wild ace cczz Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at the age of 100. Foreign and business leaders celebrated Carter's humanitarian work. President-elect Donald Trump said the world owed Carter "a debt of gratitude." Former President died on Sunday at the age of 100. World leaders responded with an outpouring of support, celebrating . The Georgia peanut farmer turned politician served as president from 1977 to 1981. But he is perhaps most known for his humanitarian work after leaving the White House. Carter championed human rights and pushed for peace in various corners of the world. In 1982, he founded to focus on such issues. In 2002, Carter received a for his efforts to promote peace and human rights. Carter also played an active role with Habitat for Humanity until the end of his life. "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," Carter's son, Chip, said in a via The Carter Center on Sunday. President Joe Biden said on Sunday that he would order a state funeral in Washington for Carter. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian," Biden said in a . "With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us," Biden added. "He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe." Biden said that the love Carter shared with his late wife, , was "the definition of partnership" and that their leadership was "the definition of patriotism." President-elect Donald Trump wrote on that Carter's presidency "came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." "While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for," Trump said in a . Trump had earlier criticized Carter's decision to hand over control of the Panama Canal to Panama, saying in a Truth Social Post on December 21 that his predecessor had " ." The president-elect recently accused Panama of charging US vessels "exorbitant prices" and threatened to retake control of the canal. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama said in a on Sunday that Carter had "the longest and most impactful post-presidency in American history." "Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth," the Obamas said. "And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection — things like integrity, respect, and compassion," the statement added. President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) Former President George W. Bush said in his that Carter was a "man of deeply held convictions" who "set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations." "President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn't end with the presidency," Bush said. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that Carter had " ." "I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House," Bill Clinton said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X that Carter led an "extraordinary life" that touched countless people's lives through his vision and generosity. As we remember President Carter's extraordinary life, we also honor the countless lives he touched through his vision and generosity. My thoughts are with the Carter family and all those mourning this incredible man. May his memory be a blessing and an enduring reminder of what... — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) Sen. Bernie Sanders on X that Carter would be remembered as a "decent, honest and down-to-earth man" for both his time as president and his later humanitarian work. "He will be sorely missed," Sanders wrote. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg shared a tribute to the former president on X, writing that Carter's "leadership, intellect, and moral example ennobled our country, during and ever since his presidency." President and Mrs. Carter were also extraordinarily gracious and kind to Chasten and me, receiving us warmly at their home and making us feel like friends even as we sat amazed by their presence and grace. — Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) Carter's passing also saw tributes pouring in from foreign leaders such as Ukrainian President , British Prime Minister , and Canadian Prime Minister . "He was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom," Zelenskyy said of Carter in his X post. "We deeply appreciate his steadfast commitment to Christian faith and democratic values, as well as his unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's unprovoked aggression," he added. Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) "Jimmy Carter's legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it," Trudeau wrote on X. "He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me." Also on X, shared a photo of the former president wearing a tool belt in front of a construction site with the message: "Today, we honor President Carter's lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace." Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace. — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) said in her that Carter was her hero. The philanthropist said she knew Carter best as a "global health advocate" who took on "diseases that impact the world's poorest people, like Guinea worm disease." "When President Carter left office, there were more than 3.5 million cases of this painful, debilitating disease around the world each year. This year, thanks in no small part to the work of the Carter Center, that number was down to single digits," French Gates wrote. "One of my favorite teachings says: 'To know that even one life has breathed easier because you lived, this is to have succeeded.' We honor President Carter by remembering that because of him, life is healthier, better, and safer not just for one life, but for millions," she continued. Read the original article on

