Federal lawmakers have passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act, a sweeping defense policy bill that includes a new federal ban on transgender women competing on female-designated sports teams at U.S. military service academies.
The ban on transgender athletes was folded into the 3,086-page bill, which authorizes approximately $900 billion in military and national security spending for 2026, according to Mother Jones. The House of Representatives passed the measure by a 312-112 vote, with 94 Democrats and 18 Republicans opposed. The Senate followed with a 75-22 vote, and the bill now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The provision targeting military academies prohibits the Department of Defense from allowing any person “whose sex is male” — defined as “a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth” — to participate in “an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.”
Under the ban, males may train or practice with female-designated athletic programs, provided they do not compete against women and do not deprive any female athlete of a roster spot, scholarship, or opportunity to participate in practices or competitions.
The ban is narrower than earlier drafts. It applies only to students enrolled at military academies, meaning transgender athletes from other schools who compete against academy teams will not be barred from competing or from using facilities that align with their gender identity.
The bill also prohibits the Department of Defense from maintaining any office dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, implementing DEI-related plans, or allowing employee resource or affinity groups organized around “race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”
Anti-transgender riders remain in several appropriations bills funding the Labor Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Education Department. One such provision prohibits the use of “any federal funds” to cover gender-affirming care, language that could be interpreted so broadly as to strip federal funding from hospitals that treat transgender patients.
Dutch authorities say Veronica Clifford-Carlos failed to prove she faces a "legitimate risk of persecution" or threat of physical harm in the United States.
A Dutch court has upheld a ruling rejecting a U.S. transgender woman's bid for asylum, finding she does not face a substantial enough threat of persecution in her home country.
Veronica Clifford-Carlos, a 28-year-old visual artist from California, said she once believed she’d build a life in the United States, but felt compelled to flee after receiving death threats over her gender identity.
Clifford-Carlos left the United States -- leaving behind friends and her dog -- and flew to the Netherlands with her father. Upon arrival, she applied for asylum, telling authorities about the abuse she endured in the United States, particularly after President Donald Trump’s re-election last fall.
Seattle's local organizing committee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is moving ahead with a first-of-its-kind "Pride Match" at Lumen Field on June 26, coinciding with the city's Pride Weekend, even though the scheduled game will feature Iran and Egypt, two countries that criminalize homosexuality.
The Pride-adjacent branding was created by the host city, not FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, which has not endorsed the designation.
When FIFA was planning the match schedule, Seattle was in line to host either New Zealand versus Belgium or Egypt versus Iran on June 26. Vancouver ultimately received the New Zealand-Belgium game, leaving Seattle with Egypt versus Iran, reports Outsports.
Russia's federal media regulator has blocked access to the U.S.-based children's gaming platform Roblox, accusing it of violating the country's ban on distributing so-called "LGBT propaganda."
The platform allows users to create their own games or play games made by others, drawing millions of young players worldwide.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, announced the ban on December 3, telling Reuters the platform is "rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children."
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