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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

LGBTQ Advocates: Our Voices Ignored in Transgender Sports Debate

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Thursday, March 25, 2021   

BISMARCK, N.D. -- North Dakota lawmakers have been revising a controversial bill concerning transgender students competing in high school sports.

LGBTQ advocates said sponsors have responded to complaints about the proposal, except from those who fear the most backlash.

House Bill 1298 would prevent public school athletes 18 and younger from joining a team that doesn't match the gender on their birth certificate.

Transgender advocates call the bill discriminatory, while business groups say it could harm tourism.

Truman Hamburger, a student at Dickinson High School and a member of the LGBTQ community, feared legislators are ignoring the concerns of his peers.

"Voting for this bill is tantamount to signing the death warrants for transgender students in North Dakota," Hamburger contended.

He argued sports participation wasn't an issue before the bill surfaced, but worries transgender students will be subject to more bullying because of the attention the plan has received.

Supporters say their main drive is to create fairness in girls' sports.

The bill cleared the House and could get a Senate vote this week. If passed, the amended version would go back to the lower chamber.

Sean Coffman, co-chair of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, noted a number of students have testified in opposition to the bill, and feels pressing ahead with the plan after hearing these voices is a big mistake.

"This is just a vulnerable group of individuals," Coffman asserted. "And for the state of North Dakota to move forward with this kind of legislation is simply going to make them more vulnerable."

He pointed to findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention North Dakota Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which showed trans students are more likely to be bullied on school property.

Other opponents have said such bills can result in costly litigation.

Opposition groups stressed their main focus right now is raising concerns about the measure, but suggested a legal challenge could happen if it is signed into law.

Disclosure: North Dakota Human Rights Coalition contributes to our fund for reporting on Civil Rights, Human Rights/Racial Justice, LGBTQIA Issues, and Women's Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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