Is the MMA world going to turn its back on Conor McGregor now, What would the cost to Jon Jones’ legacy be And who are the best of the rest who never fought in the UFC? All that and more in this week’s mailbag. To ask a question of your own, hit up or . @njinformer.bsky.social: Are we done with McGregor now? A few of his business associates sure seem to be. After being , he and had his various beverages basically , leading to the owner of his Proper 12 whiskey announcing that it would cut him out of the marketing and branding aspect entirely. That’s remarkable, since the branding/marketing aspect was the thing the whiskey had going for it. Clearly, the Conor McGregor brand has become a toxic one ... outside of combat sports. Does that mean the UFC wouldn’t still gladly welcome him back in 2025? I doubt it. I think if he ever did get in shape to fight and stayed that way long enough to make it to the cage, then the UFC would eagerly throw him in there and count the money without ever mentioning any of this. But you can’t invite McGregor to your party anymore without at least facing some questions about it. UFC CEO Dana White just told us that one reason he didn’t want to do business with Francis Ngannou So what about McGregor? Is he a good guy? Because they just had an entire trial in Ireland that concluded he is not, and his response since then has been to double down on social media in a way that isn’t going to win anyone over. The last six years or so of this man’s career have been marked by lopsided defeats inside the cage and disgusting behavior outside of it. The longest section of his Wikipedia page now is the one labeled “controversies,” and it includes no fewer than three sexual assault allegations, one of which has just been proven in court. Who wants to cheer for that guy now? Who wants to actively put money in his pocket by purchasing a pay-per-view he’s on? I have no doubt that the answer to both those questions is "some MMA fans." But in order for me to retain any faith in humanity, I have to think it’s fewer people now than it was before. All this talk of HW goat & HW legends has me glaring at the giant hole left in the absence of mentioning Fedor, who many modern fans may not know. Could you give us a personal top 5 favorite fighters who never signed with the UFC, but left an impact on the sport none the less? — Now Boarding Flight 209 (@jmprobus) @jmprobus: All this talk of HW goat & HW legends has me glaring at the giant hole left in the absence of mentioning Fedor, who many modern fans may not know. Could you give us a personal top 5 favorite fighters who never signed with the UFC, but left an impact on the sport none the less? Fedor Emelianenko would have to be at the very top of that list. It’s true that he fought in a different era, especially for the heavyweight division. It’s also true that he failed to evolve late in his career as the competition wised up and his body slowed down. Still, he beat everybody there was to beat in PRIDE FC back when it had the superior heavyweight class overall. The UFC was just doing Tim Sylvia vs. Andrei Arlovski on an endless loop back then, and once they became free agents Fedor smoked them both in the first round. As for other fighters who make my list, I’d add Shinya Aoki, Igor Vovchanchyn, and (at least for the moment) Patricio Pitbull. How big a "Ya'll must've forgott" was Yan at the weekend in the all time rankings or was it simply his loses were overblown? Side note what is your favouite of these — Conor (@NeedXtoseePosts) @NeedXtoseePosts: How big a "Ya'll must've forgott" was Yan at the weekend in the all time rankings or was it simply his loses were overblown? Side note what is your favourite of these That was a . Shutting out a former champ like Deiveson Figueiredo on the scorecards goes a long way toward proving that Yan still has some arrows left in the quiver. It also helps remind people that while his three straight losses look bad on paper, they’re not so awful once you take a closer look. The first was that illegal knee on Aljamain Sterling. Then a split decision loss to Sean O’Malley that probably could have gone either way. Lastly a decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili, the current champ, who did the same thing to Yan that he’s done to basically everyone else. As for where it ranks, somewhere below Dominick Cruz’s triumphant return against Takeya Mizugaki (which also happens to be my favorite). One thing I wonder about, though, is whether the timing and location of the win will limit the boost Yan gets from it. This was the main event of a UFC Fight Night event from Macau, airing in North America in the early hours of a Saturday morning. A lot of people probably didn’t even know it was on. Some will circle back to watch it, but others won’t. And if a tree falls in the forest at six in the morning with only a few people around to hear it... What up-and-coming combat sports promotion do you guys think has the best shot at making it big time? — Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) @PhotoAmy33: What up-and-coming combat sports promotion do you guys think has the best shot at making it big time? A lot depends on what we consider “big time,” . (Though the BKFC also has a strong McGregor tie, so it’ll be interesting to see how it handles that.) In general, I’m surprised and impressed with bare-knuckle boxing’s staying power so far. It seems to exist right in this sweet spot among the combat sports fan Venn diagram where it can draw in the UFC’s fans without competing against the UFC, while also attracting a few stray boxing or pro wrestling fans in addition to online weirdos who just want to see human carnage. @stefansommer.bsky.social: If the UFC were to ever move away from the PPV model, how do you think that would affect things like Champions getting rewarded with PPV points? Aside from the prestige of holding that belt, how could the UFC incentivize athletes to reach for the top without the financial carrot on the stick? We have to at least consider the possibility that the UFC would do the same thing with pay-per-view points as it did with sponsorships. Newer fans may not realize it, but that used to be a huge part of the financial picture for fighters. Many made more from fight night sponsorships than they did from their UFC pay. Remember those banners they’d unfurl behind fighters? Remember the shorts and hats and T-shirts that they’d wrestle back onto their sweaty bodies in time for the post-fight interview? Even lesser-known fighters cashed good checks from those. The UFC knew it and incorporated it into contract negotiations, telling fighters that they should sign for less money and get good fight card placement, which would