Colorado Governor Signs Transgender Rights Law Facing Free Speech Lawsuit

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the Kelly Loving Act into law, expanding transgender protections by including a person's chosen name as a protected form of gender expression under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). The law makes misgendering or deadnaming a discriminatory act and imposes requirements on schools to respect students' chosen names and dress codes, as well as facilitating easier changes to gender markers on state-issued IDs and vital records. Despite amendments made to address parental rights concerns, the bill has faced significant opposition from parental-rights groups and free speech advocates who argue it infringes on First Amendment rights by compelling speech and punishing those who use biologically accurate terms. These groups, including Defending Education and Protect Kids Colorado, have filed lawsuits claiming the law suppresses traditional views on sex and gender and unlawfully restricts speech related to gender ideology. Supporters of the law view it as a crucial step toward protecting transgender individuals from discrimination and harassment, while critics warn it threatens free speech, religious freedom, and parental rights. The legislation is named after Kelly Loving, a transgender woman killed in the 2022 Club Q shooting, underscoring the bill's intent to address ongoing discrimination against transgender people in Colorado.