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National Freedom to Marry Day 2025 Date & Significance: Everything You Need to Know About Celebrating Love and Equality for LGBTQ+ Rights

National Freedom to Marry Day is a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for marriage equality. Since its inception in 1999, this unofficial holiday has championed the rights of same-sex couples and pushed for the recognition of marriage as a fundamental human right, irrespective of sexual orientation. As we approach National Freedom to Marry Day 2025, it’s important to reflect on the progress made, the challenges still faced, and the work that remains in normalising same-sex marriage worldwide. LGBT+ History Month 2025 Theme, History and Significance: Know All About the Annual Observance That Celebrates the LGBTQ Community.

National Freedom to Marry Day 2025 Date

National Freedom to Marry Day 2025 falls on Wednesday, February 12.

National Freedom to Marry Day Significance

National Freedom to Marry Day was spearheaded by marriage equality advocates. At the time, the issue of same-sex marriage was far from a mainstream conversation, and legal recognition of same-sex unions was virtually non-existent in most parts of the world. The movement, led by organisations like Freedom to Marry and other LGBTQ+ rights groups, sought to educate the public and lawmakers about the importance of marriage equality and to push for changes in marriage laws. The day holds immense significance for the LGBTQ+ community, as it brings awareness to the struggle for equal marriage rights and symbolises the continued fight for social acceptance, dignity, and fairness.

What is National Freedom to Marry Day?

National Freedom to Marry Day is a day of activism and awareness that celebrates the progress made toward equal marriage rights for the LGBTQ+ community while also calling attention to the ongoing need for full marriage equality. This observance began as part of the broader movement for same-sex marriage rights and has become a focal point for advocating for the legal recognition of marriages between same-sex couples. The day encourages people to reflect on the importance of love, equality, and the fundamental right to marry the person one loves, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Why is National Freedom to Marry Day Important?

The importance of National Freedom to Marry Day cannot be overstated. While more and more countries have legalised same-sex marriage, there are still many places where LGBTQ+ couples face legal and social challenges. The day emphasises that marriage equality should not be viewed as a privilege but as a fundamental right. It’s an opportunity for activists, allies, and the LGBTQ+ community to raise their voices and continue the push toward ensuring that all couples have the right to marry and enjoy the legal and social benefits that come with marriage. LGBT History Month 2025 in UK: How Is It Different Than Pride Month in June? Here’s What You Should Know About the Observance Dedicated to the LGBTQ+ Community.

National Freedom to Marry Day is more than just a celebration; it is a call to action. The day encourages everyone, from activists to allies, to come together and advocate for full marriage equality for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As February 12, 2025, draws near, let us honor the progress made, recognise the challenges still faced, and continue to push for a world where love, in all its forms, is celebrated and embraced without barriers or restrictions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2025 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

February 12, 2025
Civil rights officials probe four U.S. medical schools over antisemitism

The Office of Civil Rights within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced investigations into four medical schools over alleged antisemitic incidents during their 2024 commencement ceremonies.

While HHS did not identify the schools subjected to these investigations, the Wall Street Journal reported that Harvard, Columbia, Brown and Johns Hopkins medical schools were the targets. The investigations will come after a school year riddled with what critics have described as antisemitic incidents after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

“After October 7, we saw Jew-hatred explode not just on college campuses and city streets, but in the medical profession. This has caused a lot of concern that anti-Jewish bias in medicine endangers the lives of Jewish patients – and these concerns have not been conclusively addressed to date,” said Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at The Lawfare Project, which provides pro bono legal services to protect the civil rights of the Jewish community. “The investigations announced by HHS are a crucial first step towards addressing these concerns.”

ISRAELI HARVARD STUDENT SPEAKS OUT ON ANTISEMITISM BEHIND LATEST SETTLEMENT

Protesters demonstrate near Columbia University on Feb. 2, 2024 in New York City. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Harvard’s 2024 commencement ceremony was ridiculed over the school’s decision to tap media CEO Maria Ressa as the school’s commencement speaker following a year of incidents that included an assault against an Israeli student by pro-Palestinian protesters, scores of alleged antisemitic displays and chants, including some that praised Hamas, and numerous civil rights allegations from Jewish students. In addition, Harvard was accused by its own students of turning a blind eye to antisemitism.