result in better sponsor payouts. The UFC used those sponsorships to subsidize fighter pay, then yanked the rug out from fighters while offering them a pittance based on experience rather than star power in return. There was a lot of anger and frustration about this at first, but then it died down. The fighters who remembered the old way eventually moved on. The new ones had never known any other system, so they didn’t even question it. Why wouldn’t the UFC think that pay-per-view points would be a similar story? Right now, pay-per-view is still profitable enough that it’s not going anywhere. I think the most likely scenario for a new broadcast rights deal involves the UFC splitting up its product across a couple platforms but probably keeping pay-per-views with ESPN+. And if some day it does go away, with the UFC pocketing more upfront money? I think champion fighters may see a small bump in pay, but mostly they’ll be told to take what they get and shut up about it. Because where else are they going to go and do better? @johnnyjanko.bsky.social: Does fighting Aspinall affect Jones legacy or not? At this point, . The only real question is, how would it affect Jon Jones’ legacy if he never fights Tom Aspinall, and how would that effect prove to be? Clearly, it would have an impact. Just look at how many times Jones was asked about Aspinall during the lead up to UFC 309. The man walked out of an interview on sight when he realized it was British dudes who were going to ask about Aspinall. “Gas Hands” Tom didn’t even fight and was still a main character all week, so obviously it’s on people’s minds. If Jones retires or relinquishes the heavyweight title without fighting him, people will inevitably say that he ducked Aspinall. That always dings a fighter’s legacy, especially when it happens toward the end of a career. You know how MMA judges tend to put more weight on a takedown in the last 30 seconds of a round than one in the first 30 seconds? It’s kind of the same deal. But I’ve also found that as years pass, people tend to focus more on the highlights and the whole body of work. It’s why, whenever I hear a fighter talk about how they can’t go out on a loss, I want to explain that actually they can, that people won’t remember this part as much as they assume, unless of course they stick around too long and it gets really sad. Personally, I’m still choosing to believe that this fight will happen. Jones says he’s already negotiating with the UFC. Aspinall says he’s optimistic and waiting for the call. There’s really no other fight to make. At least, not one that makes nearly as much sense for all parties involved. And, come on, who is Jones kidding? We all know he’s not ready to go home and stay there.NoneDatamine Planning Sector Overview

Carlisle's Parker Smith dribbles the ball down the court during the second quarter of their consolation game against Boiling Springs in the 2023 Boiling Springs Alumni Tournament at Boiling Springs High School. Smith will defend his Mid-Penn scoring title in his final waltz on the Gene Evans Gymnasium floor. The heartbeat to a hungry Thundering Herd outfit, Smith looks to upgrade averages of 23 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.1 assists he posted as a junior. Carlisle finished the 2023-24 campaign at 18-6 and a spot shy of the state tournament and will lean on its Commonwealth first team honoree to clear last year’s shortcomings. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Illawarra boxer who set wife's unit on fire has been 'bashed in the cells'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company's jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday's incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, a former chief pilot at Delta Air Lines who is now a consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. In January this year, a door plug blew off a 737 Max while it was in flight, raising more questions about the plane. The Boeing 737-800 that crash-landed in Korea, Price noted, is “a very proven airplane. "It’s different from the Max ...It’s a very safe airplane.’’ For decades, Boeing has maintained a role as one of the giants of American manufacturing. But the the past year's repeated troubles have been damaging. The company's stock price is down more than 30% in 2024. The company's reputation for safety was especially tarnished by the 737 Max crashes, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019 and left a combined 346 people dead. In the five years since then, Boeing has lost more than $23 billion. And it has fallen behind its European rival, Airbus, in selling and delivering new planes. Last fall, 33,000 Boeing machinists went on strike, crippling the production of the 737 Max, the company's bestseller, the 777 airliner and 767 cargo plane. The walkout lasted seven weeks, until members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers agreed to an offer that included 38% pay raises over four years. In January, a door plug blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight. Federal regulators responded by imposing limits on Boeing aircraft production that they said would remain in place until they felt confident about manufacturing safety at the company. In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving the Federal Aviation Administration regulators who approved the 737 Max. Acting on Boeing’s incomplete disclosures, the FAA approved minimal, computer-based training instead of more intensive training in flight simulators. Simulator training would have increased the cost for airlines to operate the Max and might have pushed some to buy planes from Airbus instead. (Prosecutors said they lacked evidence to argue that Boeing’s deception had played a role in the crashes.) But the plea deal was rejected this month by a federal judge in Texas, Reed O’Connor , who decided that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in choosing an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement. Boeing has sought to change its culture. Under intense pressure over safety issues, David Calhoun departed as CEO in August. Since January, 70,000 Boeing employees have participated in meetings to discuss ways to improve safety.

