Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
North Dakota Might Ask Supreme Court To End Same-Sex Marriage
North Dakota lawmakers are on the verge of making their state the first to tell the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its decade-old ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Similar efforts — which would not have any direct sway with the nation’s top courts — have been introduced in a handful of states this year. North Dakota’s resolution passed the Republican-led House in February but still requires Senate approval, which is not assured. (Dura, 3/12)
More on LGBTQ+ issues —
A federal judge on Wednesday signaled that she was deeply skeptical that the Pentagon's handling of transgender service members complies with federal law, grilling a government attorney for hours about the scientific basis for the decision, its impact on military readiness, and the alleged harms to unit cohesion. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said she plans to issue a ruling on the policy as early as next week, but appeared to rebuff most of the arguments defending the policy made by a DOJ attorney, who frequently appeared to be at a loss for words regarding how to respond to the judge's questions. (Charalambous, 3/12)
In a recent post on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Donald Trump shared an image depicting a crossed-out pink triangle, accompanied by a link to a Washington Times article discussing his new military recruitment advertisements. This symbol, historically associated with the persecution of homosexuals during the Nazi regime, has sparked widespread concern and debate regarding its implications and the message Trump intends to convey. The pink triangle originated as a badge of shame in Nazi concentration camps, where it was used to identify male prisoners incarcerated for homosexuality. (3/11)
Transgender Americans are experiencing poor physical and mental health more than other LGBTQ+ people, in part due to higher rates of discrimination, while intersex Americans are struggling to find or afford health care at all, according to new data from the Center for American Progress (CAP) and NORC at the University of Chicago. (Rummler, 3/12)