Ressa, not long after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, penned an op-ed comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, and during her commencement address complained that she had been attacked over her pro-Palestinain advocacy “by power and money because they want power and money,” which people construed as promoting antisemitic stereotypes. Ressa was also accused of praising pro-Hamas demonstrations happening on campus during her address.

JEWISH COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER VOWING TO DEPORT PRO-HAMAS ACTIVISTS WITH STUDENT VISAS

The commencement ceremony was allegedly so bad that a campus Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi felt compelled to confront Ressa during the event and subsequently walked offstage. According to media reports, Zarchi later described the ceremony as a “really vile program.”

Former Harvard University President Larry Summers claimed that the school has not been “swift” enough in combating the antisemitism spreading throughout campus. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor)

Harvard Medical School spokesperson Ekaterina Pesheva said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the school “condemns antisemitism and remains committed to combating all forms of discrimination and harassment.” Pesheva added that Harvard would “continue to advance our efforts to ensure that all community members feel they belong” and said the school is currently reviewing HHS’s civil rights request and will cooperate to address the agency’s questions regarding the 2024 commencement ceremony.

Columbia, Johns Hopkins and Brown similarly faced a slew of complaints over alleged antisemitism on their campuses and the universities’ failure to address them. The environment at these schools was so hostile, reportedly, that some Jewish students who were admitted to these Ivy League schools decided to go somewhere else. A rabbi at Columbia went so far as to tell Jewish students to leave campus for their safety.

President Donald Trump has moved quickly to challenge antisemitism in the U.S., with news of the investigations coming the same day the Trump administration’s Department of Justice announced the formation of a multi-agency task force to combat antisemitism. News of the probe also came after Trump signed an executive order several days after taking office seeking to combat antisemitism, particularly on college campuses.

“HHS has been so quick to implement President Trump’s Executive Order is tacit recognition of the failure on the part of these universities to address antisemitism, despite several lawsuits and congressional investigations,” Filitti said. “The Biden Administration, for all its rhetoric, failed to do nearly as much as President Trump has in only one week to address Jew-hatred, and we now have a President clearly willing to use the power of the executive branch to take concrete action to stamp out antisemitism and protect the civil rights of Jewish Americans – and all Americans.”

PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT LAUNCHING ‘NO REASON TO HATE’ SUPER BOWL AD, COMBATING ANTISEMITISM

Witnesses from various universities testify during a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government hearing on antisemitism on college campuses at the Rayburn House Office Building on May 15, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

In addition to facing potential consequences over the school’s failure to address antisemitism on their campuses, Trump has also threatened to withhold millions of federal dollars in research grants if they do not comply with new orders quashing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

“Antisemitism has no place in American society, least of all in medical schools,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chairman of the nonprofit Do No Harm, which seeks to root out identity politics in medical education. “Medical schools, especially those who push a DEI agenda have become hotbeds of antisemitism, the department of Health and Human Services is right to raise concerns about blatantly antisemitic protests.”

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On Monday, the Department of Education also launched a slew of additional civil rights investigations into Columbia, Northwestern, the University of California – Berkeley, the University of Minnesota and Portland State universities.

Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard, Columbia, Brown and Johns Hopkins for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

February 6, 2025
Feds spent millions studying trans menstruation, strengthening gay rights in the Balkans, database reveals

FIRST ON FOX: The federal government under the Biden administration doled out more than $174 million in grants and contracts to promote “radical ideas” on gender ideology, including to study menstrual cycles in transgender men and to “shield” the gay community in the Western Balkans, a new database dubbed ”Funding Insanity” found.

“When Americans pay their taxes every year, they expect that money to go towards projects that help them: strengthening our national defense, building and upgrading infrastructure, protecting our natural resources, etc.,” American Principles Project President Terry Schilling said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

“However, in recent years Democrats have been using public funds to instead push their radical gender agenda here at home and around the world,” he said. “Hundreds of millions of dollars have been squandered on programs promoting the idea that human biology doesn’t matter. Nothing could better exemplify the disgusting corruption that has taken hold of Washington.”

