美法官叫停密西西比LGBT法律
美国一位联邦法官叫停了密西西比州一项即将生效的法律，该法律允许该州居民以宗教信仰为由拒绝为同性伴侣提供服务。
美国地区法院法官里夫斯星期四晚上在距离该法律星期五生效前的几小时宣布，该法律违反了宪法平等保护的承诺，阻止了该法律的生效。
预计密西西比州检察官将对这一裁决提出上诉。
这项法律引起巨大争议，使这个南部州受到了抵制和批评。这项法律要保护的是三种理念是：婚姻必须是在男性和女性之间，只有在这种婚姻关系下才能发生性行为，人的性别是出生时决定的，不可变更。
根据这项法律，当地店家可以宗教信仰为由，拒绝为男女同性恋，双性恋和跨性别者提供服务。
为此，不少音乐家都取消了最近几个月在密西西比州和附近的北卡罗来纳州的演出计划。北卡罗来纳州不久前刚刚通过了一项法案，要求跨性别者按出生性别使用洗手间。
US Judge Blocks Mississippi LGBT Law
A U.S. federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law that would have allowed residents to refuse services to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the law late Thursday, just hours before it was meant to take effect Friday, saying it violates the constitution's equal protection guarantee.
State attorneys are expected to appeal the ruling.
The controversial law, which has left the southern state subject to boycotts and criticism, would protect three beliefs: that marriage is only between a man and a women; that sex should only take place in such a marriage; and that a person's gender is determined at birth and cannot be changed.
Local businesses also would be able to deny service to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers based on religious beliefs.
Many musicians canceled shows in recent months in Mississippi and the nearby state of North Carolina, which recently passed a bill requiring transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender at birth.
美五角大楼取消跨性别者服役的禁令
美国国防部取消了对跨性别者公开服役的禁令。
美国国防部长卡特星期四告诉记者说，军队招募要面对所有美国人。他还说，我们的任务是保卫这个国家，我们不需要任何跟个人能力无关的障碍，让我们无法招募和留用能够最出色完成使命的陆海空和海军陆战队将士。
卡特说，现役军人可以立即公开身份服役，不会仅仅因为是跨性别者而被迫退役。
他说，美军现役军人里目前有大约2500名跨性别者。
卡特补充说，军方在一年内将开始接受跨性别者入伍，只要他们身心都符合标准。
这一政策变化去除了美国人入伍的最后限制之一，距离不让同性恋者公开服役的“不问不说”政策的正式结束已经过去了近五年时间。不到一年前，美国所有战斗岗位开始向女性开放。
Pentagon Ends Ban on Transgender Service Members
The U.S. Defense Department has lifted its ban on transgender men and women serving openly in the military.
"We have to have access to 100 percent of America's population," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters Thursday. "Our mission is to defend this country and we don't want barriers unrelated to a person's qualification to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the solder, sailor, airman or Marine who can best accomplish the mission," Carter said.
He said servicemen and women can serve openly immediately and will no longer be discharged just for being transgender.
He said there are currently an estimated 2,500 transgender people serving in active duty.
The military will begin accepting transgender Americans who meet all of the physical and mental standards “no later than one year from today,” Carter added.
The change removes one of the last barriers to military service by any individual. It comes nearly a half-decade after the formal end of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which barred gays and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. military, and less than one year after all combat positions in the military were opened to women.