Parental Rights Groups Sue Colorado Over Transgender Law Enforcement

Parental rights groups including Defending Education, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, Protect Kids Colorado, and Do No Harm have filed a lawsuit against Colorado challenging House Bill 25-1312, recently signed into law by Governor Jared Polis. The law amends the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender expression, specifically requiring the use of transgender individuals' chosen names and pronouns in public accommodations, workplaces, and schools. The plaintiffs argue that the law violates the First Amendment by compelling speech and punishes those who refuse to use preferred pronouns and chosen names, claiming it suppresses traditional beliefs about sex and gender and discriminates based on viewpoint. They also contend that provisions related to courts considering misgendering or deadnaming in custody cases violate the Fourteenth Amendment due to vagueness and arbitrary enforcement. Supporters of the lawsuit assert that the law silences dissenting views and imposes a government-endorsed gender orthodoxy, while the bill’s sponsors and advocates emphasize protections for transgender individuals against discrimination. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for Colorado and highlights ongoing tensions between transgender rights and free speech claims.