The American Principles Project, a conservative nonprofit that bills itself as “America’s Top Defender of the Family,” published a new database Thursday morning called “Funding Insanity,” which details various initiatives — both domestic and abroad — that received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government to promote left-wing gender ideology.

‘VIPER’S NEST’: USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The funds examined by the AAP were doled out across the past four years under the Biden administration.

In one of the priciest examples on AAP’s database, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) obligated $1,929,783 to the American Bar Association as part of a mission to “shield” members of “the LGBTQI+ population in the Western Balkans” by “strengthening human rights, information integrity, equality, and democracy.”

‘SESAME STREET IN IRAQ’: USAID’S ‘WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS’ SPENDING EXPOSED BY SENATOR

The Western Balkans includes nations such as Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania. The Balkans region overwhelmingly does not recognize gay marriage, though nations such as Montenegro recognize “life partnerships” between gay couples.

A protester holds a sign reading, “Homosexuality is not a choice, hate is a choice,” in Croatia. (Getty Images)

The grant began on Oct. 1, 2024, and was set to run until Sept. 30. The Trump administration, however, paused foreign assistance in January, and USAID is in the midst of an apparent dismantling at the hands of the Department of Government Efficiency.

USAID CLOSES HQ TO STAFFERS MONDAY AS MUSK SAYS TRUMP SUPPORTS SHUTTING AGENCY DOWN

In another example, the Department of Agriculture granted $600,000 to Southern University A&M in Louisiana to study menstrual cycles, including for transgender men and nonbinary people.

The Department of Agriculture granted $600,000 to Southern University A&M in Louisiana to study menstrual cycles, including for transgender men and nonbinary people. (Getty Images)

“The first occurrence of menstruation occurs at approximately 12 years of age and ends with menopause at roughly 51 years of age,” the description for the grant states. “A woman will have a monthly menstrual cycle for about 40 years of her life averaging to about 450 periods over the course of her lifetime.

“It is also important to recognize that transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex and non-binary persons may also menstruate,” it continues. “At any given moment about 26% of the world’s population is menstruating.”

The grant began in April 2024 and is described as a study to “address the growing concerns and issues surrounding menstruation,” including the use of natural fibers, such as hemp, for feminine hygiene products.

Fox News Digital reached out to the university and the American Bar Association regarding these respective grants but did not immediately receive replies.

GOP HARDLINERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP, MUSK SCALING BACK USAID

The Department of Agriculture spent an additional $229,637 to a natural resource management firm on contracts for “Brazil Forest and gender consultant services,” according to the database.

Gender consultants in forestry services work to promote gender-equality and women’s empowerment in the industry. The forestry contract began on Jan 15, 2024, and ended in January, a review of its award profile shows.

The Department of Agriculture spent an additional $229,637 to a natural resource management firm on contracts for “Brazil Forest and gender consultant services.” (Getty Images)

The State Department, in another example, spent nearly $25,000 in funds to “miscellaneous” foreign groups to premiere a theater production of “The Vagina Monologues” translated to the Gujarati language in India.

“To support social change towards women empowerment and ending gender-based violence through theatre, world premier of the Vagina Monologues in Gujarati language in Mumbai and Ahmedabad,” the description of the grant reads.

USAID EMPLOYEE SAYS STAFFERS HID PRIDE FLAGS, ‘INCRIMINATING’ BOOKS WHEN DOGE ARRIVED

“The Vagina Monologues” is a feminist play that first premiered in the U.S. in 1996 that focuses on personal monologues involving topics such as rape, menstrual periods, genital mutilation and prostitution.

In another pricey grant, USAID sent $1,065,702 to a Bangladesh welfare group to “support gender diverse people (gdp) through the new shomota (a Bangla word meaning “equality” in English),” the description for the grant reads.

Another State Department grant delivered $2,315 to a nongovernmental agency in Nepal to teach English to “professional transgender women makeup entrepreneurs.”

The State Department grant delivered $2,315 to a nongovernmental agency in Nepal to teach English to “professional transgender women makeup entrepreneurs.” (Getty Images)

Schilling continued in his statement provided to Fox Digital that “corruption” involving the federal government using taxpayer funds for left-wing gender initiatives “is finally coming to an end.”

