Illinois organizations backlash against President Donald Trump's executive order, Sundance film lineup celebrates the LGBTQ community, and lawmakers in Idaho fight to overturn marriage equality.
Trump’s Executive Order On Sex Faces Backlash
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that removes some protections from the LGBTQ community, drawing backlash from Illinois organizations, WCIA reported.
The order recognizes two sexes – male and female. It also defines that sex cannot be changed and begins at conception.
Equality Illinois CEO Brian Johnson reminded people that the orders don’t immediately go into effect.
Johnson said trans people should continue going to doctor appointments, and that employers and government entities should continue business as usual, since they will violate the law if they implement it early.
“Illinois law is strong in its protection of trans folks and most of our protections are not implicated by this order,” Johnson said.
Sundance Lineup Celebrates LGBTQ Community
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The Sundance Film Festival features a diverse slate of LGBTQ content in its 41st year, NBC reported.
The festival, which lasts through Feb. 2 in Park City, has a notable lineup of queer films that celebrate the community.
“Sometimes the queer community, we’re so good at looking at and documenting our own histories and our own struggles — and that’s certainly at play with a lot of these, as well — but the tone this year is overwhelmingly really optimistic and really celebratory,” Sundance programmer Ash Hoyle said.
Films featured include a Jennifer Lopez-starring remake of the queer classic “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” a reimagining of the 1993 film “The Wedding Banquet” starring Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone.
Lawmakers Fight To Overturn Marriage Equality
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Lawmakers have moved forward with a resolution asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage, according to the Idaho Press.
Though it is not a bill that would enact change, the resolution is intended to show support for leaving the fate of same-sex marriage in the hands of the states instead of the federal government. It now moves on to the House for a vote.
Rep. Heather Scott was in support of the resolution.
“This is about federalism, not defining marriage,” Scott said. “It’s about states’ rights. What if the federal government defined property rights or nationalized water rights? What would that do to Idaho citizens?”
The resolution faced opposition from most speakers and the two Democratic committee members at a public hearing.
“My concern with the argument around states’ rights is the history associated with it,” Rep. Todd Achilles said. “The Confederate states made similar claims to perpetuate slavery. During the Jim Crow era, segregation was justified based on states’ rights. Where do we draw the line?”
The members of the public who did support the resolution during the public hearing cited their faith, with one conservative Christian lobby group leader stating the Supreme Court “violated the Constitution” by legalizing same-sex marriage in 2015.
