Tennessee lawmakers back anti-LGBTQ bills, a club in California bans MAGA attire, and an Orthodox Jewish university in New York recognizes a queer club.

Lawmakers Back Numerous Anti-LGBTQ Measures

A slew of bills is being pushed by Tennessee lawmakers that critics say are discriminatory toward the LGBTQ community, according to Tennessee Lookout.

One bill would require state and local laws and policies that refer to a person’s sex or gender are based on “anatomy and genetics” at birth.

Another bill, which was passed by the House last week, would require private schools and churches that host children in residential facilities, such as summer camps, to divide restrooms and changing areas based on “immutable biological sex.”

Club Bans MAGA Attire

Photo via Unsplash.

Badlands, an LGBTQ club in Sacramento, announced it's banning “all MAGA-related attire” inside the venue.

The announcement came after someone wore a “Make America Great Again” hat to the club. Badlands stated on social media that the patron made some guests uncomfortable.

“This decision is not about banning political beliefs — it is about ensuring that Badlands remains a space where our community feels comfortable and supported,” it said in its post.

The decision was met with mixed reactions, with many conservative LGBTQ groups stating it contradicts the community’s goal of inclusion.

Orthodox Jewish University Recognizes Queer Club

Photo via YU Pride Alliance, Facebook.

Yeshiva University, a private Orthodox Jewish university, is recognizing an LGBTQ club after years of legal battles.

The university’s initial stance revolved around Orthodoxy's prohibition against same-sex relations, and argued the Pride Alliance violated its religious freedom in court for years. 

“The parties have reached an agreement and the litigation is ending. Current students will be implementing a club … that will seek to support LGBTQ students and their allies and will operate in accordance with the approved guidelines of Yeshiva University’s senior rabbis,” the university said in a statement. 

Though no official reason was given, the decision comes weeks after a student was allegedly assaulted on campus and called homophobic slurs.

Rachael Fried, executive director of a Jewish nonprofit that supports queer youth, said that while the news is exciting, there’s a lot more to accomplish going forward.

“This has been an ongoing conflict so there’s work that has to be done to make sure that Y.U. actually feels like a space where queer students can feel like their whole selves,” Fried said. “The administration working with the actual queer students is the right path to actually get to that place.”