In November 2024, “the American people gave Donald Trump a clear mandate to drain the swamp, and since taking office he has acted decisively to do so along with Elon Musk and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency,” he said. “We hope President Trump, Musk and DOGE will find this information useful as they work to root out the far left’s ideological waste and instead return our government to its true purpose: service for the good of all Americans.”

Musk and his team of auditors at DOGE are poring through federal databases to identify overspending, fraud and corruption, with their main focus right now involving USAID.

FLASHBACK: BIDEN ADMIN REPEATEDLY USED USAID TO PUSH ABORTION IN AFRICA

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that he is now the acting director of USAID. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein/Pool)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported on Monday that he is now the acting director of USAID, telling the media that the agency needs to be brought in line with Trump’s “America First” policies, which include heightened scrutiny over the distribution of taxpayer funds overseas.

USAID’s website, since Tuesday evening, notifies readers that staff would be placed on leave globally, except “designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”

Democrat lawmakers have slammed the Trump administration’s apparent dismantling of the agency and targeting of other agencies, such as the Treasury Department, including holding protests in Washington, D.C.

WHAT IS USAID AND WHY IS IT IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS?

“This is the most corrupt bargain we’ve ever seen in American history: Elon Musk gives $250 million to elect Donald Trump, and Donald Trump turns over the keys to United States government to Elon Musk and his billionaire friends and his cronies,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said during a protest outside the Treasury Department in Washington on Tuesday.

“Are we going to let that stand? Hell no, we are not going to let that stand,” Van Hollen added, later vowing, “We have to fight this in the courts, we have to fight this in the Congress, we have to fight this in the streets. We need to fight this all over America.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed such rhetoric as attempts to “incite violence” during a press conference on Wednesday.

Elon Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“It’s unacceptable, the comments that have been made by these Democrat leaders, and frankly, they don’t even know what they’re talking about because President Trump was elected with a mandate from the American people to make this government more efficient,” Leavitt responded.

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“He campaigned across this country with Elon Musk, vowing that Elon was going to head up the Department of Government Efficiency and the two of them with a great team around them were going to look at the receipts of this federal government and ensure it’s accountable to American taxpayers. That’s all that is happening here,” Leavitt continued. “And for Democrat officials to incite violence and encourage Americans to take to the streets is incredibly alarming, and they should be held accountable for that rhetoric.”

February 6, 2025
GOP lawmaker scraps with Democrat in hearing over transgender ‘slur,’ bathroom rights: ‘Not going to have it’

A House Oversight Committee hearing devolved into a fight over words on Wednesday after Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., repeatedly used a “slur” to describe transgender people in a hearing on USAID funding.

“USAID awarded $2 million to strengthen trans-led organizations to deliver gender-affirming health care in Guatemala,” Mace said. “So to each of you this morning, does this advance the interests of American citizens paying for trannies in Guatemala to the tune of $2 million, yes or no?”

When Mace’s five minutes were up, ranking member Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., made a point of parliamentary inquiry to the committee chairman to chide Mace for using the word “trannies,” a term “that is considered a slur in the LGBTQ community, and the transgender community.”

“Let me please finish without interruption,” Connolly said, before Mace cut him off and repeated the term several more times.

“Tranny, tranny, tranny, I don’t really care, you want penises and women’s bathrooms, and I’m not going to have it OK, no, thank you – it’s disgusting,” Mace barked back.

SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEW CAPITOL BATHROOM POLICY IN RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSY OVER TRANS HOUSE MEMBER

Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Gerry Connolly (Getty Images)

Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., interrupted and permitted Connolly to finish his thoughts.

“To me, a slur is a slur, and here on the committee, a level of decorum requires us to try consciously to avoid slurs. You just heard the gentle lady actually actively, robustly repeated it,” Connolly said. “And I would just ask the chairman that she be counseled that we ought not to be engaged. We can have debate and policy discussion without offending human beings who are our fellow citizens. And so I would ask as a parliamentary inquiry whether the use of that phrase is not, in fact, a violation of the decorum rules.”

