Transgender activists stage die-ins to protest Florida driver's license rules
Transgender activists in Florida held die-in protests Friday morning at driver's licenses offices around the state, including Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Gainesville.. Dozens showed up draped in Transgender flags or orange road-safe vests and lay down in lobbies and offices, drawing attention to the state's latest erasure of Trans identity.

The die-ins took place following a controversial decision by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration to criminalize changing one's gender on a license to reflect a transition in gender identity.

New York archdiocese condemns funeral of Trans activist
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, which was held in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan and drew a large audience on Thursday. Gentili was known as a leading advocate for the Trans community, sex workers, and people with HIV. A post on her Instagram account announced her death on February 6 at the age of 52.

In a written statement released Saturday, the Rev. Enrique Salvo, pastor of St. Patrick's, thanked people he said had informed the church that they "share our outrage over the scandalous behavior" at the funeral. "The Cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a funeral Mass for a Catholic, and had no idea our welcome and prayer would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceptive way."

A former sex worker who suffered addiction and was jailed at Rikers Island, Gentili became a Transgender health program coordinator, a nonprofit policy director for an established Gay men's health organization (GMHC), and a lobbyist for health equality and antidiscrimination legislation, among other advocacy work.

Gentili founded the COIN Clinic, short for Cecilia's Occupational Inclusion Network, a free health program for sex workers through the Callen-Lorde community health organization in New York.

Tennessee Senate passes bill allowing marriage discrimination against same-sex couples
The Tennessee State Senate has passed a bill potentially allowing individuals to refuse to officiate marriages based on their personal beliefs, including objections to same-sex weddings.

The legislation, Senate Bill 596, declares that "a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage if the person has an objection to solemnizing the marriage based on the person's conscience or religious beliefs."

Critics argue that this legislation could lead to broader discrimination, particularly affecting same-sex and interracial couples.

The bill, which passed the House last year, now goes to the state's Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who will likely sign it.

Idaho asks SCOTUS to allow state to enforce gender-affirming care ban
Idaho officials asked the Supreme Court to let the state enforce a strict ban on gender-affirming treatments for minors in an emergency request made public Monday by one of the groups involved in the case.

The law, signed by Republican Gov. Brad Little last year, makes it a felony for doctors to provide medical treatment to Transgender minors, such as puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy and certain surgeries. It also authorizes up to $5,000 in fines against medical professionals who provide that care.

A US District Court in Idaho temporarily blocked the law from taking effect late last year while the underlying case continues in federal court. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision in January.