing Christians who harassed trans kid”
Trump admin sues school for religious discrimination for punishing Christians who harassed trans kid - LGBTQ Nation
The administration says the school violated the Christian students' religious freedom by suspending them for harassing their trans classmate.
🏳️⚧️🏐 On Tuesday, a southeast Michigan parent filed a Title IX complaint with the U.S. Department of Education because his cisgender daughter played against a girl claimed to be trans in a volleyball match at Monroe High School, where they shared a locker room.
More information:
“Michigan parent files Title IX complaint with allegations over transgender athlete playing in volleyball game”
Michigan parent files Title IX complaint with allegations over transgender athlete playing in volleyball game
A southeast Michigan parent has filed a Title IX complaint with the U.S. Department of Education over claims a transgender student athlete played against his daughter’s volleyball team.
“Michigan GOP Politicians host press conference after parent files complaint regarding trans athelete”
Michigan GOP politicians host press conference after parent files complaint regarding trans athlete - mlive.com
Michigan GOP politicians host press conference after parent files complaint regarding trans athlete in Monroe on Monday, Dec. 8 2025.
“Ann Arbor high school volleyball team becomes subject of anti-trans backlash after right-wing reporting”
🏳️⚧️��⚖️ On Tuesday, a federal judge struck down a Georgia law that banned gender-affirming care for incarcerated transgender people, deeming it “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment.
More information:
“Federal Court Strikes Down Georgia’s Ban on GAC for Incarcerated Trans People”
“Trans inmates win right to gender-affirming care as judge calls it ‘a serious medical need’”