Mace – who recently introduced a bill to ban biological men from women’s spaces on all federal property – snapped back that she wasn’t going to be “counseled by a man over men in women’s spaces or men who have mental health issues dressing as women.” The South Carolina Republican also made headlines last November with her push to ban biological males from women’s bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol, inspired by the election of Sarah McBride, D-Del., as the first openly transgender woman elected to the House.

TWO HOUSE DEMS JOIN GOP TO BAN BIOLOGICAL MALES FORM GIRLS’ SCHOOL SPORTS

Elon Musk speaks with President-elect Donald Trump and guests at a SpaceX Starship launch in Brownsville, Texas, Nov. 19, 2024. (Brandon Bell/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

With a slight smirk, Comer said, “I’ll be honest with the ranking member – I’m not up-to-date on my politically correct LGBTQ terminology.”

“We’ll look into that and get back with you on that. I don’t know what’s offensive and what’s not. I don’t know much about pronouns,” he said.

The hearing, which was about government efficiency and called “Rightsizing Government,” began Wednesday morning and included as witnesses Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Citizens Against Government Waste president Thomas A. Schatz.

WHITE HOUSE TO IMPOSE TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA AND CHINA DUE TO ‘INVASION OF ILLEGAL FENTANYL’

The flag of the U.S. Agency for International Development flies in front of its office in Washington, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The hearing also fell into some confusion when Connolly demanded the committee subpoena the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tech billionaire Elon Musk.

A review of USAID’s recent history shows that it was repeatedly accused of financial mismanagement and corruption long before Trump’s second administration, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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Musk has led the charge against USAID – an independent U.S. agency established during the Kennedy administration to administer economic aid to foreign nations – as he leads DOGE’s mission of cutting government fat and overspending at the federal level.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 5, 2025
California Democrat hits Kash Patel for ties to gun rights group

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., grilled Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the FBI, over Patel’s pro-gun stances.

Asked by Padilla if Patel believes background checks on firearm purchases are constitutional during the nominee’s confirmation hearing Thursday, Patel responded that he didn’t know “the in-depths of it,” but believed “that’s what the Supreme Court said.”

“Do you think civilian ownership of machine guns is protected by the Second Amendment?” Padilla fired back.

EX-FBI OFFICIAL WHO SHUT DOWN HUNTER BIDEN LINES OF INVESTIGATION VIOLATED HATCH ACT WITH ANTI-TRUMP POSTS

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“Whatever the courts rule in regards to the Second Amendment is what is protected by the Second Amendment,” Patel responded.

Padilla explained that his line of questioning was due to an “association” between Patel and the group Gun owners of America, which enthusiastically endorsed Trump’s choice to lead the FBI.

“GOA Applauds Nomination of ‘Fiercely Pro-Gun’ Kash Patel for FBI Director,” the organization said in a press relief following Trump’s announcement to tap Patel.

US Senator from California Alex Padilla speaks on the fourth and last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the party’s nomination for president today at the DNC which ran from August 19-22 in Chicago. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

KASH PATEL, TRUMP’S PICK FOR FBI DIRECTOR, ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON JAN. 6 , QANON, AND MORE

Padilla expressed concern over the enthusiastic endorsement, arguing that the organization has taken “extreme positions” on guns.

“Gun Owners of America has taken extreme positions, including the position that all background checks are unconstitutional and that civilian ownership of machine guns is protected under the Second Amendment,” Padilla said.

Padilla then argued that Patel would be responsible for overseeing some of the country’s most critical gun regulations at the FBI, expressing concern that Trump’s nominee was not up to the task.

Former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense Kash Patel speaks during a campaign rally for U.S. Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump at Findlay Toyota Center on October 13, 2024 in Prescott Valley, Arizona. With 22 days to go until election day, former President Donald Trump is campaigning in the battleground state Arizona. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

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“Let me remind you that as FBI director you will oversee critical responsibilities related to firearm regulation, you’re administering the national instant criminal background check system. Yes, it’s constitutional, it’s in place, for a reason! You would also regulate the distribution of machine guns to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Policies and programs in place for a reason,” Padilla said.

“Given your hesitancy, given your answers, I am concerned about your ability to do the job when it’s not in alignment with views like Gun Owners of America.”

Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.

