Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 11h

Good news for transgender people at MIT.

Unlike some prestigious universities, MIT has defied the Trump administration and refused its attempt to pressure the university into banning transgender people from bathrooms.

The latest from reporter S. Baum.

Subscribe to support our journalism.

MIT Rejects Trump’s Bid to Institute Trans Bathroom, Athletics Ban

“A government that can reward colleges and universities for speech it favors today can punish them for speech it dislikes tomorrow.”

www.erininthemorning.com

14 320 1.5K

Reposted by Erin Reed

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs @sarajacobs.house.gov · 15h

So Pete Hegseth is getting gender affirming care while kicking highly qualified, highly trained trans service members out of our military? Got it.

15 150 640

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

10. Lastly, EITM is an award-winning media outlet covering LGBTQ+ issues every day. You can subscribe to support our journalism at www.erininthemorning.com/subscribe.

Subscribe to Erin In The Morning

News and discussion on trans legislation and life. Click to read Erin In The Morning, by Erin Reed, a Substack publication with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

www.erininthemorning.com

5 73

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

9.The outcome of those negotiations will determine whether equality survives the next year of federal policymaking. You can contact your elected officials to weigh in on their NDAA votes and the upcoming funding negotiations here.

www.commoncause.org/find-your-re...

Find Your Representative

Find your representatives. Learn how to find and connect with them. Stay informed about their bills, committees, and contributions.

www.commoncause.org

2 27 160

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

8. The Senate’s capitulation on LGBTQ+, DEI, and other provisions may offer an early preview of its priorities in the broader shutdown fight. Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over a clean continuing resolution and full-year funding bills for 2026—many of which are packed with anti-LGBTQ+ riders.

1 23 150

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

7. Here are a list of Dems voting for and against the bill:

Democratic senators who voted against or did not vote on the NDAA included Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin; Cory Booker and Andy Kim of New Jersey; Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray of Washington; Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin of Illinois; Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon; Chris Murphy of Connecticut; Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of California; Brian Schatz of Hawaii; Tina Smith of Minnesota; Chris Van Hollen of Maryland; and Peter Welch of Vermont. Independent senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont also voted no. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada did not vote.

The bill now heads into conference negotiations with the House, where the version passed earlier this year is loaded with even more anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ riders. Many of those measures were championed by Rep. Nancy Mace, who infamously launched into anti-trans slurs on the House floor during debate. The House provisions go far beyond the Senate’s, including an all-ages ban on military health insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, restrictions on transgender athletes at military facilities, a bathroom ban on bases, a ban on pride flags, and a clause excluding gender identity from all military data collection. According to Roll Call, the Senate’s passage sets the stage for formal conference talks where negotiators could fold some—or all—of the House provisions into the final bill. The legislation will then return to both chambers for final approval and will likely reach the president’s desk before year’s end.

6 31 140

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

6. At first, Senate Dems blocked the measure. But by Tuesday night, they had struck a deal to move it forward. Rather than demand that key provisions be stripped or amended, Democrats opted for a series of doomed amendment votes, including limits on the president's use of troops on US soil.

U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session

www.senate.gov

1 14 130

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

5. The bill, which cleared the Senate 77–20 last night, sets the rules for how the military operates and spends its money. This year, the senate version includes a military ban on trans sports/surgery, including dependents/spouses, DOD funded contractors, and more.

It also strikes DEI protections.

U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session

www.senate.gov

1 19 140

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

4. This year, history is repeating itself. Senate Democrats dropped key objections and allowed a vote to proceed on the bill—ultimately passing the Senate version of the bill, complete with anti-trans culture-war riders, an anti-DEI clause, and no limits on the domestic deployment of U.S. troops.

2 31 170

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

3. In 2024, the NDAA became the vehicle for one of the most consequential betrayals of transgender Americans by national Democrats in recent memory, after Democrats allowed provisions targeting trans military family members and dependents to stand when they had control of the Senate and White House.

37 Democratic Senators Voted To Pass Anti-Trans NDAA. Here Are Their Names.

The vote came after most of the same Democrats refused to allow an amendment on the floor to remove the anti-trans provision in the military spending bill.

www.erininthemorning.com

2 20 150

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

2. Over the past two weeks, the shutdown fight has dominated Washington. As LGBTQ+ people have watched nervously to see whether Dems would hold the line against anti-trans and anti-queer riders, another “must-pass” measure has advanced through Congress: the National Defense Authorization Act.

1 12 160

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

1. Last night, 26 Senate Dems helped pass a NDAA containing a military trans sports and surgery ban and dropped demands for protections against US troop deployments in the bill.

It is the latest in the national fight over must-pass bills during the shutdown.

Subscribe to support our journalism.

26 Senate Democrats Help Pass Military NDAA Containing Trans Sports, Surgery Ban, No Protection For US Troop Deployments

The bill passed by a wide margin in the Senate and will be the starting point for negotiations with the House, which contain more severe anti-trans riders.

www.erininthemorning.com

30 220 570

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 17h

They could have filibustered the bill but we aren't even in that conversation right now, considering most Dems voted FOR it.

1 1

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Call your senator to let them know how you feel about their vote:

www.commoncause.org/find-your-re...

Find Your Representative

Find your representatives. Learn how to find and connect with them. Stay informed about their bills, committees, and contributions.

www.commoncause.org

4 78 230

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Some have noted it also will likely impact contractors that receive DOD funding.

1 27 230

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Here is the text of the bill: Department of Defense funds are what will be targeted/blocked.

5 21 170

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Just because I want to be super clear, this is military-only, as the NDAA only covers the military. This will impact the spouses and dependents of military members.

3 26 260

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

There are many military dependents that depend on military health insurance for surgery coverage.

1 30

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

If your dem is not on this list, they either voted for the bill or did not vote. I don't have the official roll call yet, this was just what people noted via voice.

5 31 330

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Nope. NDAA can be filibustered.

Dems just straight up rolled on it.

4 8 68

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

Unofficial list of Dems opposing the NDAA passage here:

Baldwin
Booker
Cantwell
Duckworth
Durbin
Kim
Markey
Merkley
Murphy
Murray
Padilla
Paul
Sanders
Schatz
Schiff
Smith
Van Hollen
Warren
Welch
Wyden

37 68 430

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

This is a precursor to the FY26 appropriations fight, where dozens more proposals are up for negotiation. Right now, the government is currently shut down, with attempts to pass a clean continuing resolution failing.

2 27 260

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

The Senate has just passed the military NDAA containing 2 anti-trans provisions: a surgery ban using federal funds (dependents too), and a sports ban on military academy spaces.

This will be the STARTING point for negotiations with the House, which has even worse provisions.

Only 20 Dems opposed.

62 490 1.4K

Reposted by Erin Reed

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 1d

With SCOTUS set to legalize conversion therapy, I think it's important for states to get around this decision by implementing new legislation applying private rights of action to practitioners of conversion therapy by their victims with large damages and long statutes of limitations.

17 450 1.7K

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 1d

10. Lastly, EITM is an award-winning media outlet covering LGBTQ+ issues every day. You can subscribe to support our journalism at www.erininthemorning.com/subscribe.

Subscribe to Erin In The Morning

News and discussion on trans legislation and life. Click to read Erin In The Morning, by Erin Reed, a Substack publication with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

www.erininthemorning.com

2 7 100