A trans doctor leaves after South Dakota's House passed a bill banning gender-affirming care, and three men were robbed using phone facial recognition in New York.

Trans Doctor Leaves After House Passes Bill Banning Gender-affirming Care

Webster, S.D. has a population of fewer than 2,000 people. Rural areas have been experiencing physician shortages, and Webster has one less due to anti-trans legislation sending Dr. Mayson Bedient to its northern neighbor.

Bedient, who is also a trans man, is a general practitioner and gender-affirming care specialist. He worked in Webster until December 2022, and now works with Essentia Health in Fargo, N.D.

South Dakota’s House Bill 1080, which prohibits gender-affirming care for minors, passed to the House floor on Jan. 31.

“As someone who went to school for as long as I have and practiced for as long as I have, and gotten all that experience - it’s almost offensive in a way, that these legislators are coming in and saying that they know better than I do or than my colleagues do,” Bedient told KELOLAND.

Visitors to Gay Bar Robbed Using Phone Facial Recognition

 The Eagle NYC. Photo via Google Maps.

According to the New York Police Department, three men visiting The Eagle NYC were robbed using facial recognition on their phones.

The men in their late 30’s and 40’s were each robbed of $1,000 to $5,000 on different nights in October and November. Authorities have stated that no arrests have been made and the investigation is still underway.

Capt. Robert Gault of NYC’s 10th Precinct discussed the occurrences at a police community council meeting, according to NBC News.

“What we think is happening with this scheme is they’re being lured away from the club, maybe to say, ‘Hey, you wanna come with me?’ … or something like that,’” Gault said. “And then, once they get into a car to do whatever it is that they’re going to do, at some point or another, they don’t know what happened when they wake up.”