January 30, 2025
Transgender service members and rights groups file suit against Trump’s Pentagon directive

A group of transgender service members and rights groups are filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s restrictions on transgender troops in the military.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of six active duty transgender service members by GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), argues that the new executive order violates the equality guarantees of the U.S. Constitution.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the suit says the six transgender service members would lose access to healthcare and retirement benefits as a result of the executive order.

“When you put on the uniform, differences fall away and what matters is your ability to do the job,” said Army 2nd Lt. Nicolas Talbott, named as plaintiff in the suit: Talbott v. Trump.

The new order, signed by Trump on Monday evening, requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to update medical standards to ensure they “prioritize readiness and lethality” and take action to “end the use of invented and identification-based pronouns” within DOD.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS BANNING ‘RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY,’ DEI INITIATIVES IN THE MILITARY

Advocates protest Trump’s transgender military ban during his first term. (Getty Images)

It says that expressing a “gender identity” different from an individual’s sex at birth does not meet military standards.

The order also restricts sleeping, changing and bathing facilities by biological sex. It’s not an immediate ban, but a direction for the secretary of Defense to implement such policies.

It revokes former President Joe Biden’s executive order that the White House argues “allowed for special circumstances to accommodate ‘gender identity’ in the military – to the detriment of military readiness and unit cohesion.”

The categorical ban on transgender service members was lifted in 2014 under President Barack Obama.

“I’ve been military my entire life. I was born on a military base,” said Navy Ensign Dan Danridge, student flight officer, a plaintiff in the suit.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

“Every day I lace up my boots the same as everybody else. I pass the same tests as everybody else. Being transgender is irrelevant to my service. What matters is that I can complete the tasks that are critical to our mission.”

“I’ve spent more than half my life in the Army, including combat in Afghanistan,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Kate Cole. “Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel who fill key positions and can’t be easily replaced.”

Trump’s new order builds on another directive he issued last week that revoked a Biden-era order allowing transgender people to serve in the military.

Lawsuit filed against Trump’s latest executive order. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump directed DOD to restrict accommodations for transgender troops. (Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to reinstate the ban on transgender troops he imposed during his first term. In his inauguration speech, he said he would formally recognize that there are only two genders: male and female.

There are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender service members – exact figures are not publicly available.

Between Jan. 1, 2016, and May 14, 2021, the DOD reportedly spent approximately $15 million on providing transgender treatments (surgical and nonsurgical) to 1,892 active duty service members, according to the Congressional Research Service.

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The move comes as part of a campaign taken up by Trump and Hegseth to weed out any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices across the military. And GOP lawmakers successfully included an amendment in their 2025 defense policy bill that bans irreversible transgender care for minors in the military healthcare system.

January 28, 2025
Ukrainian human rights lawyer, Nobel Prize winner urges Trump to show strength and end the war

President Donald Trump is calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “make a deal” to end the “ridiculous” war with Ukraine, which started nearly three years ago. During his 2024 campaign, Trump often spoke about ending major world conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, invoking former President Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” doctrine. Now that he’s in office, Trump is making it clear that it’s time for Putin to come to the table.

“I’m not looking to hurt Russia,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. In the post, Trump threatens “high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States.” This threat comes days after reports that Putin was starting to get concerned about his country’s economy as the war with Ukraine continues.

TRUMP CALLS ON PUTIN TO MAKE A DEAL, END ITS WAR AGAINST UKRAINE OR FACE MORE ECONOMIC PRESSURE

Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, believes now is the time for Trump to show strength and bring an end to the war.

LEFT: Human rights attorney and Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk RIGHT: President Donald Trump (Ukrinform/NurPhoto/Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Russia’s relentless invasion demands lasting international security guarantees. Any peace deal must confront Russia’s hostility to safeguard Ukraine and the very foundations of freedom and democracy,” Matviichuk said in a statement.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Matviichuk emphasized the need to not only end the war that began in February 2022, but also to block Putin from achieving his “geopolitical goal,” as she believes the Russian leader has no interest in peace.

“When we design this peace process, we have to design security guarantees, which will make this [geopolitical] goal for Putin impossible to achieve,” Matviichuk said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks during a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Kyiv Ukraine, on May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

On Thursday, Trump told reporters at the White House that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already told him he’s ready to negotiate an end to the war.

