Five teenagers have been charged with assault after attacking and breaking the jaw of a transgender girl housed in a boys’ unit at D.C.’s Youth Services Center.
The assault was one of two separate fights that erupted at the juvenile detention center on July 7. According to NBC affiliate WRC-TV, the 88-bed facility was over capacity by 17 people that day, per DYRS data.
The D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services said the fights were unrelated and staff were present during both incidents, quickly working to de-escalate the situations.
In the incident involving the transgender victim, DYRS told The Advocate it was launching a “full review” and had contacted the Metropolitan Police Department. The teens involved were separated and reassigned to different housing units as a precaution.
The transgender youth’s placement in a male housing unit raised questions, as DYRS policy does not require transgender or intersex inmates to be housed solely based on their genitalia.
“DYRS staff shall make housing decisions for transgender youth based on the youth’s sense of where they will be most secure, as well as recommendations from their health care provider,” reads the policy, which took effect in 2012.
The policy requires staff to protect youth from harassment and discrimination in juvenile detention facilities. It also bans DYRS staff from working with therapists who practice conversion therapy and prohibits placing LGBTQ youth in isolation as a means of protection.
If a youth discloses their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, staff must “talk with the youth about it in an open and non-judgmental, understanding manner and determine if the youth has particular concerns or needs related to being LGBTQI,” the policy reads.
A DYRS official told The Advocate that staff at D.C.’s Youth Services Center complied with existing policy on LGBTQI issues.
But that policy, praised as a win for the transgender community when approved over a decade ago, may conflict with President Trump’s executive order stating federal agencies will no longer recognize transgender identity. Under the order, incarcerated transgender individuals are barred from being housed in single-sex spaces that don’t match their assigned sex at birth.
Metro Weekly submitted a request for comment from the office of D.C. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah and the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. A spokesman for the mayor’s office referred Metro Weekly to DYRS.
A DYRS spokesperson shared a statement from Director Sam Abed in response to an inquiry seeking more details about the incident and the condition of the injured teen.
“The Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) is deeply committed to the safety, security, and well-being of every young person in our care. These isolated incidents are unacceptable and are taken very seriously by our agency. We appreciate our staff for their quick actions in de-escalating the situations,” the statement reads.
“We remain dedicated to creating an environment where young people can focus on rehabilitation, personal growth, and long-term success. We will keep strengthening our internal protocols and examining any contributing factors to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases challenging state laws that bar transgender student-athletes from competing on female-designated sports teams at public schools and universities. One of those cases, Little v. Hecox, involves Boise State student Lindsay Hecox, who sued after being denied a spot on the school’s women’s track and cross-country teams under Idaho’s transgender sports ban.
A federal judge blocked Idaho’s law in 2020, finding that it likely violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and discriminated against Hecox and other transgender athletes based on sex and transgender status. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in 2023 and again in an amended opinion last year. The state then appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to decide whether the ban is constitutional.
Gina Ortiz Jones was elected mayor of San Antonio in a runoff election on June 7.
The victory was historic, as Jones is not only San Antonio's first out LGBTQ mayor but the first Asian-American female mayor of a major city in Texas and the first female mayor in Texas to have served in a war.
(She's a former Air Force officer and Iraq War veteran who previously served as Under Secretary of the Air Force during the Biden administration.)
Jones is also the first mayor since 2005 to not have previously served on the city council and will serve a four-year term.
State has 10 days to ban transgender athletes from girls’ teams or risk losing federal education funding, under a Title IX ultimatum from the Education Department.
The Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation, demanding they ban transgender athletes from competing on girls' sports teams.
In a June 25 announcement, the U.S. Department of Education said California’s policy allowing transgender girls to compete on girls' teams violates Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational institutions.
The department also proposed a resolution requiring California to bar transgender athletes from girls' sports teams and revoke any records, titles, or awards they’ve received. It further calls on the state to send personalized apology letters to female athletes who were denied honors or recognition after being displaced by a transgender competitor.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.