In a week marked by heated debates, legal drama, and deeply personal stories, the rights and recognition of LGBTQ+ and transgender individuals have taken center stage across North America. From the chambers of the U.S. Supreme Court to the legislature of Manitoba and the classrooms of Arizona Western College, the struggle for equality and dignity remains as urgent—and as contested—as ever.
On November 21, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court quietly but decisively declined to hear an appeal by Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who became a national figure in 2015 for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. As reported by multiple outlets, Davis had hoped the Court would use her case as a vehicle to overturn marriage equality nationwide. Instead, the justices offered no comment as they rejected her petition, effectively leaving the right to same-sex marriage intact—at least for now.
For many in the LGBTQ+ community, the Court’s refusal was cause for celebration, albeit a cautious one. "This week, they almost got rid of same sex marriage. Luckily, the hearing was rejected and we got to keep our rights to marry someone of the same sex. However, we don't want that to happen again, that risk. We want to push. We want to be loud. We want people to know that we're here. That we're here. We're queer and we're not going anywhere," said Santiago Palacios, president of the Gay Straight Alliance Club at Arizona Western College, during an emotional gathering on campus, according to KAWC.
Yet the mood was tinged with melancholy. Levi Kesler, a nonbinary and transmasculine student, reflected, "This is how, like, tumultuous, the current political climate has gotten that we are celebrating the fact that we kept something rather than we gained something. Like, it feels really... I don't know if I would use the word dystopian, but it's kind of sad. It's a bit melancholy to think that, like, we are so stuck in the current state of politics that we can't really achieve more than what we have right now."
Indeed, the battle for LGBTQ+ rights is far from settled. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court also upheld a State Department policy requiring passport holders to use the sex assigned at birth, eliminating the option for an 'X' gender marker. As The Hill explained, this policy forces transgender individuals to disclose their gender history every time they present their passport, a move critics warn exposes them to discrimination and danger. The majority’s unsigned opinion insisted, "Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment."
The Court’s three liberal justices—Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan—issued a blistering dissent. Justice Jackson wrote, "The Government seeks to enforce a questionably legal new policy immediately, but it offers no evidence that it will suffer any harm if it is temporarily enjoined from doing so, while the plaintiffs will be subject to imminent, concrete injury if the policy goes into effect. The Court nonetheless fails to spill any ink considering the plaintiffs, opting instead to intervene in the Government’s favor without equitable justification, and in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party. Such senseless sidestepping of the obvious equitable outcome has become an unfortunate pattern. So, too, has my own refusal to look the other way when basic principles are selectively discarded. This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification. Because I cannot acquiesce to this pointless but painful perversion of our equitable discretion, I respectfully dissent."
While the Supreme Court’s decisions reverberated nationally, the political climate for transgender people played out in real time in Manitoba’s legislature. On November 21, 2025, most Progressive Conservative (PC) MLAs remained seated during a statement recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance, sparking immediate backlash from the governing New Democratic Party (NDP) and others in the chamber. As CBC News reported, NDP MLA Logan Oxenham’s speech commemorated lives lost to anti-trans violence and condemned Alberta’s use of the notwithstanding clause to shield three controversial bills affecting transgender youth and adults. Oxenham urged leaders to "defend the right of every transgender person — especially every transgender child — to live, to thrive and to be free."
PC Leader Obby Khan, however, defended his caucus’s decision to stay seated, arguing the speech was "politically charged and motivated, exactly what this NDP government wanted to do." He told reporters, "If it was about the lives lost and the suffering from the trans and marginalized community, I would have 100 per cent stood up for that. It was not." Khan’s refusal to condemn Alberta’s legislative maneuvers—and his assertion that the speech was intended to "divide Manitobans"—fueled heated exchanges on the legislative floor. Premier Wab Kinew labeled the Tories’ actions a "cowardly display" and directly called Khan a "bigot," intensifying the controversy.
Such political clashes are not confined to the halls of government. On campuses like Arizona Western College, students described a climate of uncertainty and resilience. Transgender Awareness Week, observed from November 13–19, led into Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, a period when students reflected on their personal journeys and the state of trans rights. Experiences varied widely: some, like transfeminine student Jessica Priebe, recounted public hostility in Yuma, Arizona, but found support and affirmation on campus. Others, like AJ Ramos, felt safe expressing their gender identity in the classroom, crediting progressive faculty and a culture of respect.
Yet, as students noted, the broader political environment remains fraught. "Nationally, transgender communities have faced a rising number of bills that would restrict access to healthcare, education, legal recognition and full participation in public life," KAWC reported. Despite these challenges, students expressed determination to remain visible and vocal, pushing back against efforts to roll back their rights. "We want to be loud. We want people to know that we're here," Palacios declared.
Family acceptance—or its absence—emerged as a crucial theme in students’ stories. Jessica recounted how her grandfather’s initial resistance to her transition nearly drove her to despair, until a heartfelt intervention by her mother prompted a transformation in his attitude. Levi shared that reconciling with his father after a period of estrangement was "really, really huge," a testament to the life-changing impact of parental support. For others, like Elliott, the fear of rejection keeps them in the closet, navigating their identity with caution and hope for greater understanding in the future.
Even in supportive environments, students see room for improvement. Suggestions ranged from more gender-neutral restrooms and housing to simple cultural changes—like peers avoiding assumptions or stares. Jessica summed up a common wish: "Just be okay with us. You don't have to even interact with us. Just don't hate us."
As the week’s events show, the fight for LGBTQ+ and trans rights is a patchwork of victories, setbacks, and ongoing struggles. Whether in courtrooms, legislatures, or college campuses, the call for dignity and equality persists, echoing in every community where people refuse to be erased.