UKRAINE: HOW THE WAR SHIFTED IN 2024

In his first sit-down interview since returning to the White House, Trump told “Hannity” that Zelenskyy has “had enough.” However, while Trump condemned Putin, he said that Zelenskyy is “no angel,” chastising the Ukrainian leader for fighting instead of making a deal.

Reuters reported in November that Putin is open to discussing a peace plan. He reportedly could agree to freeze the conflict along the current lines.

Russian President Vladimir Putin use state-run media to spread the Kremlin’s message. (ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

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Since Putin’s 2022 invasion, civilians in Ukraine have had to adjust to life during war. Matviichuk, who is based out of Kyiv, describes it as living in “total uncertainty.” However, her focus has been on exposing Russia’s atrocities. Nearly three years into the war, she has cataloged approximately 80,000 Russian crimes.

“We don’t want to live in Putin’s world,” Matviichuk said. “We want to live in a world where democracy and rule of law and freedom are respected.”

Ashley Carnahan and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 26, 2025
National Voters’ Day 2025 Wishes, Messages and HD Images: Share Quotes on Voting Rights, Greetings and Wallpapers To Mark the Foundation Day of ECI

National Voters’ Day is observed annually on January 25 in India to commemorate the foundation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 1950. This day aims to encourage greater voter participation and highlight the importance of voting in a democratic setup. It serves as a reminder that every citizen’s vote is a powerful tool to shape the nation’s future, fostering active involvement in the electoral process. To celebrate National Voters’ Day 2025, we bring you National Voters’ Day 2025 wishes, messages, HD images, quotes on voting rights, greetings and wallpapers on January 25.

Each year, National Voters’ Day is celebrated with a specific theme focused on creating awareness about voting rights and responsibilities. Activities like voter enrolment drives, educational campaigns, and awareness programs are organised to ensure that every eligible citizen is registered and motivated to vote. Special emphasis is placed on engaging first-time voters to instill a sense of responsibility and pride in participating in elections. As you observe National Voters’ Day 2025, share these National Voters’ Day 2025 wishes, messages, HD images, quotes on voting rights, greetings and wallpapers. January 2025 Holidays and Festivals Calendar.

National Voters’ Day Messages

National Voters’ Day Messages (Photo Credits: File Image)

National Voters’ Day Messages

National Voters’ Day Messages (Photo Credits: File Image)

National Voters’ Day Messages

National Voters’ Day Messages (Photo Credits: File Image)

National Voters’ Day Messages

National Voters’ Day Messages (Photo Credits: File Image)

National Voters’ Day also recognises the efforts of the Election Commission in conducting free, fair, and transparent elections. Newly registered voters are often presented with voter ID cards in ceremonial events, symbolising their formal induction into the democratic process. These initiatives aim to strengthen the electoral framework and ensure inclusivity, making democracy more robust and participatory.

National Voters’ Day is not just a celebration but a call to action for citizens to exercise their voting rights responsibly. By promoting awareness and inclusivity, the day reinforces the principles of democracy and underscores the power of individual voices in shaping governance. It is a reminder that an informed and active electorate is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 25, 2025 06:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

January 25, 2025
Massie and other Republicans push ‘National Constitutional Carry Act’ to protect Americans’ gun rights

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and a slew of other House Republicans are pushing a proposal that would compel states to allow Americans to carry guns in public areas.

The measure, dubbed the “National Constitutional Carry Act,” would prohibit states and localities from limiting U.S. citizens from carrying firearms in public if they are eligible to have the weapons under state and federal law.

“By prohibiting state or local restrictions on the right to bear arms, H.R. 645 upholds the original purpose of the Second Amendment—to ensure the security of a free state—while safeguarding individual liberties against government infringement,” Massie noted, according to a press release.

MASSIE DROPS COLORFUL ANALOGY OPPOSING FOREIGN AID, MOCKS SPEAKER JOHNSON WITH AI-GENERATED IMAGE

Left: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Monday, July 22, 2024; Center: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is seen outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024; Right: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, attends the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Left: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Center: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Specifically, the text of the measure stipulates that “No State or political subdivision of a State may impose a criminal or civil penalty on, or otherwise indirectly limit the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by residents or nonresidents of that State who are citizens of the United States and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law.”

