Appeals Court Approves Transgender Name Change Over Trial Judge's Religious Objections

In In the Matter of the Application of James Dean Ingram To Change His/Her Name, (OK App., March 21, 2014), the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals reversed a trial court judge's refusal to allow transgender petitioner, who was in the process of a sex transition from male to female, to change her name from from James Dean Ingram to Angela Renee Ingram.  The appeals court held that the trial judge abused his discretion when he concluded that the name change was sought for an illegal or fraudulent purpose.  According to AP, the trial court judge, Oklahoma County District Judge Bill Graves, citing Biblical passages, had said:   "[A] sex change cannot make a man a woman or a woman a man.... The DNA code shows God meant for them to stay male and female."  The Oklahoma ACLU issued a press release announcing the Court of Civil Appeals' decision. In 2012, the appeals court reversed a similar denial by the same judge. (See prior posting.)

Pastor Loses Claim That Oklahoma License Plates Force Him To Display Image That Violates His Beliefs

In Cressman v. Thompson, (WD OK, Jan. 14, 2014), a Oklahoma federal district court rejected plaintiff's 1st Amendment compelled speech challenge to the design of Oklahoma license plates.  The plates carry an image of a Native American shooting a bow-and-arrow.  Plaintiff, a United Methodist pastor, claims the image is that of the Sacred Rain Arrow statue and conveys a message contrary to his Christian religious beliefs. He argues that the statue retells the story of a Native American who believes in sacred objects, multiple deities, the divinity of nature and the ability to use sacred objects to convince gods to change nature. The court ruled however that:

a reasonable observer would not be likely to conclude that an identifiable message was conveyed simply from the inclusion of the image on the standard state license plate. Without further research, it is simply a depiction of an Indian shooting a bow and arrow. A reasonable observer, even one living in Oklahoma, would not be likely to know of Allen Houser’s intentions or thoughts in creating the “Sacred Rain Arrow” statue or of the legend behind it, even if the observer assumed the image was an exact replica of the statue. The average Oklahoman or other reasonable observer is unlikely to have seen the specific background information plaintiff submitted or to have made the connection to the plate that plaintiff relies on.

AP reports on the decision. (See prior related posting.)

American Atheists Sue Over Oklahoma Capitol Ten Commandments

On Monday, the American Atheists filed a federal court lawsuit against the Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission challenging the Ten Commandments monument erected in 2012 on the Oklahoma State Capitol Grounds. (Press release.)  The complaint (full text) in American Atheists Inc. v. Thompson, (WD OK, filed 1/13/2014) includes a lengthy analysis of the text and design of the display.  The ACLU has previously filed a state court lawsuit challenging the monument (see prior posting). In December, the State Capitol Preservation Commission placed a moratorium on new applications to erect monuments on the capitol grounds as proposals to put up competing monuments proliferated. (See prior posting.) In its complaint, American Atheists says that if it loses its bid to have the Ten Commandments removed, it will also seek permission to place a monument on the capitol grounds. KRMG News reports on the lawsuit.

Satanic Temple Releases Proposed Design For Oklahoma Capitol Monument

The New York-based Satanic Temple has released its proposed design for a monument it wishes to erect on the Oklahoma State House grounds to complement the Ten Commandments monument placed there in 2012.  According to Monday's National Journal:

The proposed monument features a 7-foot-tall Baphomet, a goat-headed creature which is sometimes used as a stand-in for Satan. The demon's lap, flanked by a smiling child on each side, will double as a seat for visitors.

The Temple has exceeded its $20,000 goal to pay for the statue, raising more than that on the crowd funding site Indiegogo. The Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission has placed all applications on hold while a challenge to the Ten Commandments monument by the ACLU works its way through the courts. (See prior posting.)

Oklahoma Capitol Commission Puts Moratorium On Applications For New Statehouse Monuments

According to AP, the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission voted yesterday to impose a moratorium on requests for new displays on the statehouse grounds until a pending lawsuit over a Ten Commandments monument there is resolved. News of the monument put up last year triggered a request from a New York-based Satanic Temple for permission to also put up a monument.  That was quickly followed by requests from a Hindu group in Nevada, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. (See prior related posting.) The Commission chairman said passing on any of these requests now would be premature.

Satanists Propose Monument On Oklahoma Capitol Grounds

In 2009, the Oklahoma legislature approved the display of a privately financed Ten Commandments monument on the State Capitol grounds. (See prior posting.) Now the New York-based Satanic Temple has notified the Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission that it also wants to donate a monument for the Capitol grounds. AP reported  yesterday that the Satanic Temple says its monument will be "in good taste and consistent with community standards." It will pay "homage to the historic/literary Satan."   [Thanks to Joel Sogol via Religionlaw for the lead.]

UPDATE: Others seem to have similar ideas.  In a Dec. 10 press release, the Universal Society of Hinduism said it plans to apply to Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission for permission to place a statue of Lord Hanuman in the statehouse grounds.