NoneA voting machine firm suing Fox News now wants to probe Murdoch family trust fight

PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Green scored a season-high 41 points, Alperen Sengun added 22 points and 14 rebounds and the Houston Rockets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 122-115 in overtime on Wednesday night. Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points, including 28 in the second half, in the loss for Philadelphia, which played without Paul George and Joel Embiid and fell to 3-14. Maxey, who tied the game with three free throws with just over 11 seconds left, was held scoreless in overtime. Green rode the hot hand during the first quarter, scoring 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting. However, it was Sengun, the 6-foot-11 center from Turkey, who took over late against an undersized Philadelphia lineup that was collapsing on Green. Amen Thompson had 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Tari Eason added 14 for Houston (14-6). Guerschon Yabusele had 22 in the losing cause for the Sixers. Takeaways Rockets: Houston’s ability to hit the boards is one of its biggest advantages. The Rockets entered Wednesday leading the league with 49.9 rebounds a game and outrebounded the Sixers 52-42. 76ers: Philadelphia continues to search for offensive answers other than Maxey with both George and Embiid out. Yabusele provided some of that spark on Wednesday, but Jared McCain was held to 15 on 6-of-19 shooting. Key moment After Yabusele opened the overtime with a corner 3 to give the Sixers a three-point lead, the Rockets went on a 9-0 run with Sengun hitting three layups after Green’s three free throws tied the game. Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, center, brings up the ball as Kenyon Martin Jr., center right, got it away from Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Chris Szagola Key stat Through 17 games, Philadephia has just one win in regulation. Up next The Rockets host Oklahoma City on Sunday, and the 76ers are at Detroit on Saturday.‘O’Reilly’s has the same problem’: Viewers demand answers after mechanic tries to install AutoZone brake pads

Tottenham star Rodrigo Bentancur has started his seven-game suspension from the Manchester City fixture Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was handed a seven-match ban and £100,000 fine by the FA last week after being found guilty of “aggravated misconduct” for his comments on teammate Son Heung-min in June. The FA revealed that the player had initially denied this charge but the regulatory commission found that he had definitely breached the rules. Spurs have accepted the FA’s guilty finding but have appealed against the length of his ban and hope to get it reduced to six matches. Head coach Ange Postecoglou has defended the club’s right to appeal for the midfielder’s lengthy ban. The Uruguayan international has commenced his ban from last weekend, sitting out the club’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. However, reputed GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs shared an optimistic update on Spurs’ appeal for Rodrigo Bentancur , citing that they will only be able to reduce his suspension by one game thanks to the Premier League’s rules. ️ "He’s a person of the upmost character that has made a mistake" Ange Postecoglou fully supports Tottenham's appeal on the severity of the ban handed to Rodrigo Bentancur. pic.twitter.com/M6HyXE5Y0o “The minimum suspension for aggravated misconduct is six matches, so even if Spurs are successful, Rodrigo Bentancur will only have one-match from his seven-game ban taken off,” Ben Jacobs exclusively told GIVEMESPORT . “Spurs are optimistic, and know several other clubs sympathise with the severity of the punishment. Spurs will argue Bentancur did not mean any offence in making the remarks, and instead that he was actually being sarcastic, replying in such a manner because he was offended himself and taken aback by the interviewer simply referring to Son as ‘the Korean’.” After sitting out the Man City win, Bentancur—as per the suspension—will also miss Premier League games against Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton and Liverpool. He will also be banned for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 19. The Uruguayan is poised to return against Nottingham Forest in the league on December 16. Should Tottenham win their appeal against the FA and the South American’s ban is reduced by one game, the 27-year-old will be available in the big home game against league leaders Liverpool on December 22. Bentancur will be out for a crunch part of the campaign. He has become a key member of Postecoglou’s side this season, starting seven of the club’s 12 games in the Premier League . While the Uruguayan’s absence was barely felt in the 4-0 rout of Man City, it may impact in the forthcoming games when the schedule becomes tighter. Thus, the suspension getting reduced even for one game would be huge for Bentancur, Big Ange and Tottenham. Big Ange’s public backing of the Lilywhites’ appeal against the FA was a clear indication that he wants the ex-Juventus to become eligible for selection in domestic games as quickly as possible. This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.Lawyers for a voting machine company that’s suing Fox News want to question founder Rupert Murdoch about his contentious efforts to change his family trust , the attorneys told a court Monday. Election-tech company Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit regards Fox's reporting on 2020 voting fraud claims. But Smartmatic’s attorneys suggest the separate succession fight over Murdoch's media empire might shed light on any Fox Corp. involvement in editorial matters. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed likely Wednesday to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices' decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which restrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender health care for minors. Supporters of transgender rights rally Wednesday outside the Supreme Court in Washington. