QM Weekly Update for October 20, 2025
🏳️🌈🏛️ On Monday, the Lansing City Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring Lansing an LGBTQ+ welcoming city. While the resolution is not legally binding, it condemns acts of violence and harassment and states that the city of Lansing will not investigate, detain, or prosecute those seeking or providing gender-affirming care.
More information:
“Lansing City Council passes LGBTQ+ support resolution”
Lansing city council passes LGBTQ+ support resolution
LANSING Mich. (WLNS) – A unanimous vote among city council members resulted in Lansing becoming an LGBTQ+ welcoming city Monday night. A resolution passed at Monday night’s Lansing City…
“Lansing City Council Unanimously Declares City an LGBTQ+ Welcoming Community”
Lansing City Council Unanimously Declares City an LGBTQ+ Welcoming Community
Amid growing public concerns about LGBTQ+ safety, Lansing will become an LGBTQ+ Welcoming City after a unanimous vote by city council members at their Oct.
🏳️🌈⚕️🏛️ On Friday, as part of the Trump administration’s layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Population Affairs, which delivers a significant number of family planning, sexual health, and LGBTQ+ health programs, was entirely removed. Many of these layoffs are expected to be permanent.
More information:
“Donald Trump ends LGBT+ health programs under the cover of the shutdown”
Donald Trump ends LGBTQ+ health programs under the cover of the shutdown - LGBTQ Nation
Over the weekend thousands of HHS employees were dismissed, including the office responsible for key LGBTQ+ programs.
“Trump’s shutdown layoffs eliminate entire federal health agencies that served LGBTQ+ people, teens, & women”
'Devastating' Trump shutdown firings gut vital HHS programs | Advocate.com
<p>“Without these people in place, it’s unlikely that a lot of these programs will be able to continue even after the government reopens," former HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Adrian Shanker told <em>The Advocate.</em></p>
🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈⚖️ On October 10th, a conservative group withdrew its lawsuit filed in June against the Michigan Law Review, which alleged that the journal discriminated against straight, white men in selecting student editors and scholarly articles.
More information:
“Conservative group ends discrimination lawsuit against Michigan Law Review”
🏳️⚧️🪖🏛️ On October 9th, the National Defense Authorization Act for 2026 passed the Senate with anti-trans provisions including a trans sports ban at military academies and a ban on Defense Department funding for gender-affirming care. Both Michigan Senators voted yes on the bill, which will now enter negotiations with the House.
More information:
“26 Senate Democrats Help Pass Military NDAA Containing Trans Sports, Surgery Ban, No Protection For US Troop Deployments”
🏳️🌈🏫 On Tuesday, at the Michigan State Board of Education meeting, far-right advocates voiced their opposition to a proposed update to state health education standards that recommends fact-based, LGBTQ+-inclusive instruction about gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. No vote was taken on the updated standards yet.
More information:
“Debate erupts over Michigan’s proposed health ed standards and LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools”
“Michigan sex ed overhaul plan sparks debate: inclusivity or indoctrination?”
Michigan sex ed overhaul plan sparks debate: inclusivity or indoctrination? - Bridge Michigan
In first update since 2007, proposed sex ed standards would encourage Michigan schools to discuss gender identity and expression with students by eighth grade.
“Lying in Lansing: Republicans Manufactured a Sex Ed Crisis”
Lying In Lansing: Republicans Manufactured a Sex Ed Crisis
The Michigan Board Of Education heard anti-LGBTQ venom from conservative parents.
🏳️⚧️📊 On Tuesday, a far-right academic published an analysis claiming that transgender identification is decreasing, but experts found that those findings were incorrect, due to a mischaracterization of data about nonbinary people as being about transgender people as a whole, and that the data actually showed in increase in trans identification.
More information:
“Fact Check: No, There Is Not A New Survey Showing Trans Identity Is Decreasing”
“Fact check: No, there is not a new survey showing trans identity is decreasing”
Right wingers falsely claim trans identity is decreasing | Advocate.com
The claim, which originates from far-right professor Eric Kaufmann, appears to have made a glaring error: the survey actually shows more people have come out, not fewer.
“Right-Wingers Celebrate Flawed Study Claiming a ‘Decline’ in Trans Identity”
Right-Wingers Celebrate Flawed Study Claiming a "Decline" in Trans Identity | Them
One data scientist called the report “dead on arrival” over its inaccuracies.
🏳️⚧️✈️ As of October 12th, airlines are required to misgender nonbinary people when entering information about international passengers for U.S. customs, being required to use an M or F marker, even if a passenger has an X or other gender marker on their ID and travel documents.
More information:
“President will now force airlines to guess passengers’ genders if they have X gender markers”
President will now force airlines to guess passengers' genders if they have X gender markers - LGBTQ Nation
US customs will no longer accept X gender markers in their system despite people still having those passports.
🏳️🌈⚕️📊 On Thursday, a report was released showing that LGBTQ+ youth are significantly more likely to report anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in 2025 than they were in 2023.
More information:
“New Study Shows LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Crisis is Worsening in the U.S.”
New Study Shows LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Crisis is Worsening in the U.S. | The Trevor Project
Your Support Saves LGBTQ+Youth's Lives Every DayDonate The Trevor Project published findings from its first-ever longitudinal study, following 1,600+ LGBTQ+ […]
“The kids aren’t alright: Depression and anxiety rates are skyrocketing among LGBTQ+ youth”
Depression and anxiety rates skyrocket among LGBTQ+ youth | Advocate.com
<p>Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation rates have risen significantly among LGBTQ+ youth.</p>
“Project SPARK Interim Report”
