California Ban on Misgendering Trans Elder Care Residents Upheld

A California law barring residential elder care workers from misgendering residents should be upheld, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The law, which bars workers from willfully and repeatedly using names and pronouns other than those chosen by residents, is meant to prevent discrimination against seniors in a “captive audience” setting, said the opinion written by Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.

Its impact on speech is incidental, the justices said, overturning a state appeals court ruling that found the law inappropriately imposes content-based speech restrictions. Workers remain free to otherwise express their views on gender to anyone, including to residents, the ...