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism over arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights, questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should weigh in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. "The Constitution leaves that question to the people's representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor," Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The court's three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers, but it's not clear that any conservatives will go along. People attend a rally March 31, 2023, as part of a Transgender Day of Visibility, near the Capitol in Washington. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. "Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn't protect them. It didn't protect women for whole centuries," Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from that decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that "the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature." ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, left, and plaintiff Joaquin Carcano address reporters after a June 25, 2018, hearing in Winston-Salem, N.C., on their lawsuit challenging the law that replaced North Carolina's "bathroom bill." Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that's susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito's questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. "So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?" Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court's marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like "Champion God's Design" and "Kids Health Matters," while the other side proclaimed "Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights" and "Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that "sex plays an unmistakable role" in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. Demonstrators against transgender rights protest Wednesday during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state "decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors." She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. For many trans and nonbinary people, bathrooms can be complicated places to navigate — a fact highlighted by the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is far from an outlier when it comes to failing to provide safe and equitable bathrooms for transgender people. According to the Movement Advancement Project, which tracks LGBTQ+ policy, 13 states have a policy that prevents transgender people from safely or legally using public bathrooms. But data shows that even in states with trans-friendly policies, transgender and nonbinary people report high rates of harassment in public bathrooms. Advocates say everyday people can have a big impact in interrupting discrimination in gendered restrooms. The 19th shows how anyone can help prevent abuse. Sex-segregated restrooms have historically been a hostile space for Tat Bellamy-Walker, a Seattle-based journalist and Black gender-fluid trans person. In graduate school and at journalism internships, they had to go far out of their way to find all-gender single-stall restrooms they could use safely. "You never forget being told you don't belong in a restroom, you never forget not having a place to dispose of sanitary products if you're on your period in the men's bathroom," Bellamy-Walker said. "It's just clear you do not belong in public spaces." Allies can help tremendously by locating and pointing out gender-neutral bathrooms to friends or family who might need them. This is especially important for people planning events or parties. Make sure your space has safe bathrooms. Carrie Soto, a South Dakota parent of a transgender child, said she lives by the mantra "see something, say something." That means speaking up when there is bullying and harassment and volunteering to accompany a trans/nonbinary friend or family member when they have to head into a public bathroom. "Validate a trans person's fears and anxiety about the situation," Soto said. " If [my daughter] uses a gendered restroom and feels anxious, I go with." It may seem obvious, but transgender health advocate Jamison Green notes this step can really help trans people feel safe. Consider first that according to 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey , 59 percent of trans people avoided using a public restroom due to fear of harassment. Data from 2022 found that 6 percent of trans people said they were physically or verbally attacked while trying to use a bathroom, while 4 percent were denied access to a bathroom. "If you see someone who you clock as trans or nonbinary, just smile or pay them a non-provocative compliment. ... Wish them good day or good evening, and move on," Green said. "Of course that only goes for the women's room! In the men's room, talking is extremely rare." Green recommends that cisgender people offer a kind, silent nod. Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., allow residents to opt for "X" gender markers on their IDs in addition to selecting "M" or "F." Still, in every state, regardless of laws, most bathrooms in government buildings, schools, businesses, places of worship and cultural institutions are gendered. Advocates say people can help change this by simply asking businesses and building owners for more options to accommodate all genders. "Advocacy is the most important part of the fight for transgender rights," Lambda Legal notes in its guide to restrooms. "And if employers adopt pro-trans policies proactively, instead of waiting for a transgender person to pave the way, there's much less chance of having problems down the line." The internet is full of rants not appropriate for a news article about people using the only single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms available not for safety but for ... well, pooping. As a result, gender-neutral bathrooms, especially in airports, are almost always occupied. There are many reasons why a cisgender person might need a single-occupancy bathroom (accessibility, illness, child care and, yes, even a little more privacy). Just like accessible stalls, it's a kindness to leave gender-neutral restrooms unoccupied when you don't need them. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!

For Tennessee football, the postseason starts Saturday at Vanderbilt