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aaron's avatar

The absurdity and audacity of arguing the ban is functionally "inconsequential" due to the small minority of the population it affects with no recognition whatsoever that this then begs the question why they are putting such an outsized amount of effort into these measures.

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MissNumbersNinja's avatar

Yes, what a ridiculous argument.

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Ella's avatar

I love it! And the court even used the I-word, ideology, referring to "the political ideology of legislators." Exactly so.

As a refugee from northwest Wyoming who got most of her medical care in Billings, I look forward to sharing this with my former PCP, endocrinologist, and therapist, strong, smart and compassionate women, all.

Thanks for the smiles, s. baum. You are one cool cat!

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Aurora Fernwood's avatar

This ruling and the language used are wonderful, it really cuts to the heart of the matter why these legislative acts are unconstitutional. I really hope we see more of these kinds of rulings

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Mackenzie Steiner's avatar

This is fucking amazing news! Such an amazing testament to Zooey Zephyr's tireless and fearless advocacy on our behalf. I am so deeply grateful to her and to you, Erin, for all of your amazing work… You two are a total power couple! I am inspired so much by your model and work! And I so appreciate the courage of this judge to stand up to and call out the hate! I hope this inspires others to continue the charge against all this bullshit legislation and hate-filled EO's.

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Sandra's avatar

As always, thank you Erin for the amazing and timely reporting. In a way, it’s reprehensible and sad that such reporting of trans issues is so necessary these days. I long for the days (aughts, 2010s) when they largely just left trans people alone.

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Joel W. Crump's avatar

Very encouraging. I would like to believe Trump and the CN movement aren't above the rights inherent in our citizenship. Dobbs has challenged that, the backlash against transgender identity has too, but we haven't given up the fight.

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Heather's avatar

Does this mean Montana is on the "ok to visit/spend my vacation $$ there" list?!

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Jayna Sheats's avatar

Your sardonic comment has a serious side - many of us love the less-populated mountain states (I say that as a former Coloradoan; you can see my retrospective view of that experience in my novel "Hanna's Ascent"). The best we can find in Wyoming (home of the incomparable Tetons) these days is Liz Cheney; in Montana we have real hope alongside the receding glaciers. Erin and Zoe, along with other salutory voices, are making this a real prospect!

(I say the last part as a two-time vacation visitor to Glacier NP in times when the evil of Gianforte and pals wasn't so evident.)

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Adeline Johnson's avatar

Oh cmon we really boutta boycott entire regions because of what the fascists ruling over them think??

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Michelle Belmont's avatar

Yes. Even with safety concerns aside, boycotts worked in NC in 2015 when they passed (and later removed) the first trans bathroom bill. They turned the population against the Republican governor, who lost his re-election bid, allowing the new governor to remove the law. So, yes, we do boycott. We also protest and make ourselves heard and show up and whatever else we can do to prove that we aren't "insignificant."

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Adeline Johnson's avatar

I’m all for boycotting bigotry, but i guess as a trans person in the south, NC actually, it just feels a little isolating

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Michelle Belmont's avatar

Yeah, as a trans person who grew up in NC, I feel ya. It was extremely isolating for most of my life, even before all this stuff. I'm gone now, but I can understand your concern. But at the same time, I want to stop their attack train before it rolls over us.

I don't know, there's not really a good answer, and we're all just going to have to make some sacrifices in the end to survive. Not compromises, but sacrifices. I hate that, but it is what we face. I'm constantly worried about losing my passport/visa and getting deported back to NC. If that were to happen, I keep asking myself what sacrifices I would make...

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Jayna Sheats's avatar

I think it may be more a question of safety. 😏 Most states aren't yet in the Florida (and Texas?) category yet, but one has to consider what the smiiing face behind the counter is really thinking...

Economic boycotts are usually of low value, even when they're big enough to be noticed (both Bud Light and the Washington Post are still around and doing largely what they did before). But it's an option for some.

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Adeline Johnson's avatar

Nowhere is really all that safe

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Jayna Sheats's avatar

"Keep those lawsuits and rulings coming in, folks..."

(Quite a few readers won't recognize the echo from a time long, long ago - Dean Martin wouldn't have been our ally, but we can still use his words. 😏)

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Joan the Dork's avatar

"Intellectually and morally indefensible" would make a great motto for the GQP, but they might not be able to handle words with so many syllables.

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KathyPartDeux's avatar

The importance of state constitution rights going forward is only increasing. Privacy and sex discrimination mentioned recently here for Pennsylvania:

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/lgbtq-protections-trump-executive-orders-shapiro-20250214.html#loaded

https://archive.ph/JaPmg

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Robin Whitaker's avatar

Gianforeskin

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David Iosue's avatar

As we have seen, day after day, since 2015, the Religious Right and the Republican Party have no intellect and no morals of which to speak. All this time, money and energy they’ve wasted going after people that they also want their followers to believe don’t exist! They have proven themselves to be fiscally irresponsible and conflicted. We stand with Zooey to this day. Welcome to s. baum! Carry on.

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Nikki Nightshade's avatar

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." -14th Amendment, Section 1, US Constitution

For emphasis: "...nor shall any State deprive ANY person of life, LIBERTY, or property..."

From this article. “It has never been the law in this state that a rare few, even if they are ‘despised,’ should lack protection under the law,” the ruling reads.

The court is absolutely right. And not just "this state," but in the entire country. Constitutional rights are not limited to 90%, or 99%, or even 99.999999997% of Americans.

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David Iosue's avatar

As we have seen, day after day, since 2015, the Religious Right and the Republican Party have no intellect and no morals of which to speak. All this time, money and energy they’ve wasted going after people that they also want their followers to believe don’t exist! They have proven themselves to be fiscally irresponsible and conflicted. We stand with Zooey to this day. Welcome to s. baum! Carry on.

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Susan Tuzzolino's avatar

Thanks so much for this good news!! I so appreciate the good people and the judge who keep fighting for the rights of trans people! When we enforce the rights of trans people, we enforce the rights of all of us! I stand tall and proud with all my LGBTQ+ community!

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