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Metro Weekly Poll: Defending LGBT Rights
Metro Weekly Poll: Defending LGBT Rights
Obama and Clinton made strong statements defending LGBT rights. What do you think?
By Metro Weekly Contributor
on
December 6, 2011
A new rule from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could effectively criminalize transgender people who attempt to buy firearms, raising concerns about their ability to exercise Second Amendment rights.
The move stems from an executive order by President Donald Trump declaring that the federal government will recognize only two sexes -- male and female -- based on biological anatomy at birth.
Under the change, all gun buyers would be required to list their sex assigned at birth on purchase paperwork, even if they have legally changed their gender or undergone gender confirmation surgery. That would force transgender people to either "out" themselves or risk lying on a government form -- a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or up to 10 years if the lie is deemed "material" to the sale.
The Montana Supreme Court upheld a lower court order blocking the state from enforcing policies that prevent transgender people from obtaining identity documents that reflect their gender identity.
In 2021, Montana lawmakers passed a law restricting transgender people from obtaining birth certificates that reflect their gender identity unless they provide a court order showing they have undergone gender confirmation surgery. Two transgender people challenged the law, and a district judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking its enforcement.
A D.C. police officer has been arrested and is being held without bond on charges of soliciting sex from a minor and soliciting child pornography.
Lt. Matthew Mahl, a 23-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department, was arrested April 14 in Harford County, Maryland, according to Washington, D.C.-based NBC affiliate WRC-TV.
Charging documents allege that Mahl messaged someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy named "Nate" on the Reddit forum "r/GayYoungOldDating," who was actually an undercover Harford County sheriff's deputy.