“Any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of a State or a political subdivision of a State that criminalizes, penalizes, or otherwise indirectly dissuades the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by any resident or nonresident who is a United States citizen and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law, shall have no force or effect,” the measure reads.

The measure would not apply to locations “where screening for firearms is conducted under state law,” and it would not block the owners of privately-owned facilities from banning guns on their premises.

Massie and others had previously pushed such a proposal last year as well.

IN ONE U.S. TOWN, RESIDENTS ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO OWN GUNS AND AMMO

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., arrives for the first day of the 119th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In 2021, Massie shared a family Christmas photo in which each person was holding a gun.

“Merry Christmas!” the staunch gun rights advocate wrote when sharing the photo, adding, “ps. Santa, please bring ammo.”

In a 2022 post, he criticized the term “Gun Violence,” asserting that it “is part of the language leftists use to shift blame away from evil perpetrators of violence” and that it “suggests that guns are to blame instead of people, which sets the table for their anti-second amendment agenda.”

“There’s a reason you never see a Communist, a Marxist, or even a Socialist politician support the right of common people to keep and bear arms: Those forms of government require more submission to the state than armed citizens would tolerate,” Massie also tweeted in 2022.

REP. MASSIE LAUNCHES ‘MAXIMUM TRIGGERING’ WITH FAMILY CHRISTMAS PHOTO: ‘SANTA, PLEASE BRING AMMO’

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in Cannon building on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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The congressman’s press release lists dozens of House Republicans as original cosponsors, including: Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Ben Cline of Virginia, Michael Cloud of Texas, Mike Collins of Georgia, Eli Crane of Arizona, Brandon Gill of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Andy Harris of Maryland, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Nick Langworthy of New York, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Barry Moore of Alabama, Nathaniel Moran of Texas, Andrew Ogles of Tennessee, John Rose of Tennessee, Chip Roy of Texas, Keith Self of Texas, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Claudia Tenney of New York, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Randy Weber of Texas and Tony Wied of Wisconsin.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025
McCormick responds to squad member who claims ‘white supremacy and xenophobia’ are the right’s ‘true religion’

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., claimed in a post on X that “white supremacy and xenophobia” are the political right’s “true religion” and that the values of those on the right do not stem from Christ’s life and instruction.

“It’s long been known that the true religion of the right is white supremacy and xenophobia. None of their real values are from the life and teachings of the Christ of the Christian Bible…” she wrote in a post on her @SummerForPA account.

Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., fired back at the congresswoman.

SEN. DAVE MCCORMICK ‘OPTIMISTIC’ ABOUT WORKING WITH SEN. FETTERMAN TO FIND ‘COMMON GROUND’: ‘EMBRACING’ CHANGE

Left: U.S. Senator-elect Dave McCormick, R-Pa., arrives for the Senate Republican leadership elections at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C.; Right: Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Left: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Right: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“None of us should take lectures from someone who has repeatedly demonstrated antisemitic behavior and is now condemning millions of her fellow citizens who simply want freedom, opportunity and secure borders,” he declared in a tweet.

Lee swiftly fired right back at him.

“Senator, I’m condemning those who profess to follow the teachings of Christ but do not love their neighbor or do right unto the least of these. Is that you? When he’s hungry, will you feed him or cut SNAP benefits? When he’s a stranger, will you invite him in or build a wall?” she replied.

‘SQUAD’ MEMBER SURVIVES CHALLENGE FROM CENTRIST DEMOCRAT AFTER ANTI-ISRAEL RHETORIC THREATENED RE-ELECTION

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., questions witnesses during a roundtable discussion on Supreme Court Ethics conducted by Democrats of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 11, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Court Accountability)

Lee has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2023.

McCormick was just sworn in as a senator earlier this month.

Lee has criticized newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump’s executive orders.

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“Trump’s executive orders scapegoat Black + brown communities while his billionaire donors profit off the polluted air, overcrowded detention centers, and prison labor these EOs create. Immigrants aren’t why your wages are low and costs are high—it’s the billionaires,” she declared in a post on her @RepSummerLee X account.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025