#bathroomrights

Voters in Anchorage, Alaska appear to have blocked the passing of a new anti-trans bathroom bill that would have stripped protections fron transgender invidiuals and required people in public spaces to use the bathroom corresponding to the sex assigned them at birth.

With all the ballots cast, the victory is as yet unofficial, though the Anchorage Press reports that 53% of citizens voted against the bill, Prop 1, while 46% voted for it.

The rights afforded transgender people in the Anchorage Assembly resolution of 2015 will thus remain intact.

Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, the mayor of Anchorage, also made headlines Tuesday night, winning re-election against opponent Rebecca Logan by a 57-38% margin.

The Education Department Officially Rejects Transgender Students' Bathroom Complaints

Welcome to another week of “how will the Trump administration damage the lives of the LGBTQ community.” Today, the Education Department told BuzzFeed News that “it won't investigate or take action on any complaints filed by transgender students who are banned from restrooms that match their gender identity.”

While this is par for the course for the homophobic and transphobic administration, it sets a damaging and dangerous new precedent for the transgender students who have had to face fear and abuse for their gender identity when trying to use the bathroom. It also represents a shift from the administration’s yearlong position that it was “studying” the issue.