Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Transgender Catholics Express Disappointment At Vatican Statement
Transgender Catholics 鈥 as well as a priest who welcomes them to his parish 鈥 expressed disappointment Monday with a new Vatican document rejecting the fundamental concept of changing one鈥檚 biological sex. In essence, it was a restatement of longstanding Catholic teaching, but the dismay was heightened because recent moves by Pope Francis had encouraged some trans Catholics to hope the church might become more accepting. (Crary, 4/8)
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced questions about Pope Francis' declaration condemning gender theory on Monday, ultimately affirming President Biden's support for the transgender community. A reporter pressed Jean-Pierre regarding the Pope's Monday document, which formally reaffirms and expands on the Catholic Church's assertion that attempts to alter an individual's immutable gender are ultimately misguided attempts to play God. Jean-Pierre declined to say what Biden thought of the document specifically, but added that he does support the transgender community. (Hagstrom, 4/8)
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics on Monday voted to bar transgender women from competing in women鈥檚 sports competitions. NAIA鈥檚 Council of Presidents unanimously voted in favor of the policy that says 鈥渙nly students whose biological sex is female鈥 may participate in women鈥檚 sports. But all student athletes may participate in men鈥檚 sports. (Quilantan, 4/8)
Wading into a national debate, the Legislature on Monday advanced a bill to ban transgender people from school bathrooms, domestic violence shelters and other spaces that align with their gender identity 鈥 despite warnings the bill would put at risk millions of dollars in federal funding for shelters. The House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure agreed to advance House Bill 608 by Rep. Roger Wilder, R-Denham Springs, to the full House. The bill, which would require facilities to set aside bathrooms and sleeping areas for a specific sex, resembles so-called bathroom bills that have popped up in red states across the country. (Friedmann, 4/8)
